By Jessica Myers/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

By McKenzie Allen-Charmley|Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

Covid is particularly dangerous in places where social distancing is not an option. For this reason the nation's correctional facilities have seen huge outbreaks of the virus. This article discusses the conditions in Florida's prisons. While the state says they are doing more to combat the virus as of this article's writing Florida has seen 59 incarcerated people die from Covid.

This article talks with several people who have loved ones at correctional facilities across Arkansas. One woman explains that her loved on, Derek Coley, age 29, housed in the Cummins Unit, was due to go before the prison board for possible release in June but instead he died from Covid. He told staff he couldn't breath, was taken to the infirmary where they called an ambulance but he died before it arrives. Another incarcerated person sent a letter from an outside hospital to notify his family he was sick with covid, the prison never informed them. A third person said they were tested for Covid, had the virus, and were sent back to their cell, never isolated, and didn't receive any follow up care for days. The article also outlines the state correctional facilities Policy/Procedures for notifying next of kin.

This is an update of the number of coronavirus cases in the military.It shows a significant difference between the military branches with the army leading with the highest number of cases.

There was recently a spike in the number of covid cases in Arkansas State Prison facilities. Officials suggest this may be due to early testing. They point to the fact that if a person has been exposed recently and is tested right away they may not have enough of a viral load to test positive for the virus even though they are carrying it. This causes false negatives and results in those people not being isolated. The officials also point to supply chain issues preventing them from testing as much as they would like.

On August 5th, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced a plan to test all of the people incarcerated at the 19 state prisons. As of the press conference 10 of the facilities had already been tested and the remaining 9 would be completed by the end of August. To help with this 10 National Guard personnel will be assisting. Other figures provided show just how quickly the virus spread through an enclosed population that is unable to social distance. At three facilities the total number of cases was 666 and five days later the total case count was well over three thousand.

Two more people incarcerated at Arkansas state prisons have died from the Coronavirus, bringing the total deaths from the virus to thirty four. They also have 800 active cases.

This article highlights the amazing speed at which Covid-19 spreads through the nation's correctional facilities. Over twelve thousand incarcerated people have the virus, of which sixty five have died. As an example of how quickly the virus spreads the article sites the Taylor Correctional Institute going from 25 cases on August 1st to 564 on August 10th. To date over seventy-three thousand tests have been conducted in the states correctional facilities.

This Tweet shows that 22% of those that have died of Covid in Florida correctional facilities were eligible for parole. Early release for people convicted of nonviolent crimes has been a topic of discussion since the virus first struck the US back in March. The theory is releasing some people early will help make it possible for those still incarcerated to be able to social distance. Others point to the fact that incarceration and covid should not lead to a defacto death sentence.

Did you even teach summer school if you didn't take a selfie? At the end of our 3 week in person summer school our principal ordered in food for all of the staff. There weren't many of us so we were able to share a meal together while still maintaining proper social distancing. This was the only time that we didn't have to wear a face covering of any sort. I remember how relieved I was when that day ended because I was tired of teaching summer school. But as we are beginning our year online I now miss those days because I got to interact with students in person rather than on a computer screen. The districts near us just decided to remain online until Ocotober 1, 2020 and I have a feeling that a similar decision will be made in my district as well.

The perfect toy for 2020. For kids who want to imitate their parents, here is the toy for them. Note the earbuds, the laptop with Zoom software, the crying baby on the floor, the snacks, and the wine.

As a New York native, I have experienced all that has gone on in the city through the 2020 pandemic. In late May, the inhumane murder of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests and walkouts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Not only were there mass protests and marches throughout New York City, but some of these protests sparked looting and the burning down of institutions at the height of the movement. Following the week in late May and early June where the civil unrest was at its peak, De Blasio imposed a citywide curfew which was quite a historical moment, as it was the first time since 1945. I chose to showcase this collection of photographs that I have taken over the summer which document the movement in NYC. All the photos were taken in and around NYC with the exception of the one of the Black Lives Matter billboard which was taken in Utah while driving out of Salt Lake City. I thought it would be interesting to share what political activism looks like in the midst of a global pandemic.

