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"Because the pandemic is far from over, we’ll continue to hold Bandcamp Fridays on the first Friday of every month until the end of the year." Bandcamp has previously held "Bandcamp Fridays" where the music sharing platform has waived its fees, meaning 100% of the money going to the artists on the platform.

This article explores how cities are dealing with voting during a pandemic, such as using Mail-in voting and possibly delaying elections.

Over the past six months we have all found ourselves isolated from our friends, family, communities, and the world we once knew. Society has had to adapt to changes we never expected to happen. Throughout my education, I have been taught about the great tragedies and historic moments that people have faced over past centuries but never imagined that I too, would be living through a moment in time that will be forever talked about in history books. Life since the beginning of the pandemic has not felt real. The world has stopped, yet time is still quickly moving along. In order to stay safe, we must completely isolate ourselves, yet find a way to still live day to day. Follow regulations and guidelines but still have the money to feed, house, and take care of ourselves. The people of the world have had to find a way to stay safe and stay alive. The pandemic has made me feel as though I am in a constant state of contradiction. I have reached a time in my life where everything is changing, and I am constantly evolving. I have never felt better about being out on my own and figuring out who I am, while also feeling stuck, hopeless, trying to manage my crippling mental health and the harsh effects of isolation. Constantly battling between being optimistic versus sinking into a pessimistic hole. I feel like I am thriving in some aspects of my life and deteriorating in so many others. Feeling stuck, yet still trying to be hopeful for the future. Feeling good about accomplishments and milestones in life while also feeling bad knowing that there are people who are being confronted by this deadly virus daily. Every day I feel as though I am faced with a constant dilemma between myself, my mind, and the ever-changing world around me. Nevertheless, I know I am not alone in feeling this way either. Everyone across the globe is also dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19. We are all dealing with the constant moral hypocrisy of knowing that life still has to move forward and that life can be good while also being in utter chaos. I view life right now as a fine line that we are slowly treading. However, one day we will look back and realize we have crossed it, confident in knowing that we are alright.

Everyone knows how hard it can be to look at the good things going on in life, when it feels like you are only surrounded by the bad. And during a pandemic it is even harder find those good things. Along with millions of other people, this is the first thing I have experienced in my lifetime that has actually affected every single human in the entire world. I was supposed to do my junior performance recital in April. I was supposed to go to Italy for classes in May. I was supposed to go to concerts in the summer. Obviously, those losses are not nearly as bad as families that lost their jobs or loved ones, but everyone missed out on something no matter how big. In the beginning it honestly sounded pretty nice. I remember sitting in the living room with my friends looking at how inexpensive flights were and planning out the fun things we were going to do with our free time when schools canceled classes. We definitely did not believe they would be canceled for the rest of the semester and we would be sent home and not allowed to travel. It was really hard to come home and not be around my friends or even allowed to go see people I did not live with. I really did just sit around and sulk for a while. But then I realized how grateful I was to at least have a house to sulk in and have loved ones to sulk with. Being forced to come home from school gave me so much extra time with my family that I never would have gotten if COVID didn’t happen. I got to bake and cook so much with my mom and watch movies with my dad and play games with my brothers. I got to try new things like painting, and I was able to read more, and I definitely got a lot more sleep. I mean don’t get me wrong I would have much rather been traveling or going out with friends and living the life of a college student, but this pandemic really made me realize how blessed I am. Even in the worst of times, there is always something good to focus on if you just try.

The pandemic forced us all to take online classes. We all miss the traditional classroom setting. But we all remember how awkward it was to ask questions. One thing about zoom is you can ask a question or make a comment in the chat box. This is a feature I hope get added to the in person class experience. It adds so much to the productivity and the curiosity of student. Being able to just add a question into the chat log, then the teacher peeks at it and answers when they have time or if its immediately relevant. No classroom disruption, no being shy, just unadulterated curiosity.

