This Body

Short documentary explores the experiences of communities of color during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The film unpacks both the personal and national histories that influence many Black peoples’ decisions regarding vaccination with care, honesty, and respect.

This Body follows Sydney Hall, a Black student at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, as she makes the decision to participate in vaccine trials for Covid-19.

“I hoped for more vaccination turn-out,” Hall said of her experience. “I anticipated these outcomes as far as a [resurgence] with different strains and variants, because it happens with the flu as well. Unfortunately, it happened a little sooner than expected.”

Kierra Coleman, another Black veterinary student at LSU who participated in the film, shared that, “Black people are not given the proper medical treatment as everybody else. The Black Lives Matter movement and this pandemic do tie in to each other, and I feel like the doctors do play the same role as the police do, just in different settings.”

Coleman is also skeptical of the accelerated push and incentives towards vaccination. Hall brought up required polio vaccination as a precedent that could pave the way for mandatory school vaccinations, but also agrees that government and health officials should first provide trustworthy and transparent information instead of twisting people’s arms by threatening to take away their livelihoods.

Responsible public health campaigns must strive to be radically inclusive, recognizing that there are a variety of strategies to make sure the greatest number of people are protected, not just against Covid-19, but also against exploitation and other forms of harm.

According to Zac Manuel, director of This Body, “If you are mandating anything for a Black community, it’s a huge mistake. It disrespects our experience in this country. The vaccine needs to be made available and convenient for people. There needs to be more information sessions and engagement of people on a community level that allows people to ask questions and come to a decision that is appropriate for them. You can’t mandate the result you want for marginalized communities. It takes more time and more care. It must take everyone’s personal experience into consideration.”

Watch This Body at www.pbs.org/video/this-body-1csiy4.

About Reel South

The people, culture, landscape and history of the South both captivate and bewilder. In the cherished tradition of southern storytelling, Reel South reveals the South’s proud yet complicated heritage, as told by a diversity of voices and perspectives.
View Reel South films at www.pbs.org/show/reel-south.