Items

• 
  2020-09-18

  Isabella's Story

  In this article, Isabella Simonetti discusses how she never imagined little things in her life not going as planned before March, but now her life has been totally flipped upside-down. Along with changes in her school life and work life, Isabella was also one of the people who had their 21st birthday look a little different because of the pandemic. She mentions how she felt as though celebrating at all was a betrayal in itself. Towards the end of her article, she makes what I believe to be a very important observation about the pandemic. Isabella says, “Since March, my life has become less about managing expectations and more about not knowing what to expect at all. While I loathe uncertainty, I’ve found comfort in taking a step back, being grateful for what I have, and knowing that things are so crazy and ever-evolving that I just can’t expect anything at all.” The idea of living in the moment and being grateful for what you have is one of the most important lessons we can all take away from this pandemic experience, 21st birthday edition or not. This collection item demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID. Learning that unexpected changes are not the end of the world and making the right decisions for the safety of you and others was a huge thing 1999 babies were faced with this year.
• 
  2020-05-28

  #PauseAgingOut Awareness

  CHAMPS-NY is a statewide group of providers, advocates and thought partners, who work to promote state policy and practice changes to ensure children entering foster care are placed into family-based settings whenever possible. In this press release, Kate Breslin, CHAMPS-NY co-chair, talks about how a safe and stable home are vital to both individuals and public health during a global health crisis. This press conference is a call to action for the state of NY to provide foster children with the option to remain in foster care for at least 180 extra days after they “age out”. Nine other states have made this adjustment as sort of a form of a COVID relief plan for foster children and CHAMPS-NY believes that NY should offer this as well, especially since NY has been hit so hard by this crisis. This press conference and including it as a collection item is another attempt to fill an archival silence and to amplify the voices of marginalized groups. Those who speak in this press release are advocating for foster children who struggle to have their voices be heard. These people are fighting for these kids who know one else has or will fight for. This collection item displays and spreads awareness about a group of people who have been silently suffering and who have been subjected to the detrimental impacts of this pandemic just like everyone else, if not more.
• 
  2020-12-03

  Aging out of the Foster Care System During a Pandemic

  Deshala’s story is one that not only teaches us the struggles of being a foster child turning 21 and aging out of the system during a pandemic but is also a collection item that attempts to fill an archival silence and amplify the voice of a marginalized group. Her story exemplifies how this already anxiety inducing time in foster children’s lives was significantly intensified by the COVID19 pandemic. There are certain groups of people that many of us think of when we hear “marginalized group” but one most people don’t think of is foster children, especially those who are close to aging out. Kids in the foster system normally struggle to have their voices heard and are a group that experiences arguably the most emotional distress and inconsistency in their lives out of anyone in our country. This pandemic not only made them, kids who were about to age out of the system, more stressed and fearful for their future than ever but there was also hardly anything they could do about it either. The inclusion of this collection item is meant to spread and educate people on the strain that this pandemic has put on kids aging out of the foster care system. No one should ever have to worry about losing a safe and stable home, especially not during a global health crisis and Deshala’s story amplifies this issue and calls for action for others in similar situations due to the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-23

  Cardi B Wears a Face Covering in San Antonio

  This is a photograph of a graffiti mural depicting the female rapper Cardi B wearing a face mask. This mural was originally painted by a man named Colton Valentine depicting the rapper with no mask, however, it was updated recently this year to adjust to our current global situation. I chose to place this item in the archive because I felt as though it demonstrates the significant roles that celebrities have over my generation under Covid. Many young people look to celebrities for advice and it is incredibly important that said people are setting a proper example by wearing a mask. I enjoyed bringing a different form of creative art into the archival collection with this object.
• 
  2020-07-06

  One Expensive Mask

  This is a silk mask with what appears to be the $1200 stimulus check awarded to U.S. citizens during the pandemic. The design was all hand-stitched by a woman named Jennifer Markowitz in Raliegh, North Carolina. This piece is interesting as it is an artwork that overtly displays the moment in time it was made. This item will stand the test of time and be of interest to historians in the future as it illustrates significant aspects of the year 2020. This item displays an important subject of the pandemic, the stimulus check, on the piece of clothing that has become essential, a mask. This creative artwork is practical and clever when representing the times during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-29

