Items

• 
  2021-02-22

  Mask trash #3

  Disposable mask spotted en route from the Tempe transit center to the Childhood Development (Psychology building) on Campus along Veteran's Way. 33°25'21.0"N 111°55'45.3"W
• 
  2021-02-20

  Mask trash #2

  I saw this black, disposable mask while vacuuming my van on Saturday at Cobblestone Auto Spa. I picked it up and threw it away before it blew into the water channel.
• 
  2021-02-20

  Mask trash # 1

  Mask trash on the playground at the Kroc Center in Phoenix, AZ
• 
  2021-02-12

  After Vaccines, Joy, Relief and Game Night

  As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls-out, nursing and retirement homes across the United States are starting to open up again. In many places, this means dinner, game night, and a select few visitors.
• 
  2000-02-15

  Black Masks

  I was looking at pictures from a year ago, and I see one from when I first evacuated my college campus. I was on my flight back home, the look on my face was clearly upset—but what stands out to me more is that I wasn’t wearing a mask. It’s blurry when I try to think back on details, but I guess at the time, mask wearing wasn’t yet mainstream. When exactly did that happen? I don’t really remember specific dates—does anyone anymore?--, maybe it was on a Someday or Blursday. All I know is that day, I was in the airport and on an airplane, breathing in other people’s air with no filtration. But about as soon as my previous statement became something to cringe at, it occurred to me that, “If this how it has to be for a while, I should at least make the best of it.” I wish I were referring to learning to bake bread or even watching Tiger King, but no, no, nothing that productive. Instead, I just retail-therapied the heck out of this new necessary accessory. If wearing a face mask meant I would be safer, I might as well find some pretty ones and enjoy this chance to hide my face behind some artsy patterns. Rumor had it they would be around for “a while” anyways. So, I called them an investment and spent too much time scrolling through Etsy shops. Those guys were on it! First, I ordered at least five masks off of in patterns with colors I liked or wore often, or the purple in my hair. They were nice, but the thrill wore off. That was the hardcore “stay at home stage,” so there wasn’t much need for them. Then I returned to school, glorious to be back mostly, but also to actually show my investments the light of day, while it was still seldom, in the first two weeks. Then something shifted. It was perhaps in sync with when I got the coronavirus. It was lonely. It was just me on the covid floor of my college, and a bunch of standard blue surgical masks. Believe me, I’m not trying to get pity, especially when I realized how I am of the luckier ones. But it did give me a new look on the not-so-novel (at least to me, now) virus. At that time, I wondered why I never “invested” in any neutral or plain masks, especially with it being such a generally somber time and all. The next time I was out shopping, I picked up the very first black mask I saw. Eventually I’d usually lose it, since I wore it out so much, so then I’d just do it all over again. My next “investment” was somewhere in the middle. A multi-pack or solid masks in five colors. I could probably count on one hand how many times I actually wore these. I was trying to bring back some color, but my heart wasn’t in it. They remained untouched. Instead, I started opting for the disposable masks my mom had found. That was when I learned that they make them in black. More recently, I ordered another set of solid masks. Three of the same, all in one color, just plain black. I’ve managed to keep track of all three for a while now. On especially good days, I might break out a brighter ones. But today is just regular, and I’m wearing a black mask as I type. I’ve noticed recently that many others seem to prefer a black mask too. I can’t help but think it’s representing a collective sorrow, or individual jadedness like myself. Maybe they just like the color black and all the social-distancing is just making me overanalyze the mere presence of others and their face masks. This is cliché, but I really am longing for the day we can see each other smile again.
• 
  2020-01