Time. Time is an interesting concept. Everyone always wishes for more of it, but most people are not sure how to use the time they are given. Well, the point I am trying to make is that there are so many hours in a day, but do we know how to use them? Due to Covid-19, I really was able to think about this. For the first week or so, I saw this pandemic as a vacation from my rigorous class work. In the following weeks after that, I was in a constant state of boredom. I feel as if this is the story for most college students. This is when I decided I needed to do something about it. As the school year had concluded, I began to look for a job. Come to find out, it was truly not as hard as it seemed to find a job during a pandemic. In a week’s time, I had started my full-time job and could not be more excited. Of course, it took time to get use to the long hours and the physical demands, but, in time, it had become the perfect cure to my boredom. In fact, it felt so good that I did not want to stop there. With my newfound energy, I began to exercise for a minimum of two hours a day. When that was not enough, I decided to teach myself about the economy and the stock market. Now, me sharing my quarantine experience is not to gloat or to try and portray myself as one that is greater than another. With this story, I am trying to portray my realization that my view of time has changed. Before the pandemic, I would not believe that I would be working a full-time job, working out, and learn for fun all in the matter of 24 hours. I would not have thought I had enough time. With proper motivation though, and a more strict schedule, I had begun to realize that time is something that you will not have forever, so try and use the time that you have currently to its maximum potential.

Cet article montre comment les élections sont affectées dans le monde. This article shows how elections are being affected throughout the world. Curator's Note: The translation of the title is "New Brunswickers vote early due to COVID-19 pandemic." The translation of the screenshot is "New Brunswick: Early voting unusually popular"

This is a story why Online education is not the same as in-Person education that COVID took AWAY FROM US

This Coronavirus has reared its’ ugly head into so many aspects of my life that I only had one shot at. Senior year of high school is supposed to be one of the best times (as every high school movie says so) but instead, I think us 2020 seniors had the worst time. The end of my high school career consisted of online assignments, virtual celebrations, and people telling me my personal favorite, “you’ll never forget it!” Listen… I don’t think ANY OF US are going to forget that we had a GLOBAL PANDEMIC in 2020. Pandemics don't just casually happen, nor do we just simply forget about it to go on and sing kumbaya. Alternatively, we remember and teach it to future generations. Honestly, that statement was not helpful for 2020 seniors but good try. Anyways, for us seniors we anticipated the excitement of finishing high school while having a new beginning so close. It was Friday, March 13th when my senior class of 2020 experienced the official “2 Week Closing”; however, this was our last day of both high school and normalcy. After a week we were told going back was “to be determined”, but we knew that the likelihood of returning was small. I would look through social media and see posts about the excitement of no school, but by the flip of a switch, it turned into rants about missing school and the ability to leave the house. Education moved online while we watched our senior events get canceled. We pushed through online work in a pass/fail system from March 16th until the last day in June. Throughout that time, we saw all our events slip away. Prom… graduation… senior banquets… gone. When it came to graduation day, a pre-recorded ceremony was broadcasted for us senior families to view. My family sat in our backyard with pizza, me in my cap and gown, and the tv just waiting to see me appear. There was no walking across the stage, sitting with friends, or taking pictures afterwards. This was the ceremony and it was dependent on how we celebrated it. My best friend didn’t watch it because as she said: “I’ve already seen enough graduations with my three sisters. I’m fine skipping mine”. I had a friend who played it in the background while their family did their own thing. Never had graduation celebrations be all over the place. When it ended my family congratulated me and that was it. The anticipation of graduation was gone, for I was officially a college freshman. Overall, my senior year conclusion was a wild ride thanks to Coronavirus. I hope the 2021 seniors don’t go through the same disappointments we did and get to experience the events we missed out on. With it already being a crazy start to the school year I think the seniors deserve to have an enjoyable finish. Hey, if they don’t at least this is a time “they’ll never forget”.

Using autoethnography as the method of research, this paper explores the fears and anxieties exacerbated in the Latinx community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through narrative snapshots, I depict how the pandemic worsened due to policy meant to limit undocumented Latinx immigrants’ access to health services. By focusing on the evolution of the public charge, this project depicts the ways the Trump administration’s hateful rhetoric and racist policies exacerbate the fear, life-threatening conditions, and long-lasting trauma on undocumented Latinx immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Closing in on one Brooklyn family’s navigation of the 2020 political climate, worsening pandemic, working-class realities, and immigration system, I take you through the present realities often left unseen by mainstream media.

