Items

• 
  2022-05-21

  I wear a mask in public for three reasons

  This is an Instagram post by spacegrd. This is an infographic on why someone would choose to wear a mask. The three reasons are: humility, kindness, and community.
• 
  2022-05-09

  Brett Reinert Oral History, 2022/05/09

  Brett Reinert is from Springdale, Arkansas. He works at a toner company as a deliverer. He delivers copier toner for a small business in Northwest, Arkansas. Brett talks about his home state of Arkansas and how the state government reacts differently to the pandemic. Brett and his family take the pandemic very seriously and made sure that his two grandmothers are not exposed to it. Brett also talked about his observation of the changes around him as many restaurants in the state started to require a proof of vaccination to eat in. And the changes with the requirement of masks felt weird to him. Although there were changes, he has seen what the pandemic brought to his life and the people around him, he hopes that people will take the pandemic seriously if we experience another one in the future
• 
  2022-02-22

  COVID support groups

  I did some heritage work for this hospital a couple years ago so I follow their social media. Apparently they’ve founded a COVID support group for people who have been profoundly impacted by COVID-related illness, death, and disability. I sometimes think that the chronic illness and disabling nature of long COVID is often overlooked. Who can blame anyone for overlooking it with all of the more obvious, loud, visible problems wrought by the pandemic? Anyhow this is something to think about.
• 
  12/11/2020

  Braelyn Swedlund Oral History, 2020/12/11

  Braelyn Swedlund was born and raised in Eau Claire and currently works at the Kiddie Patch daycare learning center, as a lead infant teacher. In this interview, Braelyn discusses how COVID – 19 has affected her life, including her work, family life, and the community around her. She shares what is was like when she recently had COVID – 19, and how it affected the daycare she has been working at during the pandemic, and what happens to the daycare if a child there were to get COVID.
• 
  2020-03-14

  Sarah Uhlig Oral History, 2020/03/14

  During this interview, I am talking with my classmate Sarah Uhlig about our experience in the program of Empower: Ecuador, since we were both on it together. The main purpose of this interview was to get an insight into what it was for another student like me, to have missed a trip to Ecuador due to COVID-19. Just to clarify, this was not any trip. This was a missionary trip for which we were preparing ourselves to go for most of the semester. As the trip was canceled, we recognized that the program was much more than just traveling to Ecuador. Rather, the program was about our personal lives and the way in which we relate to others around us that are in different seasons and circumstances in life. Another very important thing, was self-reflection into how we were utilizing our gifts and field of interest to not only serve others but be present with others. Many things were learned from this course and Sarah, will be sharing with you her experience despite the challenges and messiness that COVID-19 brought.
• 
  2021-09-10

  HIST30060 Group-chat shenanigans

  Lockdown shifted the nature of community dynamics in our local area. We live in a peri-urban region on the outskirts of the Yarra Ranges; as such, neighbouring properties are separated by large swathes of Australian bush. This can be isolating at times; it’s very different to suburban living. Our street (which spans about 7kms) and adjacent streets have a WhatsApp group chat named ‘Fireguard’, which allows residents to share information about fire safety, planned burn-offs and emergency warnings. However, during lockdown the chat was increasingly used for the purposes of socialisation. Suddenly, distant neighbours began sharing jokes and engaging in conversations about lockdown living, through the chat. The chat became a site of social interaction that the members of our area probably didn’t realise they needed, until they did. We eventually decided to create a separate chat for general/social purposes only, the title ‘WHICHBIN’ constituting a friendly inside joke about one particular chat member who never fails to ask, “which bin?” she needs to put out for collection each week.
• 
  2021-08-21