  Fortune Teller

  Towards the end of 2019 if some sort of fortune teller warned me that the COVID-19 pandemic was on its way and the faces of the world would become covered with masks indefinitely, I would tell them that they are crazy. The spring semester was picking up and the coronavirus had become public news in China for a month or two. One of my closest friends Zach was very interested in Chinese politics and current events. Ever since the first cases were being reported he had warned me that the world was going to change. (He was that fortune teller figure.) I remember us taking a trip to Aldi’s so he could stock up on the regular number of weekly groceries. However, he had quite a few cans and non-perishable goods in his cart. He told me he was stocking up for the lockdown that was about to come. Today he’s known as the man who saw it coming all along. After that night my fear of the unknown began to grow. I began telling my friends/classmates at Duquesne casually saying the word “coronavirus.” They thought I made it up or it was a prank. I explained to them that this outbreak may hit the U.S and affect the entire world. Classes were still in session but as cases started rising in the U.S, the fear of school closing became closer to a reality. Fast-forward to the first couple days of lockdown. I was becoming extremely overwhelmed adjusting to a new format of learning. I wanted nothing more than to see my friends and have them tell me that everything was going to be okay face to face. The days started merging together and my sense of time was gone. I tried my best to look for the positives but there really are none when the entire world is faced with a potentially life-threatening illness. As months started passing by, I had started to realize that the only thing that would keep me going is patience and a good attitude. Even in the current moment I still long to go to concerts or have big group gatherings with friends or family. A habit I started picking up is whenever I would watch movies or tv shows was pointing out that people were not wearing masks. That’s a scary thought knowing that masks have become an external part of our identity. Let’s look at the positives though! I became a lot closer with my best friend by playing Xbox with her. This was one of the only things that I looked forward to, so I played games with her almost every day. I also started playing the piano again after stopping when coming to college. A new hobby I picked up was making meals for my family which was something I found relaxing. I even dyed the front strands of my hair pink from the TikTok trend! All of these hobbies were new beginnings that I don’t think I would’ve initiated if it were not for being in quarantine. As each day goes by, I can only hope that we are closer to “normal” and that the coronavirus can be a thing of the past. I am blessed that my family and friends are in good health and that they stay in good health until the end of the pandemic is in sight.
• 
  2021-02-15

  COVID-19: We're doing this for this

  Video created by the Government of Canada urging the public to wear a mask so "one day we can go back to" travelling, getting together with friends and family, and eating at restaurants.
• 
  2021-02-15

  Canadian Mask

  Image from an article in the McGill Reporter titled "COVID-19 pandemic uniting Canadians like no other event in decades".
• 
  2021-02-07T18:36

  Mask Trash

  This is a photograph of a mask discarded on the side of my yard, in the desert where many animals such as coyotes, quail, javelinas, and rabbits make their homes. I have seen much pandemic-related trash discarded on the sides of the road, on sidewalks, and in people’s yards during this pandemic: hand sanitizer bottles, masks, wipes, etc. With the pandemic has come an increase in the use of disposable materials such as these, adding to environmental degradation and displaying a disregard both for people and for animals. This photo of mask trash shows a toxic side effect of the pandemic and a reminder that people need to use non-disposable items whenever possible and show respect for our natural environment by not throwing things away in this manner.
• 
  2021-02-03

  Victoria teachers applaud new B.C. school mask mandate

  Victoria, B.C teachers appreciate the new mask mandate for middle and high students to wear masks in the classroom. Some teachers note that they wish they had also included elementary school students as well. Students will be allowed to remove their masks at their desks when there is a barrier present. British Columbia provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that they are continually reviewing the guidelines.
• 
  2021-02-07

  To Mask or not to Mask

  Perhaps, it is an American phenomenon. People refusing to wear masks in public places, even when face to face with an “essential worker.” At the start of the pandemic in the United States, when people were closing their doors and staying home, there became a flurry of conversations about essential workers, the people who couldn’t stay home, in order to keep society as we know it flowing. Hospital workers, fighting the unknown; the service industry, continuing to feed and care for people; factory workers and truckers, delivering the stuff people staying home needed, all essential. Unfortunately, there is an ongoing battle that effects everyone: people refusing to wear masks. Some in the medical industry, especially the ones helping COVID patients fight for their life, feel like it is a slap in the face. People in the service industry have to decide between asking somebody to put on a mask and risking being verbally or physically attacked by the person, or risking their own health. I have added a few sources. First, some memes and pictures, thanking essential workers. There is an article from Forbes on how to deal with customers who will not wear a mask. I’ve added a BBC article on why Americans don’t wear masks, but also an article from The Indian Express that shows anti-mask protests in multiple countries. Masks are a pretty simple addition to our lives. Of course, they take a while to get used to, and still leave me sweaty. While they are not a solution for completely stopping the spread of COVID, they do make a difference, and should be taken seriously. The sources I’ve attached tell a small part of the story of how humans have reacted to this pandemic.
• 2020-02-05