COVID-19 had been set back after set back since March when colleges and universities closed. I was slightly behind as I was extremely ill, with what my doctors now believe was the coronavirus, in January at the beginning of the semester. I had been dreading this day since August when my summer classes had ended. I had to tell my parents. I didn’t know how so I had waited until I had relocated into Pittsburgh again and my transfer was complete into the pre-pharmacy program instead of the professional program. This pandemic and my lack of motivation had ruined my chances of going to pharmacy school. I watched my dreams slip one year further away. I had to tell them. I was supposed to be matriculating into the professional phase this year but here I am in my third year of college being stuck taking another year of college at an expensive private school. I had to tell them. Between getting sick and losing 15 pounds in two weeks and being stuck home for months, the pandemic had taken a serious toll on me physically and mentally. I had to tell them. I called my mom after she got out of work on September 2nd, 2020 and she could immediately tell something was wrong. I had been preparing myself to do this for almost a month and it still wasn’t enough to hear the disappointment in my mothers voice. My parents had never been anything other than supportive even when I made mistakes but here I was terrified of what might come of this. My parents and I discussed what my options could be, maybe I could concentrate on a minor while I take the last few classes I needed to continue into pharmacy school, or maybe I could take a gap semester and gain some experience in a hospital pharmacy. I cried and cried to my mom hating the fact she was disappointed in me and thought her and my dad would hate me. The next morning, after my mom had calmed down, I received the text message saying everything would be okay and as a family we would work it out. My family and I decided I would stay at Duquesne for the full year and I would work towards a business minor. I had to tell them and once I did I started to see the silver lining within the pandemic… I had never been as close to my parents as I was currently.

Throughout my high school career, the one thing I was most looking forward to was graduating, as any high schooler would look forward to. Not only just getting my diploma and starting my next step in my life, but the actual action of walking across the stage, looking out seeing my family and friends sitting in the crowd cheering me on. The whole concept and excitement of graduation day. Getting all ready in my cap and gown, sitting in the seats next to my classmates who I had grown up with for 13 years and listening to our principle and class president speak. The feeling of finally being free from that era of my life and walking out of the arena with the diploma in my hand. This is what I was looking forward to at the end of my senior year. When my school first switched to online, I still had hope of going back to normal in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, as we all soon began to realize we were not going back, I realized I would not have this dream of a normal graduation after all. My school still had big plans for our class of 2020 graduation. We had a big senior parade where we drove through our village past all of our teachers and big posters of our pictures lined up on the street. Following that, we had our covid-19 version of graduation. There was a stage set up outside of our school and a section in front designated for close family and friends to watch. That day, I had many emotions. I wanted to be excited for graduation, but the thought of all my class has missed out on was still lingering in the back of my head. I walked across the stage and received my diploma, wearing a mask along with everyone there. I watched all of my friends walk across the stage and receive their diplomas too, but on a video. As heartbreaking as it was, I realized this wasn't something I should be sad about. The pandemic opened up a whole new idea of adapting for everyone. It showed everyone that no matter what could possibly happen, such as global pandemic, there is always a way to make the best out of a bad situation. I was still able to make unforgettable memories and have a memorable graduation. This is important to me because I know this is an event that will always be remembered in my life and it was something that helped change my perspective on everything in life.

With the introduction of Corona to my daily lifestyle I was forced to reflect a lot about the choices I made and also my general day to day routine. Everything was turned upside down on its head and everything I once knew was now unrecognizable. Gone were the days I would spend hecticly trying to rush to and from school running past people to catch a train. Now the only running I was doing was to and from the kitchen because my tv show was going to start and I needed a refill on my drink. Covid introduced a introverts dream and an extroverts worst nightmare. Confined to their houses like a turtle to its shell. Leaving the house became an escape but not before the 30 layers of disinfectants and masking products. But nowhere fun. Only the supermarket and back. But it was still better than nothing.

