Systemic racism has driven a serious public health crisis in Colorado and beyond, evidenced through COVID-19's disproportionate impact on communities of color (with Black, Hispanic and Native American communities experiencing higher rates of disease and death). To address this crisis and work toward vaccine equity, Immunize Colorado launched the Colorado Vaccine Equity Taskforce in 2020. The Taskforce helped to prioritize strategies for equitable COVID-19 vaccine delivery, access, and education, and implemented efforts to reduce barriers to vaccination. Through outreach, policy, and communications work in English and Spanish, the Taskforce also combatted misinformation targeted predominately at communities of color about vaccines, informed research and implementation efforts for COVID-19 vaccines, and held decision makers accountable for achieving vaccine equity in Colorado.

While the COVID-19 public health emergency ended and the Taskforce officially dissolved in 2022, our work is not complete. Immunize Colorado continues to center vaccine equity in all we do; throughout our six core areas of focus, we are working to advance best practices and proven strategies gleaned from the COVID-19 pandemic to reach underresourced communities and break down barriers to vaccination.