  Pandemic Observations: Unique Mask Problems

  I often feel naked without a mask now. Sometimes I get the same scare of losing my mask that I get with my cell phone. It is without a doubt that masks have become an important motif in our pandemic-lives. I wanted to share some random struggles of wearing a mask. They are only minor inconveniences, but I think they provide excellence context to the current lifestyle. -Glasses fogging: Glasses wearers often find their glasses fogging up whenever they breathe with a mask on. Luckily, this is an easy fix. As long as the glasses are fitted over the mask, there should be no fogging. Sometimes the mask has to be pulled up a bit higher on the nose to achieve this. There are also sprays that prevent glasses from fogging. -Makeup: People who wear makeup often find the undersides of their masks smudged with foundation, concealer, blush, lipstick, etc. Some people opt not to put makeup on the bottom half of their faces to prevent this problem, others just embrace the makeup smudges. -Acne: many (typically young) people who wear masks for a prolonged find acne around where their masks were. This makes sense, as sweat and moisture collects in the mask. Proactive skin care, such as washing the face with a gentle cleanser or other acne-treatment solutions can alleviate this issue. I personally see this as a non issue, as no one can see the acne anyways because of the mask!
• 
  2021-02-03

  Masks mandatory inside middle and high schools in B.C.

  Masks are now mandatory inside middle and high schools in British Columbia, Canada. Elementary students are currently not required to. Schools are also asking for more money in order to help with improving safety for returning staff. While much of the population is currently wearing masks, the government has been relatively laissez-faire compared to the United States on compliance.
• 
  2020-12-29

  Mural to honor front-line workers in Sacramento, California

  News outlet KCRA3 has shared a new mural called "Essential Heroes" by local artist Madelyne J. Templeton. The mural located at 12th and G Streets in Sacramento, California. The mural represents community sentiment of respect and honor for medical workers during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-24

  Worldwide pandemic street art

  USA Today, like many other media outlets, uses their platform to share images of street art that conveys community messages about COVID-19. Photographs range from March 2020 to January 2021 and include graffiti tagging, murals, paste-ups, and stencils. Many styles of art are represented and can be telling of how artists represent emotions of fear, solidarity, hope, thanks, and humor during the pandemic. Several of the contributions are put on boards covering windows of businesses that shut down during the pandemic, others are on hospital buildings, streets, and businesses.
• 
  2021-01-20

  Bernie Sanders During the Pandemic

  During the pandemic all events where canceled, I found myself staying home everyday and isolating myself from all friends and work since I have family members that have underlying medical conditions and have weak immune systems. During the pandemic many people have stayed home and entertained themselves with memes. One very popular meme that recently spread through the internet is with Bernie Sanders at the inauguration ceremony. I created a picture/meme by cropping Bernie Sanders in a bed, similar to how I have been during the pandemic.
• 
  2020-05-09

  Self-portrait with mask, May 2020

  During the pandemic, I often walk in Brooklyn's historic Green-Wood Cemetery with its rolling hills, lovely views, and fantastic old monuments; it's also where my grandparents are buried. I've always loved the beautiful, timeless melancholy of the place, but during the pandemic, it was also a strange comfort to read the headstones and think of the people buried all around me. Life, sickness, crisis, death are all just part of being human. These dead humans also lived, suffered, died, and now it's just another version of the same thing. The self-portrait included here is based on a photo I took of myself in Green-Wood as I wandered there one day in April 2020, looking to get away from lockdown and to find company among the graves.
• 
  2021-01-31

  Distracting Myself with Latte Art

  At the moment, the only reasons I leave the house is to shop for essentials and for work. As a barista, my job can get fairly uncomfortable, as there is often a struggle between me and the customer, as they immediately want to remove their mask and take a sip of their drink instead of waiting until they are at a table or outside, or they don't want to wear one at all and refuse to comply when we ask. We also have pushback against limiting indoor seating and maximum capacity of the store, as we do have a small shop that makes it difficult to distance. It has led to tense interactions and anxiety leading up to shifts, and I have been struggling to find reasons to enjoy work. Because of this struggle, I turned towards improving my latte art as a way to both improve my craft and distract myself from the complications and uncomfortable interactions that have disrupted my workplace. It has brought me a sense of productivity and calm, despite the issues pervading the shop. This is my progress so far.
• 
  2020-07-11

  Masked up

  At my brothers wedding in the summer of 2020, masks were asked to be worn during the event, which is very different than the pre-pandemic wedding appearance. Some people were not happy with having to wear a mask because they thought the photos wouldn’t like as nice. This picture is with my father, with my mask unfortunately upside down but still serving its purpose of keeping people safe.
• 
  2021-01-26