Everyone was always saying how quickly senior year of high school would really go, how you want to cherish every moment you have because it will end before you know it. Well, for me and all the other graduating 2020 seniors across the globe really got to see how quickly it can end. On March 6th, 2020 at Dallastown Area High School in York Pennsylvania, we were informed over the loud speaker that we would be taking an extended absence from in classroom schooling for the time being, and little did we know it would be our last time stepping into the school as students. The whole day was a blur to me as I look back at it. I went into the day with my normal routine, breakfast, drive to school, and hang with my high school buddies in the parking lot until it was time for 1st period to start. There was no thought in our minds of what was going to go down that day. All day the rumors spread from person to person like wildfire that we would be sent home for school for a period, which differentiated depending who you heard the information from. The fear of Covid-19 in my area wasn’t as imposing as some other regions of the United States, so I was perplexed in why we would be getting sent home and frankly, didn’t believe what I was hearing, or I didn’t want to. But then it happened, our principal came over the loudspeaker during the last period of the day, and last of my high school tenure. Feelings were flying in my head of heartbreak and worry. Was I going to get my senior prom that my girlfriend and I have been excited for all year? Was I going to get anymore experience writing with the student newspaper that I had just joined? And many other thoughts swirled around my head like a merry go round. I went home that day with high hopes of coming back after the initial two week period that was set by the school, but before the week was concluded, we received the heartbreaking news that the remainder of the school year would be completed entirely online. I could not believe it; my senior year of high school was over in the blink of an eye. They did not come out and say it, but it slowly started to set in that this meant more than just no school. It meant no prom, no traditional graduation that you worked 13 long years of school for, no more hangouts with your best friends on Friday nights for the time being. In my head, there was people I knew I would never see again, who I did not hang out with outside of school. Some many emotions filled my head as the bad news kept coming and coming, but there was nothing I could do about it. It was a tragic event that we all had to live with, and I guarantee if we all had the opportunity, we would all go back a change the high school ending experience we were all forced to face.

This is a personal essay I've written to describe my feelings on the recent racial unrest in this country amid the pandemic.

My project sought to examine and understand the historical resilience of Black motherhood and its relation to the life altering pandemic, COVID-19 and racially driven uprisings against systematic oppression; How Black motherhood and resistance through Black motherhood adapted, how it’s changed and what new radical resistance through motherhood was conjured in face of the pandemic and race clarity. As an autoethnographic account this research project was centered around my experience of motherhood and communal connections, as well as the experiences of Black mothers and birth workers. The political positioning of Black mothers was considered through essays and poetry written, as well as photos during the lockdowns in relation to the concepts of birth and death, the idea of radical mothering and activism, and the umbrella term of community.

It describes how funerals have changed since the start of the pandemic. I submitted it because I think people need to see how big this viruses reach is and how it can affect everyone.

This is my own story of evacuating Malaysia in March due to covid-19 during my Fulbright grant. This story is important to me because, while I did not want to leave Malaysia, it is a humbling reminder of how privileged I am to have been able to evacuate somewhere when so many people throughout the world had no option but to stay put and brace themselves for the pandemic.

Trends define a generation. As someone who is interested in observing the rise and falls of trends, I was interested to see how the pandemic would influence the virality of trends. After all, most people are cooped up in their homes with not much entertainment. The rise of the social media app TikTok, coupled with the power of viral trends, combine together to influence the fads and trends of this generation.

I composed this piece for my Painting I class around the start of the pandemic when everything was still surreal. If I did a piece on COVID now, it would be entirely different. Nevertheless, I think the general tone of this piece shows how I and most likely many others have experienced the pandemic. I decided to place this scene on the Subway since New York City was the epicenter of COVID-19, and like COVID, the Subway is known as "the great equalizer". The tightness of space on a subway also gives the feeling of being trapped, which has been a pretty universal feeling during this time, not to mention the acute awareness of germs that one has both on the subway and during COVID. I was also inspired by the art that came from the Black Plague depicting 'witch' doctors and skeletons and wanted the figures I painted to mimic that sense of doom. Each figure represents a different feeling or character that has solidified itself in our COVID centered lives. I am sure many people can relate to the shag of hair bent over a computer as we navigate online classes and jobs, or to the sympathetic limp glove that essential workers wear everyday, or to the three characters that both warn and frighten us. I hope that at the end of this pandemic we can look back to what has come out of peoples' restlessness and suffering, and resolve to live in care of others to prevent future tragedies. #ForhamUniveristy