My husband was exposed to COVID-19 by a co-worker from a different branch. She took the COVID-19 test, but instead of quarantining like you’re supposed to, she continued running errands. One of those errands was going to the bank, where my husband works and making a withdrawal. That same day she got her test results and called to let him know. OK, I feel a lot of things about that, annoyed. I’m really annoyed and frustrated that she believed she had COVID, went to the lengths to get tested, but didn’t self-quarantine. My husband is more empathetic. He thinks she had urgent things to do and no one to help her. OK, that’s the first part of this story. The second part, is that suddenly on FB I saw an advertisement for a research trial on COVID. I filled it out for my husband, and a few days later he got an email offering him the chance to participate in a study. I read the fine print, it seemed sketch. First, the trial is for 4,000 people to take Hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that we know doesn’t work. Second, the compensation is only $300 total. That seems like a really, really low sum to be a guinea pig. Third, the way that the researchers phrased his options bothered me. On the consent form it lists his choices: “Your other options: There are currently no approved treatments to prevent infection or COVIF-19 symptoms for people who have had contact with an infected person. You do not have to participate in this study. Your other choices may include: • Taking part in another study • Getting no PEP after contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.” This seems far from neutral, and actually to me- sounds like a combination of pressure/fear to get people to participate. This is my first time seeing an informed consent form, and I wonder if they’re all this loaded in terms of trying to manipulate someone into donating their health and body to an experimental process. The study was run by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Washington.

My life has been greatly interrupted by the Covid-19. As of March 12th, 2020, everything around me came to a screeching halt and it was the last time I drove my car into Manhattan. New York and New Jersey began working in partnership during the Corona pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy and Governor Andrew Cuomo closed the states to prevent the spread of the Corona Virus. They both did a marvelous job in managing the spread of the virus and kept the public well informed. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is run by the Government with an office in Weehawken, New Jersey. They keep the region moving by, land, rail, and sea. Critical healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential workers were the pulse of cities, keeping the communities alive and functioning. As of March 22nd, the Port Authority began collecting tolls exclusively by electronic and suspended cash toll collection between the states at the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel and Holland Tunnel due to the safety and social distancing. I live in the Newport Waterfront Development, a bedroom town just across the Hudson river, I am steps away from the Holland Tunnel. The tunnel was built in 1921 and it is a vehicular tunnel under the Hudson River, and it connects Lower Manhattan in New York City to the east with Jersey City in New Jersey to the west. Normally over 100,000 vehicles pass through the Holland Tunnel daily. I was incredibly happy about the many reports concerning the air quality change and pollution were way down. With all health clubs and gyms closed, I began daily walks and it struck me that there were very few cars traveling into lower Manhattan during rush hour. What a sight to see, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 6:22 PM

This is an article discussing new protocols for military basic training involving a 14 day quarantine period and testing before training as well as contact tracing.

This is an article explaining how the military is experiencing higher rates of coronavirus than the general public.The article claims it is due to more people getting tested when in reality it is due to precautions not being taken seriously.My husband's whole platoon was exposed to the coronavirus and they just quarantined those who expressed a desire to get a test and wouldn't let them get an actual test because it would "expose the people taking a test" they even tried to force a soldier without coronavirus to room with a soldier who had tested positive for it.

This west Wichita sign reflects the coronavirus paradox that has been thrust upon communities across the world since the pandemic's outbreak, as people supposedly face this crisis together, but must maintain physical separation to do so. Also highlighted is the "6 feet rule" that has become an omnipresent feature in most or all public spaces, as social distancing became one of the most effective ways to limit the virus's community transmission.