  A Collection of Quarantine Paintings

  I am posting this photo because it showcases how I have spent a lot of my time during the pandemic. This photo displays every painting I have created since the beginning of the quarantine. Some of the works shown in the picture are still works in progress and others are completed. Before Covid prevailed and we were sent home in the spring, I had lost interest in painting and had not painted in months. The lockdown that Covid brought on allowed me to slow down and rekindle the love and creativity I had for painting. In this photo, there are 14 paintings, however, I have made more and gave them to friends as gifts. I mainly work with acrylic paint on canvas because I like vibrant colors and solid lines, although, I would like to start experimenting with oil paints soon. Covid-19 brought on many obstacles to a lot of people, but I am grateful that I could reconnect with painting. This object demonstrates the significant rise of creative liberty within my generation under Covid-19.
• 
  2020-12-10

  How Does A Pandemic Affect The Progression of a Relationship? (Corrected)

  This interview examines how a relationship between my close friend, Abby, and her girlfriend Julia was affected by the pandemic. As pointed out in her answers, they began dating right around the time that the pandemic began, and ended in early November, so the entire course of the relationship took place while the pandemic was going on. This interview represents individuals who are part of the LGBT community (Abby is bisexual, her ex-girlfriend Julia identifies as a lesbian), and gives the opportunity for them to share information about a relationship that may be looked over due to its lovers.
• 
  2020-12-14

  What Effect Does A Pandemic Have On A Relationship? (Corrected)

  As this interview is part of a collection exploring relationships and the exploration of sexuality during the Covid-19 pandemic, I really wanted to get to know some more about what it’s like to have a relationship altered by the pandemic. Luckily, I knew just the people. I reached out to two of my best friends on campus and asked if they’d be willing to speak about their experiences, which they agreed to. I already had an interview set up with a friend who went through a whole relationship (began dating and broke up) during the pandemic, but I felt it was important to explore multiple different types of relationships. This interview to me shows something about my generation living under Covid, as it shows how many of us felt like we were stripped of the indepence we gained when we left for college, and how we now have to navigate living at home again. In the case of these two, they also have to navigate being intimate and romantic with each other in this situation.
• 
  2020-12-01

  Behind the Scenes of a COVID-19 Nurse

  This photograph went viral on Instagram, with many people I know sharing the post on their stories in order to spread awareness about how hard nurses and other healthcare employees are working. I think this photo is really important because it shows a side of the pandemic that no one is really thinking about. It shows how healthcare workers are unable to see their families because they are tirelessly working with COVID-19 patients and don’t want to infect their families. This shows a marginalized group of people, healthcare workers, who haven’t really had their voices heard or cared about enough through the pandemic. Healthcare workers have not been appreciated enough for all the hard work and sacrifices they have made for their patients during 2020. In addition, this post gives voices to women who have often been silenced, allowing Syndi Lane to share her story with the world, encouraging others to follow.
• 
  2020-05-31

  Finding Creativity in the Unexpected: Bread Art

  There have been many ways people have chosen to let their creative energy loose during the pandemic. The story that I have uploaded is about a woman, named Manami Sasaki, who found her niche during Covid-19 to be turning bread into works of art. Sasaki designs bread with replicas of art as well as traditional Japanese imagery. Sasaki says that this practice keeps her calm and in good mental spirits. I chose to place this object in my mini archive because I feel as though this source attempts to fill an archival silence as well as amplify the voices of marginalized groups. This is an incredibly niche practice that amplifies Japanese culture
• 
  2020-12-01