During the covid 19 pandemic I had a rather unique and tragic experience with one of the world’s best and most prestigious health care facilities. My grandmother who was seventy four was diagnosed with acute cancer on Christmas Eve last year. As she was told there was a high chance of survival because she caught it very early we all were obviously devastated and heart broken. But we continued on and supported her as a family, the whole way through her treatment. However I can remember going back to school after that christmas break and we followed COVID from the very beginning in my world events class. But what was so ironic is that me and everyone in the class had seen what this did to China and not one of us could have ever imagined it turning into having to wear a face mask everywhere you go and no sports for months. Yet it invaded the U.S. like a wood trojan horse once did with the city of Troy, as COVID put the world into an instant frenzy shutting everything down left and right. I recall me and many of my friends begging our parents to go to the grocery store everytime something ran out even if it was as simple as a stick of butter just so we could get out of the house for a few minutes. However as COVID spread my grandmother’s cancer actually was able to be neutralized and went into remission around may of this year. As I look back upon the last time I saw her in person it was definitely an odd goodbye as I stood about ten feet from her and had a normal conversation with her and my grandfather, each word was half understood as it mumbled through our face masks. Then just like that they were on their way back to Johns Hopkins in very high spirits as the doctors had told us that she needed a final surgery and she would hopefully beat it completely. However due to COVID this surgery had to wait until a time when non emergency surgeries could be done, so it was scheduled for late june. But when someone who has cancer gets a simple illness like pneumonia, their immune system cannot fight it. She was in the hospital for about a week and fluid buildup around her heart caused her to lose her life on june 3. However my final memory of her is me and my family standing on the street outside the hospital, me in my cap and gown and each of us holding encouraging signs. We each spoke to her through the phone as she looked down upon us from the tenth floor and waved to us. Luckily my grandfather was admitted to stay with her that night and the next morning she took her last breath. Yet COVID continued to strike as the funeral could only have 25 people in the room at a time.

Sidewalk chalk art by children seen in Brookline, Massachusetts. The art says "Summer Is Coming!"; "Thank You Doctors And Nurses!"; and "Show You Care By Distancing!"

On May 1, 2020, the manager of Allston music venue Great Scott announced that the club would not reopen. In the days that followed, residents gathered in front of the doors to mourn its loss and share memories. On the blackboard used to advertise each night's bands and set times, someone wrote "The Plan Won't Accomplish Anything If It's Not Implemented," a lyric from the Built To Spill song, "The Plan" (from the 1999 album, Keep It Like A Secret). Built To Spill is not from Allston (they are from Boise, Idaho), but they are a seminal indie rock band and a formative influence for many musicians and fans who frequented Great Scott. The sign also reads "Allston Rock City" and "Thanks!" One of Allston's nicknames is "Allston Rock City."

On May 1, 2020, the manager of Allston music venue Great Scott announced that the club would not reopen. In the days that followed, residents gathered in front of the doors to mourn its loss and share memories. During that period, someone tagged "Allston Is Dead" here, a sentiment expressing frustrations about how the neighborhood had changed over the years due to rising rent, gentrification, and other factors.

"Welcome to the homelands of the White Mountain Apache Tribe! Apaches have been known since time immemorial for being resilient and having the will to survive in tough circumstances. Despite any challenge we may face, the ancestors of before gave us these bloodlines that still remain today. Located in the heart of the Great State of Arizona, the White Mountain Apache Tribe is blessed with over 400 miles of clean running rivers, streams, and over 26 lakes that are home to the Apache Trout. Be our guest and experience Trophy Bull Elk hunting, prize fishing and camping, or one of the finest ski destinations at Sunrise Ski Park! Visit us year-round within the four seasons. The White Mountain Apache Tribe continues to celebrate its culture, language, and songs and dances. The mountains, rivers, and pristine rivers offer an ideal vacation for anyone looking to relax and get away from it all.” Gwendena Lee-Gatewood, Tribal Chairwoman

The Somali American United Council of Arizona, a non-profit organization, was developed in 2006 in response to the growing need to connect Somali communities in Arizona with each other and the rest of the American society. The Somali American United Council of Arizona fills a critical need by helping newly arrived families adjust to their new lives, location, language and culture. The Somali American United Council of Arizona exists to promote better understanding between the Somali refugee community and other American communities. The Somali American United Council of Arizona serves as a model for other non-profit organizations working with refugee communities and immigrant populations. By building a and structure of best practices, The Somali American United Council of Arizona shares this knowledge with other to help them build designed to address cultural barriers and emotional trauma. Vision and Mission Somali American United Council of Arizona, a non-profit Qualified Charitable organization within the State of Arizona, whose mission and vision are to facilitate and improve communication channels and contribute to the wellbeing of the Refugee/ immigrant community, assisting them in becoming productive law-abiding citizens that can properly integrate for a great patriotism. Our is to become the premier institution that offers high quality services to the Somali-American & multi-ethnic Community and prepare individuals of the highest moral fiber. The Somali American United Council's working philosophy includes the encouragement of the Somali American and multi-ethnic refugees to actively seek to find sound solutions to the needs and aspirations of their community in Arizona.