  Every story matters – Continuing the Heritage 2021

  Continuing the Heritage is a wonderful event that St. Mary’s puts on for its students and staff. It allows all members of the university to participate in a day of service, offering over 30 volunteer opportunities to join on that day. CTH not only brings the student community together but also connects the students to the city of San Antonio and its community. Even with Covid, when everything went remote, St. Mary’s still found ways to make CTH happen and found opportunities for students to volunteer remotely. This year was my second time participating in CTH and I really enjoyed it. The first time I did it was freshman year and I worked with No Graffiti SA and this year I helped in the library at Locke Hill Elementary School. Both times were very fun and rewarding as I got to not only volunteer with friends but also be able to spend some time giving back to my community even during a pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-13

  HIST30060 - Easter Hunt: Bears Hiding in Windows

  These two photographs were taken in April 2020 during Easter. My neighbourhood decided to come together and do something special for the kids - many families participated and placed teddy bears on their windows facing the footpath. This created a 'Bear Hunt' trail for children and their families to participate in. I decided to take a walk around my neighbourhood to experience this for myself and it has become one of my most memorable moments during the COVID-19 lockdown. Many children and their families were walking around socially distanced, and strangers I had never seen before would wave at me across the streets and exchange greetings. The sense of community was really strong and it felt like everyone was together, in solidarity, even amidst the toughest of times.
• 
  2020-04-12

  Joy on the Pavement

  During Melbourne’s first lockdown in 2020, movements to bring joy to the few remaining active public spaces were organised over social media and among local communities. One trend was pavement art that encouraged the walker to “laugh”, “pick up some rubbish” and “strike a pose” on their permitted hour of exercise. These minor artworks expressed an optimism in community strength at the early stages of the pandemic; they expressed, too, a resilience in Melbourne’s identity as a city of art and culture. By the second lockdown in August 2020 the chalk had been washed away and there was little to replace it. Creating community from inside our own homes, it turned out, was much harder to sustain than anyone had imagined. Submitted for University of Melbourne HIST30060, Semester 2 2021.
• 
  2021-10-03

  HIST30060: 3CR COMMUNITY RADIO

  I am a radio presenter and producer and during the lockdowns in Naarm/Melbourne I had to learn how to remote record and broadcast my content. I found myself hushing my housemates in order to record hour-long content from my headphone mic, very solo and DIY. It felt good to be part of a greater community project, broadcasting punk, DIY, and political chat to our regular listeners through the lockdowns.
• 
  2021-07-24T14:50

  Chicken feeding as a lockdown activity 2021

  In July 2021, while on one of my afternoon walks, I discovered this local lockdown activity of chicken feeding. A local household was offering people the chance to feed their very friendly and excitable chickens. I am unsure when this activity first started as I do not usually walk the way that would take me past them. However, it was an amusing and relaxing thing to be able to do amidst the chaos of a global pandemic. The chickens were really very cute, despite not the brightest creatures I've ever known. I have visited them with my family regularly ever since that first time and have noted that other people, often local children, have also relished the opportunity to interact with live animals. In a small way, I believe the chickens have brought the neighbourhood a little closer together and given local children the opportunity to interact with animals they would not normally get a chance to. Sadly, due to old age and the presence of urban foxes the number of chickens has decreased and only one of the original trio remains (as of October 2021). However, she has a new friend now and is very keen to establish her authority. The sign and container of dry food has been removed but we often bring them other food- they are particularly fond of sowthistle.
• 
  2020-03-24

  Closing My Street Library (HIST30060)

  (HIST30060) This is a photo of the closed sign my Mum and I put on our street library after we found out about the pandemic in 2020. It reads: Dear Street Library Patrons, Our library will be closed as of Tuesday 24 March until further notice due to scientific findings that the coronavirus was detected for up to 24 hours on cardboard. Our community safety is my priority <3 I look forward to re-opening soon! We made the street library in 2019 so the community could share our love of books. People could take a book, read it and, if they wanted to, put their favourite book back in. It made us sad to close the street library but after the lockdown was over we started it back up again!
• 
  2021-10-01

  Vaccination Badge (HIST30060)