  Melrose Wakefield Hospital COVID precautions

  One of my coworkers tested positive for COVID-19, so all the employees got tested to ensure we were all being safe at work. I think the photos I captured at Melrose Wakefield Hospital tells a story about all the precautions to stay safe and healthy in an unprecedented time. These photos respond to the needs and considerations of an ethical archive because it shows what precautions are being taken both inside and outside a hospital. In The Ethical Archivist, the author wrote about the ethics of acquisition, which documents have permanent or evidentiary value. I think these pictures may be seemingly unimportant to most people, but to historians this is data that shows what types of mandates and precautions were put in place during a worldwide pandemic.
• 
  2020-12-11

  Suffolk University Houses Medical Workers During Pandemic

  In this article, written by Caroline Enos from Suffolk University, it states how Suffolk was willing to open its arms to the medical workers in the area. This article really resonates with me because these are the same rooms that I lived in as a freshman, and now they are being gifted to medical workers. These 30 staff members who are working at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, are scared to go home to their families in hopes they would not get them sick. This article is definitely something of interest for future historians because it shows parts of the Boston community coming together to help each other and stay safe in the midst of a deadly virus. The story also resonates with members of my generation because we are seeing our University step up and give back to our community.
• 
  2020-12-12

  Nurse Fighting for Racial Equality in Healthcare

  This is a video of a nurse who volunteered to go to New York and help out with the COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals. She was overwhelmed at the number of patients she had that were Hispanic, Black, Latino, and Middle Eastern, and other people of color. It was clear to her that they were being disproportionately affected by this pandemic and chose to march in protests along with them. The acts of Becca Cooper, and the stories she told her audience about, amplify the voices of marginalized groups by speaking out about it and making people aware of these communities and how heavily they are being affected. I think 2020 has also been a year of protests to fight for equal rights and that speaks out to my generation as well. I know a lot of people who have participated in these protests and it goes to show how my generation is standing up for what we believe in, much like Becca Cooper did for her patients.
• 
  2020-12-13

  What Effect Does A Pandemic Have On a Relationship?

  As this interview is part of a collection exploring relationships and the exploration of sexuality during the Covid-19 pandemic, I really wanted to get to know some more about what it’s like to have a relationship altered by the pandemic. Luckily, I knew just the people. I reached out to two of my best friends on campus and asked if they’d be willing to speak about their experiences, which they agreed to. I already had an interview set up with a friend who went through a whole relationship (began dating and broke up) during the pandemic, but I felt it was important to explore multiple different types of relationships. This interview to me shows something about my generation living under Covid, as it shows how many of us felt like we were stripped of the indepence we gained when we left for college, and how we now have to navigate living at home again. In the case of these two, they also have to navigate being intimate and romantic with each other in this situation.
• 
  2020-10-29

  Election Week Anxiety

  Due to the massive number of American voters who decided to cast mail-in ballots, coupled with the unprecedented voter turnout, American’s did not get an answer on Wednesday morning as to who the next POTUS was going to be. This uncertainty, along with the climbing covid-19 numbers, meant a lot of citizens were feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what the next few days, and perhaps weeks, would entail. Crisis hotlines in the US saw a spike in calls related to election anxiety. This political cartoon created by Bruce Plante shows the anxiety that the hotline workers themselves might have been experiencing. With call after call coming into these centers, hotline workers do their best to ease the minds of those on the other side of the phone call. This is significant to 2020 because it illustrates the collective emotions voters were facing in the first week of November 2020.
• 
  2020-10-30

  CDC Tips for Voters

  In 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been a pivotal organization in educating the public on how to protect themselves, and others, during the covid-19 pandemic. The CDC periodically releases guidance and updates on how to safely navigate everything from grocery shopping to voting. The CDC released an article titled “Tips for Voters to Reduce Spread of COVID-19”. In the article they encourage voters to know their voter’s rights, even if they are quarantined for covid. With a lot of voter misinformation circulating, the CDC took the proper steps to help voters understand their rights, whilst encouraging measures that help prevent the spread of this rapidly spreading virus.
• 
  2020-12-08