It seems that schools across the country are busy developing colorful graphics regarding school reopening plans. Green often means students and teachers are safe to return to school, a yellow column suggests that masks should be worn and a hybrid model should be put in place, red means schools need to close to mitigate the spread. But have they developed a nice colorful chart the impact of schools reopening? How many cases among students is enough to close the schools? How many cases will it take for the public to accept that schools maybe shouldn't be opened at full capacity right now. Will we know if our reopening plans are successful? A school district in Georgia was open 1 day before sending home multiple letters about students who had tested positive. This article talks about the divide that occurs in a community when deciding whether or not to open the schools. I think it is easy for people to hear 'kids are less likely to get COVID" and just assume that it's safe to reopen schools. Students in grades 6-12 are more likely to contract COVID than kids in grades K-5 and that's because they're older. Students in grades 6-12 are also in contact with far more students each day (7 classes a day, 20 kids/class). It seems outrageous to expect schools to open at full capacity and without issue.

The Nampa School district which is Idaho's 3rd largest school district overall but largest school district that is 1:1 with student devices made the decision to start the year online. The decision was made after a special session with the Board of Trustees. Earlier meetings suggested that the school district would start in person with a hybrid model of instruction. However, after hearing the pleas of local health officials the district opted to start online. As a Nampa teacher I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. I am a healthy 25 year old teacher and I believe that if I picked up COVID-19 I would recover. My biggest concern is for my colleagues. The career teachers who have been teaching for the last 25-30 years. Many are in an age category that puts them at risk and others have underlying health conditions that also put them at high risk. I am so relieved that out Board of Trustees listened to our local health officials.

During the COVID time, many people worked from home and conducted business via video conferencing. Sometimes, unexpected things would happen such as pets and kids would rush across the scene or sit on their parents' laps. In this case, a coworker got up from his chair revealing he was in his boxers. Another example was the time when a worker's husband entered the scene in his tidy whities.

Will Reeves, a reporter for Good Morning America, a well-known morning TV show, was caught wearing no pants during his segment. This is how many people worked from home during the quarantine. Some were caught, but most of us weren't on national television.

Many family members expressed a great sense of relief knowing that mom passed last year and not in 2020 because it would have been unbearable for me not to be able to visit with my mother during this pandemic. My mom was confined to a nursing/rehab facility for the last nine months of her life and I had to travel back and forth from New Jersey to Virginia to spend 10 days at a time with her. It was the hardest nine months of my life advocating for my mother's life while she was confined. Although she passed the last day of February 2019, I continued running that race to get everything perfectly in place to honor her life. The family was not up to the burial at the time so we planned to have a family reunion this July 2020 and a graveside service to remit mom's ashes in the grave waiting for her next to our father. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the family has decided to postpone the graveside service until July 2021 in order to celebrate her life. You can listen to an interview with my mother here: https://omny.fm/shows/fuel-for-the-spirit/fuel-for-the-spirit-7-13-19. I am a family researcher, my story is here: https://www.ruthdhunt.com/

by Jessica Myers| Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

During quarantine, families were forced to be together 24/7. That situation, along with the usual stresses of marriage led to jokes old and new. This meme shows that the wife buried her husband in the garden--we assume because she just. Could. Not. Take. It. Anymore.

Oral History in which Lee Foster discusses how one teaches shop (Industrial Arts) through online learning, what it is like teaching your students at the same time as your own children, and having a spouse working in a hospital during the pandemic. He also discusses the changes, or lack thereof, in family dynamics during a pandemic all with his easy-going positivity and sense of gratitude for his situation.

I wrote every day. A true story of my life, alone and all my friends : radio, books, friends, websites...

This is a story about the quarantine separating me, and most importantly others in my community, from participating not only in the sacrifice of the mass but also catechumens from receiving the sacraments of initiation during Holy Week. It's the most sacred time of the year for Catholics. It marks not only the anniversary of a deeply changing experience for me, but it's the time when I can see candidates enter the body of the church fully, and for that body to either be baptized or renew their baptismal vows.