  (HIST30060) This is a photo of the badge I received after getting my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I currently work as a medical receptionist at a GP clinic that has been running vaccination sessions – this is where I was vaccinated and received the badge. The badge reads: ‘Arm yourself against COVID-19…I got vaccinated’. The badge is colourful and eye-catching, and the pun is…punchy. I think it acutely captures the typography, tone and gist of the recent government advertisements urging people to get the vaccine.
• 
  2021-10-07

  Positives of the pandemic

  This is a photo of a community garden at a park very close to me. Although this project existed before the pandemic, it has flourished much in this time to become a beautiful large garden with many different plants. I think this reflects some of the positive effects of the pandemic, as for some people, it gave them the chance to focus on things they might not normally have. Community engagement and connection in this way has provided hope for many people during this time.
• 2020-03-21

  Gardening During the Apocalypse

  I can't think of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shut downs and lock-ins, the stay-at-home orders without thinking of my brief foray into gardening. My husband and I bought our house in northwest Baltimore in April 2019. Our little duplex sits near the end of an unbelievably picturesque street in a fairly affluent neighborhood known for its garden communities and HOA-hosted wine and cheese parties you have to pay to attend. The neighborhood is surrounded by much poorer neighborhoods and heavily-trafficked streets, the direct product of red-lining in Old Baltimore. While the Original Northwood neighborhood is much more diverse - demographically and economically - than it was when it was first established in the 1930s and 1940s, my husband and I, as some of the only residents under 40, still felt like we didn't necessarily fit in with our older, more well-to-do neighbors, despite absolutely adoring our little home, which had been lovingly renovated and reimagined by its previous tenants. Come March 2020, however, the noise from the crowded streets, the surrounding neighborhoods, and from our own neighborhood, died down substantially. Our streets and its surrounds have always been a great place to go for a walk, but now every day people were strolling by in ones and twos, sometimes in small family units. Everyone needed to get out of the houses they were now cooped up in, and I was no exception. Much to my mother's chagrin - and likely to my neighbors' embarrassment - I did not inherent my mother's green thumb. Because I am a millennial I found an app that identifies plants and set about rooting out weeds, pruning the flowers the previous tenants had not intended for me to neglect, picking up the endless stream of leaves from our several 100+ year old trees, digging up more weeds and debating with my husband about whether we should start an herb and vegetable garden or put in a patio in the little garden area that connects our front and back yards. I did not become proficient at gardening. I am much better than I was, however, at identifying the truly astonishing diversity of plants in my own garden and in my neighborhood by scent and even touch. I learned that the dried and withered allium stalks pull effortlessly out of the ground after they die, that African violets also give way to a gentle scooping from the earth, and that thistle, of course, will still try to prick you as it attempts to cling to the soil. I learned that those thin but tough shoots of elm and oak born from the seeds and acorns the squirrels missed not only grow rapidly, but are extraordinarily difficult to rip from the earth. And no matter how much seemingly-delicate clover one claws at, its roots will always remain beneath the surface, as virulent in a day or two as when one earlier tore at it in complete dismay of its sheer stubbornness. I did not become proficient at gardening. But I did relish the feeling of cool, damp earth underneath my hands, even in my fingernails, the crunch of dry leaves, the slick sliding of wet leaves, the red, angry weals left on my hands from those stubborn oaks. I felt accomplished as I pulled lovely, but ultimately threatening African violets and wild raspberry from underneath the spreading cover of the hostas, and as I pulled wild mint, lemon, and rosemary for tea and cooking. I told myself I'd use the ramps (a species of wild onion that smells and tastes sort of of like a combination between garlic and scallions) in a soup, as a college roommate of mine had done, but I forgot to harvest them in time. From what I recall, summertime is best, particularly late summertime. The other thing I remember about this time spent in my garden, hands in the dirt, sweat on my brow, bug bites inflaming every available inch of skin, is the new sense of connection I felt with my neighbors who stopped to wave hello, nod and smile at my gardening efforts. Neighbors who I hadn't gotten to know before the pandemic which now prevented us, due to fear of contamination from contact with other people, from truly getting to know each other still. But somehow, the simple act of being out in my garden, doing this simple, repetitive toil, made me feel like I was participating in a ritual, an activity that linked me to the less unsavory past of the community, and to neighbors who otherwise might have remained alien in a plague environment that seemed to bring a new apocalypse with every week.
• 
  2021-09-29