When I landed in Japan on end of March, I was taken back at the cherry blossom blooming completely. After moving to U.S. in Freshman year, I have never thought I would see cherry blossoms again in Japan because the season is in the middle of the school year. Even though it was in the middle of the pandemic, I noticed that there were so many people out in the river seeing cherry blossom without taking proper social distancing rules. I think this was because the Japanese government did not close down famous parks and rivers until the number of COVID-19 patients got out of control. A little before I landed, there was a 3-day weekend, and my mom had told me that there was immense amount of people outside to see the cherry blossom even though we were in a pandemic and the government actually insisted on going out because it is an holiday. After the number of COVID-19 patient increased drastically, the government insisted on people to stay home. However, unlike other countries, Japanese government cannot enforce people to stay home, but rather just say “please stay home”. The residents and citizens will not be punished because the rules are not enforced. For me, I stayed home and watched cherry blossom from the deck, and just enjoyed it from my house to be safe. Even though the government insisted on staying home, I noticed a lot of people still going out to see the cherry blossom because it is there culture and a seasonal event called “Hanami”. On the news, there were constantly reports saying that the patient went to the famous cherry blossom parks, and yet we still see people there because they think it was ok unless they are “somewhat” careful. Honestly, I was very frustrated and the issue because it was not like the cherry blossom was going to be gone after this year, and felt it was very irresponsible for others.

Refugee and Immigrant Community Empowerment Center (RICE) is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to serving and assisting Refugees, Asylees and Immigrants in the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area, created to close the service gaps that remain after the 90-day resettlement period. RICE is directed by a team of leaders from all over the globe and that works directly with local partnerships to strengthen social services and prevent unnecessary hardships for immigrants and refugees. By advocating and promoting education, dialogue and awareness, RICE identifies the potential for new opportunities then integrates them back into our refugee and immigrant communities. MISSION STATEMENT The RICE mission is to aid refugees and immigrants in becoming self-sufficient and contributing members of the economic growth of the community by creating resources and opportunities to training and education in preparing for employment in the community.

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe Charitable Organization received aid from the ASU/Luce Covid-19 Rapid Response project. Community served: Native American (Pascua Yaqui) Project: Freezers for food pantry distribution center

The Navajo United Way, Inc. received aid from the ASU/Luce Covid-19 Rapid Response project. Community served: Native American (Navajo) Project: Diapers, wipes, water, formula for Navajo children

My boy-girl twins had their b'nai mitzvah during the pandemic. It went from me planning a big party, to me trying to make them feel happy about themselves on Zoom. But the secret is: This was possibly the best thing that could have happened! My son is autistic, and we were struggling with how he would deal with the sensory overload of performing in a large synagogue. I wrote a story about it that was published in the Forward, and I want to share it here.

As a college student who treasures every bit of time he can with friends at school, getting sent home two months early sounded like the worst thing in the world. Not only would I not be able to see any of my friends as often due to being far apart, we had a global pandemic preventing us and everyone else from feeling a sense of companionship for the better part of 2020. School work kept me busy for the first couple months and that was very clearly my number one focus until May. Once finals were done though, I had absolutely no plans for the next three months of my life. With work being near impossible to find and no school to worry about, I contemplated what I should do with this newfound free time. The solution was a lot simpler than I thought it was, with three months of time on my hands, why worry about what you can do and instead focus on doing things you enjoy? And that was my mindset throughout the summer, which actually helped pass the time incredibly well. I spent a lot of my time making improvements in my various hobbies and eventually, this mind set landed me two jobs for the summer. I got back into running, started learning how to arrange music, and had a large list of projects around the house that I wanted to do. I had a lot of passion projects that I was working on and by the time I was ready to go back to school, I had accomplished the vast majority of these goals. By having this free flowing mind set and no pressure on me to do things I didn't want to do, it kept me happy throughout my time at home, but at the same time I was feeling productive and like I was doing things that were making me a better version of me. At the beginning of the year, I told myself that 2020 was going to be my year and initially, the pandemic scared me away from accomplishing many of the goals I wanted to accomplish. What I found instead is that with the right mindset, your goals are still achievable and while the circumstances may not be ideal, I’m still doing everything I set out to do.