  Six Foot Seating

  This photo shows a bench that is an advertisement for the dating app Bumble located in Boston’s Seaport district (exact location unknown). The bench has two seats, with space for social distancing between, which goes to show how far people are taking social distancing guidelines. Bumble makes use of participatory content here to engage the public to interact with their advertisements, which may lead to more interest in further interacting with the app. This object has the potential to interest future historians, as it shows how brands used the pandemic as ways of advertising. It also shows the ways in which not only we changed, but the physical objects around us changed to adapt to the pandemic.
• 
  2020-12-15

  Vote For Them

  As the covid-19 pandemic began, many American’s found themselves glued to the news more than ever before. A result of this news consumption brought to light the atrocities committed against BIPOC in the United States. On March 13th, 2020, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot 6 times in her home by a plainclothes officer. Two months later, on May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was suffocated and killed during an arrest over a counterfeit $20 bill. Rightfully, many were outraged and so began protests in cities and towns across the United States. As the election drew closer a movement began to encourage voters to reflect on how their vote can impact historically marginalized individuals within their communities. What will the candidate you vote for do for the communities currently facing social justice issues at large?
• 
  2020-12-15

  Campaigning Through Video Games

  As covid-19 continued, many political campaigns were forced to be more creative in their approach when it came to engaging with audiences. Some campaigns held virtual events and rallies. The Biden-Harris campaign decided to take advantage of the cultural phenomenon that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons to engage with younger voters. In the Nintendo game, players curate their islands and can create their own personal designs to share and use. This game has been significant to many millennials during covid, because it has been a place for young people to “hang-out” virtually and show off their creativity. The Biden-Harris campaign took advantage of this massively successful game and created their own island, Biden HQ. They created t-shirts and designs that other players could utilize. Players can still visit Biden HQ using the in-game dream code DA-7286-5710-7478.
• 
  2020-12-08

  COVID-19's Impact on Low-Income Workers

  This article discusses the struggles that low- income workers face because of the pandemic. Low-income workers are struggling to pay rent, losing their jobs, having use money from their saving accounts, and more. The article also provides graphs with demographics that consist of race, gender, and income groups. These graphs are useful in order to make comparisons. This article fills an archival silence and amplify the voices of marginalized groups because it highlights the struggle that these groups are facing. The silence may be intentional. The media is covering billionaires like Jeff Bezos who are only getting richer during the pandemic, instead we must focus on the average person/working class because they contribute to the overall success of our economy.
• 
  2020-12-08

  Accurate Covid-19 Working Meme

  I found this meme to be quite interesting. We use humor to better our mood during tough times, however this meme depicts reality: the anxiety about going to work this year during this strange new pandemic. This collection item can help future historians determine the society’s apprehension and concerns towards employment during COVID-19. A historian might wonder what this meme implies. Well, this meme implies that the public fears getting sick and what that holds, fear of spreading it to love ones, fear of not recovering, and perhaps work conditions are not entirely prepared. This meme can imply many things based on what a historian wants to argue.
• 
  2020-11-30

  Starbucks Holiday Mask

  A mask may appear uninteresting compared to other strange items that have risen in the coronavirus era, however it is important because it represents decency. This item demonstrates Generation Z’s awareness to society’s current important issues. This generation has been active during the BLM movement, the 2020 election, and in many other instances. The mask design is irrelevant but the mask itself carries a message. From what I’ve seen this generation won’t hesitate to condemn one for not wearing a mask and therefore are promoting its importance. During a pandemic, a mask is not a political tool but an attempt at keeping you and others safe.
• 
  2020-11-29

  Starbucks COVID-19 Control Plan

  This object presents Starbucks’s COVID-19 Control Plan since it is a MA requirement. It is an absolute must that we (Starbucks employees) follow these guidelines. I believe one question future historians will answer is how did the world try to stop the spread of COVID-19 in 2020? This item provides an answer to this question since it discusses hygiene protocols, social distancing, etc. The pandemic is still ongoing and we’re not sure when it will be eradicated, therefore a historian might want to compare 2020 control plans and future ones to see if plans became more efficient. It is important to wonder these questions, especially dealing with the significant duty we have: to stop of the spread of COVID-19 the best way possible.