  St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne masked up therapy dog Macca with hospital Volunteer Services Coordinator

  Therapy dog Macca lifts the spirits of all whom he encounters and he has proven to be a greater stress reliever for staff working longer and harder due to the pandemic. The true magic of Macca’s contribution has been visible at the bedside. There have been patients who have spoken their first words after surgery while holding Macca and others who have been unable to use their arms who suddenly move to pat him. In recognition of his work he was crowned "Top dog with a job" from a field of 500 in the inaugural "Oz Top Dog Award" in September 2021. This was welcome good news in a difficult week where there was a surge of cases in Victoria's third wave. Macca's story attracted diverse media coverage including features in "The Herald Sun", ABC Radio 774 Melbourne and Channel 10 News.
• 2020-03

  Family and Community Impacted by COVID

  Well to be honest the pandemic did not effect my family too much, no one caught COVID and most of us are vaccinated as well. No one lost their jobs or their homes, or their business so I believe we were pretty good. The only thing bad would be the isolation but, that's about it.
• 
  2021-08-16

  from the eyes of a teacher

  A friend of mine is a teacher for the Los Angeles School District. She shared on social media how Covid has impacted her school and its students.
• 
  2021-08-04

  SUNY Brockport reinstates mask mandate

  Today, my college, SUNY Brockport reinstated the mask mandate, now requiring all individuals on campus to wear masks again. I am sure many have mixed feelings about this. I want to protect myself and my community by I am soooo over wearing masks.
• 
  2021-02-25

  The Role of Community Gardens During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  The pandemic has brought the issues of food insecurity and the fragility of our food system to the forefront. This article discusses how household food insecurity disproportionately affects lower-income families and Black and Hispanic communities. Community gardens are one way to address these issues, providing mental health benefits, social and emotional support, and public health benefits during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-07

  Pandemic gardening: More than half of Canadians were growing their own food at home this year, study shows

  Gardening and growing one's own food became more widespread during the pandemic, led by worries about food shortages and prices along with the desire to engage in new hobbies during the pandemic. This article discusses a study done by Dalhousie University regarding Canadians' growing their own food during the pandemic and compares the current gardening trend with the victory gardens prevalent during World War II.
• 
  2020-12-01

  St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne newsletter 2020 review issue focussed on the response to the year's two COVID waves

  The stories illustrate both swift adaptation of clinical practice (e.g. in the shift to telehealth consultations), the enormous efforts put in, and the outpouring of community support which helped sustain patients and staff in the difficult conditions of lockdown.
• 
  2020-11

  Growing up online

  In September of 2020 mid pandemic, I decided to follow my heart and quit my food service job to work with children. I was hired at a daycare, my expectations were drastically different than what I walked into on my first day. As I walked into the building I saw coworkers shuffling from laptop to laptop helping children log into Zoom, Microsoft, and Google classroom. My headteacher joked that within a month I would be able to memorize every student's laptop password and zoom log in, I laughed it off and went to the binder that held all the information. By the time October rolled around I was able to log in at least 20 children into their classes and knew their teachers as well as what their missing assignments were. I was also able to see the children's excitement for school fade from their eyes. Some children mentally checked out and fell asleep, some punched their laptops till they broke, and some left theirs at home purposefully. The pandemic was undoubtedly hard on adults, but have we forgotten the pure bliss that comes from making your first friends in Kindergarten, or even the comfort of a kind teacher? Seeing these children struggle was hard but knowing the daycare that I worked at was stepping up and helping with late assignments, communicating with teachers and parents, and offering the sense of community when all felt lost was really what kept all of us going. Community is all we have and it's all we need even if it is socially distanced.
• 
  2021-07-21