  Special Practice Check-in

  This is the table outside my moms work. She is a manager at a special practice medical facility called Arizona Oncology. Her staff check everyone that walks into the building, making sure they don't have a fever and wear their mask properly. There are arguments and disagreements at this desk everyday. Either patients don't believe the virus is real, refuse to wear a mask or flat out want to be an issue. They've recently hired a security guard to help handle those causing issues.
• 
  2021-01-26

  Anti-maskers vs. The Scroll of Truth

  This is a simple meme I created using the scroll of truth template in order to convey how I feel about those who seek to end the pandemic but refuse to wear masks.
• 
  2020-03-01

  Covid in the Last Frontier

  The object I choose was the first "mask" I ever wore during the start of this pandemic. During the time, I was in Alaska, and when news of the spread of Covid hit, we (the state) went into lock down almost immediately. The object I submitted has more of a symbolic nature, as it signified a new world that not only were we not prepared for, but one that would become a new norm. At the beginning, it was hard to secure masks, as they were going as fast as toilet paper, so we had to make due with what we had, hence the bandana. What made things relatively difficult was the strict lockdowns and what time of the year they specifically happened. In Alaska, it is crucial soak up as much sun as possible in the late spring and summer due to the long, dark, and cold winters that often lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder, or Seasonal Depression. Not being able to leave your house, and having summer activities closed down made it difficult to soak up the sun and energy we needed. But as humans always do, we found a way, through homemade masks and long, socially distanced walks. I currently reside in Florida now, and the atmosphere was and still is completely different than the one I faced in Alaska. It was an eye-opening experience to live in two states during this pandemic, and how each state handled the virus in their own way.
• 
  2021-01-24

  My Masks

  This image is of three masks that I own: a blue mask with white polka dots, an olive-green mask, a white mask with a pink floral print. These masks were purchased off of Amazon back in March of 2020 and were hand-made by a lady who randomly selected five masks for you. These are the ones that have survived; the other two have broken either because of washing or breaking from continued wear. These three have not been worn in awhile because one did break from me wearing it and I do not want to chance it breaking while I am out and about.
• 2021-01-24

  My Thoughts on Ordinances, Mandates, and Lethal Force

  One of the cyclic discussions this year has been government mandates related to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Mask mandates and business closures are the two most prominently discussed on my household and circles, usually with respect to their wisdom, efficacy, and consequence. Municipal/county ordinances and state statutes originate within the respective legislative bodies of that particular government. Few legislative bodies have passed COVID-related mandates, and almost all such efforts have been at the sole discretion and direction of the executives branches of government. That specific division of labor is meant as a check-and-balance in our republic to keep one branch from both writing and enforcing laws, but our collective COVID response has almost universally done that very thing. For most Americans, their mayor, county managers, or governor have enacted Emergency Orders to address the public health crisis without sanction by the corresponding legislature AND that same office gets to enforce their own rule without public debate about the underlying mandate or its punishment. This effectively makes our respective executive authorities our parents. They make the rules without input, and they enforce the rules as they see fit. How just and sustainable is this model? Emergency orders are special authority granted to executives to respond to urgent crises during times when the legislatures are out of session, or when time constraints prevent pending a response for passage of a bill. However, we’re now nearly a year into this crisis...to my knowledge, no legislative body has composed and passed legislation to replace, supplant, or invalidate any COVID executive orders. Why are elected officials seemingly unwilling to fulfill their responsibilities and oaths of office? Has anyone asked them? How just are behavior mandates, especially across large terrains and diverse areas? How reasonable are Draconian restrictions for a rural community with very few cases due to the infection rates and suffering in a dense municipal area many miles away? Is it reasonable to close businesses in one area for something happening in another? Is it reasonable to fine, arrest, or incarcerate residents for behaviors deemed dangerous somewhere else? Conversely, why does a face covering have to be politicized? In terms of enforced behaviors, I would ask executives and legislators alike to remember that every mandate or prohibition carries the risk of lethal force and death in its enforcement. Every mandated enforcement interaction between state actors (police, deputies, code enforcement, etc) carries the potential for escalating resistance that can quickly translate into a loss of life for the alleged offender and/or the state actor. If we enforce behavior mandates, we must ensure that those mandates are worthy risks to actual human lives. Many of those presently shouting in the public square, actual and virtual alike, fail to address the multifaceted and complex realities of any government decision related to this pandemic. Almost everyone picks the data that support one narrow aspect of their position and works to shout down and bully every dissenting opinion. If your family’s business teeters on the verge of bankruptcy in small rural community with no actual COVID crisis, your priorities, fears, and needs diverge greatly from that of a family in the capital city that’s lost three grandparents this year. A third family who’s relying on continued eviction moratoriums to stay living indoors due to ongoing unemployment has still-different and valid priorities. We need to accept that all three families’ priorities are simultaneously right, even if disparate and conflicting. Despite what the loudest voices want us to believe, there are few monsters roaming among us who long for a global, COVID-driven euthanasia of the old and infirm. Republics require dialogue, engagement, and compromise based ultimately on reason and significant support of specific action. We need to engage each other as neighbors and potential allies and partners instead of enemies and ideological adversaries. We won’t be past this pandemic for some time yet, and I fear our society cannot long function under this ever-increasing strain.
• 
  2021-01-24