I submitted how the Corona Pandemic has helped change my life for the better.

The National Council of Jewish Women of Australia Victoria (NCJWA Vic) was established 93 years ago with the vision of creating a better world for women. Our mission, is to support women at key points across the life cycle, advance their status and promote social cohesion and human rights. NCJWA Vic rolled into crisis management determined to continue our mission to support women and girls during this difficult time. Strong and decisive action was taken to keep our people safe and continue serving our community. We quickly adapted most of our program, while participants were incredibly grateful for our continued support, illuminating the need and value of social connection for mental wellbeing throughout our lives, even more so during such a crisis.

Connect Is NCJWA Vic's set of programs for older women, encouraging social interaction while improving their mental and physical health. These programs create a sense of community and family while offering a place where older people come together, have a chat and relax. Our main programs are The Golden Age Clubs, for Russian speaking Jewish migrants from the former Soviet Union, and Seniors and Bridge clubs.

I have been feeling a lot of things right now. The indifferent, numb self battered by how people are not prioritizing life over this health crisis has experienced some form of reawakening. And I've poured my raw thoughts over today's journal entry. a day fresh of the recent SONA, a day away from getting back to the hospital frontlines. I want the crisis to end soon. but I cannot do it alone. we should not do it alone

The Jam Project is a teenage - buddy program matching participants aged 14-16 years with a female 'buddy' aged 21-28, with the goal of promoting the empowerment of girls, while helping to build their sense of self-worth, self-belief and autonomy. This is achieved through secure and reliable fortnightly catch ups, between the buddy and participant for up to a period of a year. Together with group sessions, the participants and buddies come together and are involved in activities that enhance their mindset and promote their curiosity, resilience and autonomy. Due to COVID-19, NCJWA Vic took steps to adapt the Jam Project in this difficult time. Our priority is to maintain our objectives and values through these adaptations.

The Caring Mums program is a service providing emotional support to mothers of babies and pregnant women. The program matches trained volunteers, all of whom are mothers themselves, to new mums with the goal of developing a secure trusting relationship. Through regular weekly meetings for up to a period of 12 months, mums’ feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression decrease, while their parenting confidence and sense of belonging grow significantly. Caring Mums adapted its program so that its aims and values can still be upheld during the current pandemic. We continue to see mums in our current catchment whilst growing our service into new areas, using technology, as we understand the impact this reality has on vulnerable and isolated populations, including mums already facing many new challenges.

Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship

With this isolation it's hard to feel a connection when your fellow worshipers aren't there with you. The friendly faces aren't there anymore and you're stuck feeling lonely. You can watch a video or listen to the broadcast in your car outside the church but it's lost its familiarity. We miss the people around us and are losing that comfort of others in worship and in song. We may even feel disconnected to our spirituality because of it. But it's something we just have to deal with to keep others safe. Even the Psalmist felt lonely. He described himself as a lonely bird sitting atop the roof of house and waiting for the Lord (Psalm 102:7). Perhaps we all just have to wait.

A study outlining the risk of using the drug hydroxychloroquine has been retracted by researchers involved, citing uncertain data. After researchers admitted to being unable to vouch for the data used in their study, the decision was made to retract the study. The retraction highlights the concern that medical researchers are lowering standards of data verification in an effort to rush publications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are still struggling to find enough PPE to protect their workers. With supplies still being grossly under-available, some hospitals have had to resort to reusing PPE multiples times in an effort to provide at least some protection for their staff.

Across the country, volunteer fire and EMS services are facing a dangerous choice during the COVID-19 pandemic, save the lives of others or stay safe. With a lack of funding for many of these departments, proper PPE is a luxury many do not have access to. Among workers in the healthcare field, volunteer members are seeing the highest rates of infection.