  Coronavirus and Latino Health Equity

  With the rise of COVID-19, the team at Salud America! is digitally curating content about what the coronavirus pandemic means for Latino health equity.
• 
  2021-07-07

  Hosts break down after quarantined man’s mother passes away | Today Show Australia

  This is a heartbreaking story from Australia about a man who flew around the world to try to get to his dying mother, only to have the Queensland government block his way. So many people across the globe had to die alone without their loved ones because of this pandemic. Hospitals and governments need to come up with a safe system to allow for visitation of dying relatives during pandemics because, sadly, this will likely happen again in the future.
• 
  2021-04-02

  Strength and Innovation of Indigenous Communities During the Pandemic

  This article demonstrates that despite the inequities faced by Native Americans and indigenous populations they have been innovative in combatting the pandemic and shown strength in the face of fear, illness, and uncertainty.
• 
  2021-06-03

  My Covid Vaccine Experience

  These are the two Facebook posts I made the day I got my first shot and my second. I received the Moderna vaccine. As a teacher, I was able to get mine sooner than many others. Many people I know had (and still have) reservations about getting the vaccine. I believe in science. I believe in vaccines. It is disheartening and dangerous to see so many Americans throwing away an opportunity to protect themselves, their families, and their community because of politics. Science should not be political. The vaccine did make me feel ill, especially the second one, but it was temporary. I would do it a hundred more times if I had to. A friend of the family said they would not get the vaccine because, "What's in it for me? Even if I get Covid, I am young and healthy, unlikely to die." I found that statement alarmingly self-centered. Getting the vaccine isn't about you as individual as much as it is about you protecting your community and the world. As the saying goes nowadays, "Until all of us are safe, none of us is safe."
• 
  2021-05-01

  "Hope Love Heal"

  Art can create change. The 2020 pandemic year and all its struggles informed my mail art project. My hope was that this small art project would help others in a big way through creativity and connection to the community. My art piece titled "Hope Love Heal" is a direct response to the collective struggle. I am honored to be a part of the "We Rise" Campaign to help shed light on mental illness, mental awareness and mental well being. I hope my mail art project will touch others and let others know that they are not alone. And to remember...with a little "hope" and "love" we can "heal".
• 
  2020-05-01

  Social Distancing - Self Distancing

  When the Covid-19 pandemic caused New York City to go into lockdown the second week of March, it never once crossed my mind how large of an impact this shutdown would have in my personal life. In the picture below I show a poem I wrote during the sixth month of quarantine: My days felt like they were going on a loop. Everyday felt like a continuation of the day before and my mind was tired of it. In my poem I expressed that I felt like a bird that crashes on the windshield of a car, signaling the repetitiveness of my life in my small NYC apartment. I think that this time was one of the most difficult times for my mental health and I tried desperately to find a way of coping. Essentially, this poem represents the mental state I found myself in trying to find different ways to deal with the fact that life had paused abruptly and that nothing was certain anymore. One of the ways that I found myself doing a lot during this time was sleeping. I began to get worried when one day I woke up at 4pm and felt as if I had woken up at 9am. I knew my sleep schedule was a disaster, but I think that this represents how monotone life felt. On another hand, I think that the lockdown served as an opportunity to reorganize my priorities and discover new likes and dislikes. Since I had recently changed my major from Biology to English, this time helped me realize how much I enjoy writing and learning about other writers and their work. I never thought I would enjoy my major as much as I am enjoying it, especially since I can dedicate more time on it thanks to the spare time staying at home gives me. I think that this poem will benefit future historians in their study of the effects the COVID-19 lockdown on people’s mental health. Specifically, historians will be able to be exposed to the anxiety the world felt knowing that there was little we could do to reverse the effects the lockdown was having in our mental stability. Basically, historians will be able to analyze how much the pandemic affected us beyond the physical aspect but the detrimental effects it held against our mental health. All in all, COVID-19 surely fits the line by Charles Dickens, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”.
• 
  2021-04-28