  "Masks"

  Pandemics play a role in history, as they shaped us. From Bubonic to Covid, this is something that felt startling and unsettling. The lockdown reduced us to our homes' safety, and academia halted; my friends and family caught this rapid disease; unfortunately, one did not survive. At first, all you could do was wait and watch the news, and I even tried to google and journals or documents of those who lived during the plague; Something that sparked in my mind was the memory of Italy's Black Death, how Venetian doctors with large canes to examine and keep distance would go house to house seeing the sick, but knowing half the people would not survive. What became notable in my mind at the fear of illness and responding to safety was our face mask. But the mask is something everyone would see, the mask that would ward of the “miasma.” But we know disease spreads rapidly, you must stay at home do your part. I felt the sense of time begin to dissipate, days and months blur the sensation of cabin fever sets in quick, must distance six feet apart and the feeling of hopelessness and dread set in, unable to see friends, fear of getting infected or others. Still, we must wear our masks to fight this plague. We could help the effort by sewing masks, something so simple as a cloth with a string to protect us from a violent, deadly disease. Something so small and so simple caused such a debate, became some people's fashion staples. For me, I enjoy historical fashion, and I began to wonder how to incorporate each one into every outfit, maybe one for each theme or to tribute to my interest. Being a goth, I sought this to make sure if I'm going to go out, let me be safe, but have some joy in the safety I wear. Maybe in the future, historians would see this object and see the symbolism it held as the protector in such an uncertain time.
• 
  2020-06-03

  Black Lives Matter Rally in Calgary Alberta

  This is a photo I took during one of Calgary’s Black Lives Matter marches in the Summer of 2020. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, people took to the streets all over the world, not just America – In Calgary Alberta in particular, the death of George Floyd forced Canadians to critically look at our own law enforcement and state institutions, which were borne out of Canada’s colonial past. Not pictured in this photo would be the flags of numerous Indigenous nations, in particular the Mohawk nation – as in Canada and in America, the Black Lives Matter Movement synthesized itself with the cause of Indigenous sovereignty, as a means to combat white supremacy. During these marches, people who were antagonistic of the BLM movement stated that these marches were a threat to ‘public health’ as they believed protestors were marching mask less, this is not the case as evident in this photo. Organizers and random protestors were handing out masks, hand sanitization stations were set up with food, water and wipes. Signs were provided from the organizers to each marcher, if one did not bring their own. During this event, there was limited police presence as they maintained their distance from the large body of protestors which covered several streets. From what I recall what happened, I went with my friend Quinn, we showed up and found a place in the large crowd and listened to several speakers in the center of body of protestors (You can’t see it in this photo but it is directly center, behind the foliage). After the several speeches which took place, the organizers lead the people through a march downtown, to city hall. To my knowledge, there weren’t any instances of violence or confrontations with police – however I do remember there would be some agitators who would appear every now and then to yell at the protestors, or carry racist signs – I didn’t see this in particular, but saw photos of people doing so. This photograph would be beneficial to the social justice collection as it depicts the black lives matter movement of Calgary Alberta, Canada as fore mostly a window into the unique Canadian experience and similarly to how protests were conducted during a pandemic.
• 0020-01-20