Otro dibujo hecho por Andrés Edery, indicando que la gente de Peru ya están lista para un sistema populismo. Publicado en el periódico El Comercio. Edery publicó su dibujo en Twitter después de que se publicó en El Comercio.

On 9 April 2020, Temple Beth Israel streamed a Pesach seder, which was lead by Cantor Laloum

Newspaper article by Rabbi Yonatan Sadoff (from Kehilat Nitzan) in the Australian Jewish News, 7 August 2020.

On 14 April 2020, Rabbi Daniel Rabin from South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation recorded a livestream from the shul with "Some reflections pre last days of Pesach and Yizkor on Thursday." This video was streamed to facebook, where it remains.

During lockdown, South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation has been running online kabbalat shabbat and havdalah services, through zoom and streamed to facebook. One example of this from September can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/SCHebrewCongregation/posts/2849524248601840

This is a newspaper article by Carolyn Webb and Hannah Schauder, published in The Age on September 14, 2020, entitled "Preparations under way for Jewish New Year - without synagogues and big dinners". It covers what different rabbis and synagogues are doing for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

On 7 August 2020, from 4-4.30pm, a group of synagogues in Melbourne together hosted a 'Bring Shabbat Home' online event. The synagogues involved were: Caulfield Shule, Daminyan, Elwood Shule and Hamayan.

Throughout the lockdown, as synagogues have been closed, Blake Street Hebrew Congregation has conducted Shabbat services via zoom, and shared videos on their Facebook page. At times this has involved singing with Moshe Hendel Feiglin for Mincha, which can be seen in this video.

On Saturday 11 April 2020, a group of Jews from across Australia gathered together on zoom for a 'Solidarity seder'. Organised by people from Here, Queer, and Jewish Australia, Sydney Left Jews, Australian Jewish Democratic Society (AJDS), Fully Automated Luxury Kosher Space Kibbutz and Jews against Fascism, this seder raised money for undocumented migrants as well as Grandmothers Against Removals. Approximately 60 people gathered together, reading through the haggadah together, sharing a meal, and sharing ideas about what Jewish life and possibility looked like in that moment. Everyone agreed that this was a unique and special Jewish space.

On 23 June 2020 the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne held their AGM. In their announcement of the AGM they told members "In light of the COVID restrictions, admission to the AGM is by registration only to ensure we comply with Government restrictions and maintain safe distancing." The photos from the AGM show people gathered together, but sitting at a safe distance from each other.

There's a lot wrong with the world and it seems that with everyday that goes by, there is a new challenge that we are faced with. This pandemic has been quite the paradox for me. Before the pandemic, I always wished I had more time to myself to do more creative things. As an artist, i am always sketching and designing but between work and school, I have no time to to bring my sketches and designs to life. When Covid-19 became a threat and quarantine was implemented, it put everything in my life on hold. Society in general was turned upside down. From, coronavirus deaths, to George Floyd, to riots and protests, everyday presented itself unrest and sorrow. During these chaotic times, I decided to capitalize on the time I had, therefore I referred to my sketches and designs, and began creating as much as I could. No matter what i created, i found that I would be immersed in the creative process and would in fact be meditating without realizing it. When i would create, everything going on would be temporarily non-existent. The circumstances of the time I had suddenly acquired was not ideal but I was nonetheless thankful because in some ways, i learned about myself. I created many things during quarantine but due to the virus, I like many other people made masks. Masks have became a household essential seemingly overnight and the demand for them were through the roof. I never made a mask before but i decided try. It took a while to get the exact look and aesthetic i wanted to incorporate in the design but i found way through looking at numerous YouTube videos. I got to work and before i knew it, i created 20+ masks and began to sell them. From friends to strangers, people wanted a mask from me and i was more than happy to make them because i knew i was making something that not only looks good but also will protect people and last a long time.