  Allison Oskar Oral History, 2021/04/28

  This oral history focused on how smaller communities tackled the COVID-19 pandemic. The interview discusses how hospitals tackled the pandemic, and it goes into depth about what it was like to work for a hospital during this time. Also discussed were the ways in which the pandemic affected mental health and how it proved to be beneficial in some ways. There was a large focus on the ways in which COVID-19 affected the 'work life' balance of the interviewee.
• 
  2020-04-18

  Support, Family & Friends

  At the beginning of quarantine, people were planning surprise personal birthday parades filled with cars of people honking, holding posters, or even throwing confetti. I believe that this was one of the moments that showed communities coming together, and it is really awesome to see this good news. I am very grateful that my family and friends helped me celebrate my birthday safely like this!
• 
  2021-04-22

  Community’s importance to the service industry during Covid-19: A business owner’s perspective

  This article, written by small business owners, addresses the challenges faced by the service industry during COVID-19. These owners of a coffee shop share a list of ways that the community can support their local service industry, and why it is crucial to do so. They make it clear that it's not simply about buying a product; instead, it is about building a community and supporting those that you care about, which goes both ways. If you support small business owners and show that you're there for them, they in turn will give back to the community in any way that they can, creating a caring environment. The lessons they share are so important to keep in mind as we are still dealing with the pandemic, so that we can build a support system that lasts long past when the pandemic is over.
• 
  2021

  Policing Isn't Broken — It Was Designed This Way

  Our policing institutions were designed to exert control over Black people. We need to limit the role, responsibilities, power, and funding of police so interactions that lead to the death of Black people don't happen in the first place.
• 
  2021-04-11

  Alarm grows over impact of states banning trans youth treatment

  Medical experts and LGBT advocates are sounding the alarm over the physical and mental health risks to the transgender community after at least 19 state legislatures, including Arkansas, have proposed or passed bills seeking to ban trans youth treatment. Proponents of the bills have argued that the legislation is in place to protect children from making irreversible decisions about their bodies. But earlier this week, doctors and LGBT organizations defended treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy, and warned about a potential increased suicide rate among trans youth if such legislation is enacted.
• 
  2020-03

  Survivor Corps

  One of the more positive outcomes of COVID-19 has been the mobilization of people to support one another and help mitigate the spread of the virus. Survivor Corps, started by an early COVID-19 patient, is “a grassroots solution-based movement to mobilize the sharply increasing number of people affected by COVID-19 to come together, support and participate in the medical and scientific research community efforts and take a more active role in trying to mitigate this pandemic.” Organizations such as this demonstrate the best in people and our potential and desire to work toward the common goal of beating this virus.
• 
  2020-04-27

  Pandemic Street Art: Cross-country Corona Chalk Project

  A group of chalk artists connected remotely to create a piece of chalk art to honor frontline workers. The artists were Naomi Haverland from Seattle, Washington, Jolene Russell from Sacramento, California, Anat Ronen from Houston, Texas, Jessi Queen from Atlanta, Georgia, Shelly and Dave Brenner from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dave photographed his wife Shelly, who is also a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, for a collaborative chalk art piece with each artist making their part in their hometown.
• 
  2021-03-30

  White supremacy has been etched into the foundation of our government

  Video shows past and present Social Justice movements to fight white supremacy, including current movements taken place during the pandemic. From the Video: White supremacy has been etched into the foundation of our government since the beginning. We don't rely on governments to do the work of mass movements. We don’t rely on the same tactics as white supremacists. This week, we will NOT give them what they want, which is a reaction out in the streets. Today and everyday, WE keep us safe. WE will end white supremacy. Check in on each other. Join us: blacklivesmatter.com
• 
  2021-03-26

  2020 Was a Record Year for Gun Violence

  “There are many communities across this country that are dealing with ever-present gun violence that is just part of their daily experience. It doesn’t get the support, the spotlight, the national attention. People don’t understand that it’s continuous and it’s on the rise.” – Mark Barden, our co-founder and father of Daniel “If we think about how many people are dying every single day, and we think about how would that be in our family or our community, perhaps that would motivate us to take ongoing action rather than spikes of action when something happens. Even if it’s not happening in your community, it’s happening in the community of America.” – Nicole Hockley, our co-founder and mother of Dylan Swipe left. Read more in @washingtonpost. Click the link in our bio to take action to #EndGunViolence. #ProtectOurKids #PassUBC #PassBGC #SHPAction #SandyHookPromise
• 
  2021-04-02

  Who was George Floyd?

