; and (5) a lack of consideration for pre-existing social-environmental disparities when addressing the disproportionate impact of COVID–19 on communities of color; Whereas, even in nonpandemic times, the psychosocial stress of racial discrimination, including exclusion from health, educational, social, and economic resources, contributes to poorer health quality and higher rates of chronic health conditions for communities of color; Whereas BIPOC communities, already burdened by disparities in chronic illnesses like lung disease, asthma, heart conditions, sickle cell disease, and diabetes, disproportionately suffer from the mental health disorders that are commonly associated with those chronic illnesses; Whereas environmental strains, such as poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, and chronic racial and ethnic discrimination, among other social determinants of health, can significantly increase distress and the overall mental and emotional well-being of poor youth of color; Whereas an emerging body of research shows that past trauma inflicted on racial and ethnic minorities has the potential to affect the descendants of the survivors of that trauma; Whereas, despite the necessity of diverse scientific and health care workforces and culturally informed and culturally effective science and research to address mental health disparities, including disparities in care, and decades of efforts to diversify those workforces, there continues to be a challenging pattern of continued underrepresentation of people of certain genders and racial and ethnic groups in those fields; Whereas mental health services and supports often are not aligned with the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care; Whereas the lack of linguistically appropriate mental health services and the lack of information about where to find those services decreases the likelihood that families of color will seek help