Developmental milestones always throw off the routine. I deleted the “Wonder Years App,” so I couldn’t look up what is happening at about 30 months that makes it unlikely a child will nap, and very likely that they will cry and cling to you over the seemingly smallest of issues. It has been weeks of no naps or naps only in the car. This means that I don’t get my normal break in the day, when the 2yo naps for 2 hours and I can let the 6yo have her media time. This was our routine; this was when I got to knock out work in peace without interruptions. That precious window has been gone for weeks. Until today, finally for the first time in what feels like for freaking ever, Julian napped in a bed at home. Did I have to lie next to him to make it happen? Yes, was I anxious that it was too good to be true and he’d wake back up any second? Also yes. The 6yo, unaware that anything was different walked in the room and started chatting. I waved her away, and she ran off, presumably delighted that her media time was a go. The dog, ever aware that food was on the stove and that her dinner should occur in about 1.5 hours pushed open the door and trotted in. She’s stuck now. No one goes in or out until this nap concludes naturally. Maybe I shouldn’t be this worked up about a nap, but the extra layer of pressure has felt much more present ever since the school year started. There are more meetings to attend, and they all seem to last more than an hour. Emails can stress me out easily if they’re filled with questions. And the 6yo needs about 2-3 hours of support in the morning with distance learning and homework. Which is fine, that’s my job, I’m supposed to help her, but it also means that an important chunk of my workday is interrupted. And it’s hard to recover or snapback from constant interruptions. I feel like it's not possible to get it all done, and then I think...not getting it doesn't feel like a choice I can make. It all feels like it's my responsibility.

The document I'm submitting is a collage of poems, interview excerpts, and personal reflections. It was an exploration of lockdown and how that affected the people of the community I grew up in.

Freshman year of college was an absolute blast! Up until Corona came out of nowhere in March and ruined everyone’s year. The Corona Virus has been playing an extremely negative role in my life since March. In addition to the virus, it definitely does not help that politics are being thrown in the mix and half of the country wants to defund our police department. But we won’t talk about that right now. The virus took away a lot of things that I took for granted. For example, Friday beers with the boys, weekends at the bar, quality family time with my momom and poppop, and eating out at a restaurant. But most importantly it almost ruined one of the most important things that happened this summer, my brother’s graduation. One week in July, I found out that my brother was going to be graduating Holy Ghost Prep on a Saturday. And on that particular Saturday, I was scheduled to work, but that wasn’t the issue, the issue was that there were only two people allowed per person to attend the graduation due to the coronavirus restrictions. I was very upset about the new restrictions because I really wanted to see my brother accept his diploma, as he did for me when I was graduating. I decided that I was not going to let the coronavirus control whether or not I would see my brother walk the stage. When that Saturday rolled around I left work at 11 in the morning to make my way over to the ceremony. When I got there I walked over to my family and pulled up an extra chair to sit next to them. When I saw my brother wearing his cap and gown I was overcome with emotion and was so happy to see him. When I heard his name get called I watched as he accepted his hard earned diploma from the president of the school, and take a quick picture at the end of the stage. I will never forget this memory I have with my brother. The coronavirus overall has put limitations on what everyone can do. Whether that be go to a store with only a certain capacity, not finishing a sport you started when you were 5 years old, or seeing loved ones you haven’t connected with in a long time. I think the most important takeaway from this virus is to never again take for granted all of the good things you have in your lifetime, because you never know when the world will turn upside down again.

This is a message to everyone that was affected by the lockdown, both physically and mentally.

This drawing from the Seattle Times was released on March 13, 2020. Now five months later, this cartoon is relatable to mothers all across the country not just in Washington when it was thought to be the epicenter of the Covid pandemic. Our new norm includes masks, social distancing, and enforced closeness with our family. Most parents are still working remotely while most schools are still not back to normal. Putting the mom shame aside, I would say that after months and months of this I have found that too much togetherness is too much of a good thing.

The purpose of “COVID-19 and the Escalating Mental Health Crisis among BIPOC and Immigrants” is to analyze the already existing socioeconomic conditions in BIPOC and immigrant communities that perpetuate mental health stigma and are also causes for the rising mental health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research project aims to investigate generational trauma and its correlation to the pressurizing notion of the ‘essential worker,’ how the silence of trauma creates stigma, and the lack of representation and affordable mental health resources for low-income BIPOC and immigrants.