  Who was George Floyd? If you live in the Twin Cities, myself (and countless others) have spent the last year thinking of him daily. It almost feels like he's watching us. As the Chauvin trial aims to paint Floyd negatively, I feel it's important to honor him and share what I've learned about his life. A short IG caption doesn't do enough to fully give Floyd's story justice, but these are pieces of his life I've been intrigued by and want to learn more about. If I'm missing or incorrect on something, please drop it in the comments. George Floyd was born in North Carolina and grew up in Houston, Texas' Third Ward, a predominantly Black neighborhood in the city. His mother, a single parent, moved the family to the Third Ward when he was 2, so she could find work. At 6 feet, 6 inches, Floyd developed as a star tight end for Jack Yates High School and played in the 1992 state championship game in the Houston Astrodome. With dreams of turning pro, he attended South Florida State College on a partial scholarship. After two years there, Floyd spent a year at Texas A&M University before returning to Houston and his mother’s apartment to find jobs in construction and security. While there, he ended up bouncing between jobs before serving nearly five years in prison. Floyd was also a musician, he occasionally was invited to rap with DJ Screw, a producer whose music is recognized as cementing Houston as a stronghold for hip-hop. He performed as a rapper using the stage name Big Floyd in a hip hop group, Screwed Up Click. As a father looking to provide for his five children and find a fresh start, Floyd moved to Minneapolis. One of his first jobs was working as a security guard at the Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Center -- the city’s largest homeless shelter. Floyd kept his connection to Houston, regularly returning to the Third Ward before his death. ✊🏽❤️
• 
  2021-04-01

  After three days of witness testimony, it is clear those who observed George Floyd's death have been traumatized by what they saw.

  After three days of witness testimony, it is clear those who observed George Floyd's death have been traumatized by what they saw. During her testimony, Minneapolis Firefighter Genevieve Hansen shared, "There was a man being killed. I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities. And this human was denied that right." Hansen was off-duty at the time but called 911 after witnessing George Floyd's arrest. She can be heard in a bystander video calling for police to check Floyd's pulse and provide him medical attention. In her 911 call, she told the operator that she "literally watched police officers not take a pulse and not do anything to save a man." Photos taken at the All Eyez On Justice Rally, March 28, 2021.
• 
  2021

  Kaia Hirt, chained herself to a barbed-wired gate outside the Hennepin County Courthouse demanding action from Minnesota legislators on police violence.

  Last night, educator and activist, Kaia Hirt, chained herself to a barbed-wired gate outside the Hennepin County Courthouse demanding action from Minnesota legislators on police violence. Her demands include requesting Minn. Governor Walz meet with those who have lost family members to policing and a vote to be held on police reform bills currently going through committee. As of this morning, she is still chained to the fence and requesting allies show solidarity by holding space with her.
• 
  2021-03-29

  Today, Opening Statements Begin in the trial of Derek Chauvin

  Today, opening statements begin in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for third-degree murder, second-degree unintentional murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges. Even with visceral and jarring visuals of George Floyd's final moments, a Chauvin conviction shouldn't be presumed. On March 23, 2020, Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old Black man, was killed after being physically restrained by Rochester, New York, police officers. A grand jury declined to bring any charges against the officers involved after reviewing police body cam footage. On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner was killed on video by a New York City police officer who put him in a prohibited chokehold while arresting him. After a grand jury considered the case for two months, they decided not to indict the officer involved. Last night, Rev. Al Sharpton, Attorney Benjamin Crump, and the family of George Floyd held a vigil to honor George Floyd before the trial began.
• 
  2021-04-02