We have been attending church almost every Sunday since mid March, we society shut down in MI. We would watch Sunday Mass at our local Catholic Church St John the Evangelist in Jackson, MI. A few times we attended different Sunday Masses remotely, since many Catholic churches are live streaming their masses. The Sunday in June this picture was taken my daughter asked to attend/watch Mass at St Andrew Catholic Church in Clemson, SC, where I attended and she was baptized as a baby. She wanted us to dress in our Clemson tshirts as a way to celebrate the event.

This is a hand-written sticky note I wrote to myself on my first day back in the office in mid June 2020. It was to remind me, though everything “seems” or “looks” normal, that it was indeed not normal. I figured the best way to make sure I was reminded to do things like wear my mask outside my office and wash my hands often was to put a note where I could see it right above my computer screen. It had been helpful to remind me of the working world I am in and what I need to do to try my best to stay healthy.

This is a journal entry on how I'm feeling about having to return to the office full time.

This screenshot shows two signs that purportedly hang in an unknown brick-and-mortar establishment that read "Face Masks are BANNED from this Studio. If you are sick please do not enter. #SavetheChidren [sic]" and "The Real Pandemic is Pedophillia [sic]. We do not believe in the Election Infection #SaveTheChidren [sic]" The signs suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic is a political stunt meant to rig the 2020 Presidential Election and, instead, shift the narrative to the problem of pedophilia and child sex trafficking. Though President Trump is not mentioned, observers might get the impression that this establishment, if it indeed exists, supports him for several reasons. Most importantly, there is the suggestion that a global pandemic is nothing more than a choreographed conspiracy to ensure Donald Trump loses the 2020 Election. But the hashtag #savethechildren (misspelled in the signs) has been used to shift the narrative away from the Covid-19 pandemic and toward another problem the country faces, human trafficking. The dismantling of human trafficking networks has been one of Trump's less controversial achievements, one that many believe has been ignored by the news media. It is unclear if these signs exist of if they have been altered for dissemination on social media. Many Facebook and Twitter users have shared the image.

San Francisco has stepped out to lead the nation in criminal justice reform by cutting the cost of phone calls and commissary items from its jails. They cite the change as especially necessary during the Covid pandemic.

James King, formerly incarcerated and now a criminal justice activist, speaks out about the need to reduce the prison population to slow the spread of covid. He also explains the conditions at San Quentin Prison in California and in the replies to his Tweet explains and quotes the recidivism rates for prisoners.

Covid-19 is particularly dangerous in populations that are enclosed and unable to social distance such as nursing homes and correctional facilities. This Tweet explains that 14 of the largest outbreaks across the US are in the prisons and jails. The writer of the Tweet, James King, asks why the California Governor, Gavin Newsom, is closing bars and beaches while not doing more in the correctional facilities since 6 of the 14 largest outbreaks are in California.

Language is changing to be more people focused. This has happened in several arenas including incarceration. Instead of calling people inmates, prisoners, or convicts there is a movement to change the language to a people first option such as incarcerated person. One activist, Adnan Khan, of Restore Justice, a California based nonprofit seeking to change the criminal justice system, saw his Tweet about people first language cause the Los Angeles Times to change their headline.

Covid-19 has been eye opening and really illustrated many of the problems we as a society have done a good job ignoring. One of the things society has long ignored is overcrowding in prisons and jails in the US. We've also learned that any enclosed population without the ability to social distance is a risk for having a major Covid-19 outbreak. Together, overcrowding and the inability to social distance, has made for a bleak outlook in the nation's correctional facilities. This Tweet shows that even this far in to the pandemic and the outbreak at San Quentin the prison is still over capacity.

This Tweet expresses the lack of concern for the incarcerated people dying from Covid 19. California Governor Gavin Newsom expresses his sympathy for the family and friends of one of the correctional facility staff who recently passed from complications due to Covid-19 but he does not mention the many people incarcerated in these facilities who have also died from Covid-19.

pandemic updates