The need to address racial justice is in the spotlight in America, more now than it's been in decades, says Susan M. Ifill, NeighborWorks America's chief operating officer. She highlighted other hallmarks of this time, such as the pandemic contributing to an economic decline that is "touching more industries, people and local municipalities, simultaneously than ever before. The impact on communities of color is almost immeasurable."

In New Orleans, Louisiana, COVID-19 hit fast and early, following on the heels of Mardi Gras season. The city saw another coronavirus spike at the beginning of July. Meanwhile, the city has seen protests, largely peaceful, as people have cried out for racial equity.

In January, Darryl Smith became CEO of HomeSight in Southeast Seattle, the most diverse part of the city. When COVID-19 hit the United States, Washington was the first to be listed as a hotspot. There have been more than 25,000 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the state, and more than a thousand deaths. About half of those have been in King County, named for Martin Luther King, Jr., the county where Seattle is located.