  Mark Ruffalo Interviews Sec. Deb Haaland

  Mark Ruffalo interviews Sec. Deb Haaland about climate change, Pipeline 3, Biden administration, pandemic, tribal affairs, and Deb Haaland's rise in politics.
• 
  2021-03-29

  Derek Chauvin trial begins

  Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer filmed with his knee on George Floyd’s neck in May, faces murder and manslaughter charges for the encounter that sparked months of historic protests around the world. This stream contains graphic content. Chauvin faces charges of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers charged in the case — J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao — are set to be tried separately in August. George Floyd died on May 25 after being handcuffed and restrained facedown on a Minneapolis street during a police investigation of a counterfeit $20 bill that allegedly had been passed at a local market. The Post’s Rhonda Colvin will anchor live coverage featuring reporters Holly Bailey and Joyce Koh from Minneapolis. The program will also feature reporters Keith Alexander, Mark Berman, Tim Craig, Nicole Ellis, Hannah Jewell and Eugene Scott
• 
  2021-04-03

  Proposed Ban on Hijab in France

  Amplifying @muslim because we all need to address this. We support our French sisters in all of their efforts to fight against this Islamophobic law. This is a human rights violation and will only continue putting young hijabi girls and women at higher risk for gender-based discrimination and violence. To all the organizers or grassroots campaigners working on this in France, let us know in the comment, we are here with you - the colonial powers and hate-filled people it has indoctrinated cannot win this. ・・・ BREAKING 🚨 France proposes on bill to ban hijab for girls under the age of 18. The proposal now has to go through the National Assembly. source - @publicsenat #muslim #muslimnews #francescas
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  2020-12-14

  Frustrations of Virtual Meetings Skit in ASL

  blakey_mx3 highlights the frustration of virtual meetings during lockdown in a comical skit.
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  2021-03-06

  Call to Biden Administration to Stop Pipeline in Great Lakes

  On his first day in office, president Biden signed an executive order to stop construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. But now, many people in the Great Lakes region are asking the Administration to halt a different pipeline project they believe poses an even greater threat to indigenous communities and local waterways. And as NewsHour Weekend’s Ivette Feliciano reports, experts and climate advocates say it’s time to stop oil pipeline projects in the U.S. once and for all.
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  2021-02-27

  Calling all Warriors!!!

  Calling all warriors!! Let’s take a stand together! For the land, for the water, for what is right ✊🏽❤️ Reach out at giniw@protonmail.com
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  2021-03-31

  Prayer Lodge Stops Line 3 Pipeline

  Prayer Lodge Stops Line 3 Chaos 7 Natives from 5 nations took direct action to defend our Mother with love and selflessness. Surrounded by people of faith, by allies with strong hearts, we sang, prayed, and sat with our ancestors in an Anishinaabe lodge in the midst of Line 3 destruction. 27 Water Protectors were arrested that day. Afterwards, police cut up the lodge and kenneled, strip searched, and shackled us for misdemeanors. This is Anishinaabe treaty territory — Enbridge is committing trespass, not us. To land defenders everywhere, we stand as one ✊🏽❤️ Support the legal fund here: ProtestLaw.org/Line3 & please find your bravery to stand with us or use your voice to contact President Joe Biden, Gina McCarthy, Deb Haaland to #StopLine3 #ProtectTheSacred #PrayersIntoAction #7thGeneration
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  2021-03-22

  March to Stop Asian Hate

  Nearly a week after eight people were killed at spas in the Atlanta area, hundreds gathered to remember the victims and call for an end to hate towards Asians in a year that has seen an uptick in attacks against members of the community. People attending a rally New York City's Columbus Park Sunday, pictured above, told CNN they came out because they are tired of dealing with discrimination and hope the tragedy in Atlanta will spark change. When asked why she attended, Angela Eunsung Kim said, "'Cause I'm Asian, and I'm a woman, and if I don't stand up for myself then no one else will. So that's why I'm here."