  Covid Rules

  Covid was not that scary for me because I knew that if I got it I wouldn't die due to my age. But what worried me was all the people that can die to it. So in order not to spread it I had to follow rules. I had trouble distancing from my friends. I was so use to to being close to them and talking with them. That was the only rule I had a lot of trouble with. The rest were not that bad. I did forget my mask a lot. But I now have gotten use to having it. Quarantine was easy until now because now I am so tired of it. We couldn't go to school or sports. It felt like I was lazy. But I had more time to learn new things. The rules were not bad just really boring and hard to get use too.
• 2021-01-16

  Wearing a mask to school

  Some of the rules that we have to follow in school is wearing a mask and social distancing. First, I feel there is no point in us wearing a mask when none of the school wears an N-95 (the only mask doctor say completely works and protects.) I also don't like how doctors say the virus can't spread when we are 6 feet apart. At school, we are 6 feet apart, so why do we have to wear masks in class.
• 2021-01-15

  The old gray mask

  I would like to submit my gray, cotton face mask to the COVID-19 Archive. It is perhaps not as the most important item, but certainly it is the most present item for me throughout this pandemic. At almost a full year into this adventure, everyone has a keen familiarity with and opinion of face masks. I got this one as a gift. It feels about the same as getting socks on Christmas, except more useful. I have used this thing every single day unless I forget it—which sends me into a chaotic panic. I am a teacher in a suburb of Nashville, TN. Our school district insists on teaching in person, despite having alarmingly high infection rates in our community. This mask is now part of my daily uniform, a non-negotiable. It serves as a role model for students. A sign that their health is of paramount concern to us. It is part of everything I do. I have dozens of paper replacements in my desk. Those aren’t as good. They straps hurt your ears. The cloth ones are better, more comfortable. I thought about getting one with my favorite band’s logo, but I am going to stick with this old reliable gray, cotton mask. The smell of this mask will haunt me the rest of my life. I wash it multiple times per week. It often smells like laundry detergent. That is a good thing. However, by the end of the day it often smells like whatever I had for lunch. The masks gets hot. It is blasted with my carbon dioxide for eight hours straight. It gets really bad when I have to lecture during the day. When you inhale sharply to talk, it sucks in the material. I’ve learned how to breathe differently when I have the mask on. Sometimes I just pinch the end and hold it with my fingers while I talk. I can rarely take it off. I panic if I forget to put it on when I leave my classroom to go anywhere. Who would have ever thought this little cloth mask would be so important? I often doubt that it is effective at preventing the spread or contraction of infection. I am certainly NOT an anti-masker. But it’s a piece of cloth. I guess that it’s better than nothing. This gray cotton face mask, sometimes imbued with the glorious smell of fresh linen in the breeze or Last night’s roast and mashed potatoes has become a source of loathing and resentment, but simultaneously an anti-viral security blanket (if only in my imagination). Yet, I can’t wait to get rid of this vile thing.
• 2021-01-14

  Virtual learning

  Learning virtually was very strange and had many advantages and disadvantages. Every day I got on zoom from my bedroom from March 18 to about December with the exception of summer. Some advantages about it were that I didn't have to wake up as early to drive to school and that I can do school from the comfort of my room. Some disadvantages however were I couldn't hang out with my friends or talk very much, and I personally found it really hard to pay attention because each period was about an hour and 20 min on the computer and my grades weren't as good because I had a hard time not zoning out. And on top of that nearly everything was closed down from restaurants to malls and other places to hang out, exc. I prefer learning in class than virtually because I can hang out with my friends and I pay attention better in school.
• 
  2020-06-17

  Pandemic Hack: Homemade child’s mask

  This story is about how I "hacked" a pandemic experience: wearing a mask as a young child. I was having trouble finding a mask that my youngest child felt comfortable wearing, so I made one from a pajama shirt she had outgrown! It fit comfortably and brought new life to an old piece of clothing that carries special memories from years past.
• 2020-01-11

  cover origin

  The first case I heard about this was back 2 years a go in December. I heard lots of theories the first one I remember hearing is that someone ate a bat and contracted this virus. I didn't think much of it at first but after time I realized how serious it is and how much it affects everyone in the world. My opinions on the virus have defiantly changed over time though, but I still manage to keep the same precautions and make sure to follow the instructed rules to keep everyone safe.
• 
  2020-08-07

  2020: The Masked Madness

  This photo reminds me of a story when my mom and I went to the grocery store during the pandemic. We were in an aisle by ourselves, so we pulled our masks down. Then all of a sudden, a lady came up to us who didn't even work in the store, and she said that the store should kick my mom and I out for not wearing our masks. No one was even in the aisle! She also told us that we should be thrown in jail for not wearing masks, and then she started cussing at us.
• 
  2020-12-25

