COVID-19 was a global pandemic that altered many aspects of American life. From January 2020 to August 2024, over 1,100,000 Americans died from the disease. Quarantine measures, enacted to avoid the spread of COVID-19, altered the way Americans worked and lived. Many social activities—including school and faith-based gatherings—moved online. Even at this writing, COVID-19 continues to impact many Americans’ everyday experiences.

For over 20 years, Colorlines has led the way in quality, race-focused journalism that centers people of color and marginalized voices. When mainstream media shied away from reporting on race, Colorlines called out systemic racism in all its manifestations, first through a print magazine and then online. In the aftermath of the 2020 Uprisings and within the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the reality of the world we lived in was placed starkly in front of us.