  Nicola Sturgeon defying everthing meme

  Nicola Sturgeon showing what she thinks of covid mask wearing and brexit
• 
  2020-07-18

  Denver Botanical Explorations

  This is a photo of some social distanced exploring done at the Denver Botanical Garden. It was to get out and see the flowers! It’s so beautiful there! Everyone looked so happy to be out in the world exploring. It was such a fun day.
• 
  2020-12-16

  Suffolk Masks

  Everyone has a mask these days and they are all so unique or plain. Suffolk created their own mask along with a few other styles that students could buy. It is easier to recognize suffolk students when wearing these masks. It is cool to see Suffolk step up and be a part of the pandemic and create new things for their students. Us athletes got a separate mask, seen in the second photo, it is called a gaitor. A lot of the athletes would wear them walking or at practice/in the gym. It separates the athletes from the regular students. Suffolk wanted to be a part of this history so they created these masks. These objects are important to Suffolk’s history through the pandemic and how they chose to help their students out. This is also significant in the year 2020 because everyone was designing their own masks and it was cool to see how all of the colleges and universities came together to create their own masks and contribute to today’s history.
• 
  2020-12-16

  Suffolk Softball During The Pandemic

  These photos were taken during the pandemic at our practices. As you can see, we are all wearing masks in the photo along with there only being a few of us in each of them. This really shows the differences between before and after Covid. There are no pictures of team events because we weren’t allowed to do anything with more than 10 people so we were on zoom a lot of the time for meetings and team things like study hall. This was a hard time for all of us and not being together through it all, a few people quit and stayed home so it was extremely different from times before everything happened. It was difficult to keep the mask on and breathing was quite hard as well, we took many socially distanced breaks to get a drink and pull our masks down for a minute or so. This is important to understand how different sports were throughout before the pandemic versus while we are in it and trying to figure out different solutions to problems. Every team had to go through the same thing we did with masks and social distancing and cleaning properly but it just adds to more about Suffolk Softball and how captured the moments throughout the pandemic which is important to archives.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-06-02

  "Why Wearing a Mask is Important When Going to a Protest"

  This photo shows a masked man standing above a gathering of people and has his left hand raised.
• 
  2020-08-24

  "In the Age of Information, Ignorance is a Choice"

  This post ties the pandemic and protesting together--the protester is wearing a mask, and while her sign is most likely a reference to the ignorance of white supremacy, it also works for ignorance of anti-maskers or COVID conspiracy theorists.
• 
  2020-05-29

  "Black Lives Matter Protest"

  This poster advertises a peaceful protest, and some of the space is used to explain COVID protocols while protesting.
• 
  2020-11-26

  Israeli Soldiers Wear Masks Whilst Forcibly Removing Palestinians From Their Homes.

  It's good to see Israeli soldiers following COVID-19 health protocols whilst forcibly removing Palestinians from their land. Safety first, machine guns to kill any human resisters, and masks to prevent COVID-19 infections.
• 2020

  Trolley Trouble

  My partner was telling me a recollection of an incident in a story: (Context they live in England) OK, so I was in store, they leave 2m gaps, this old ass boomer joins the queue, and I feel a nudge against my leg. It's her like, trolley type thing. She's like 1.5 feet away. I look to her, and back, queue moves, I try distance myself. I feel a nudge against my leg again. I turn around and she had taken off her mask. She's like 70. The queue moves again and a staff member comes up and tells her to put a mask on. I feel the trolley against my leg, and she seems pissed for having to wear a mask. I finally get out of the queue cause it's my turn and I hear her say like "finally you stopped wasting space"
• 
  2020-11-22

  Family of Masks

  These are masks my mother and I have acquired by various means to wear during the pandemic.
• 2020-11-20

  Covid-19

  During this pandemic people have lived their lived completely different because we have to stay home and limit ourselves to going out and one of the biggest things is wear a mask. I don’t have much stories to tell because I usually stay inside a lot especially during weekdays and don’t do anything. One things I did a lot during quarantine was workout a lot more.
• 
  2020-11-19

  British Columbia Introduces Mask Mandate and Lockdown

  The province has introduced sweeping measures in order to curb the rise of Covid-19 cases. This has included a mask mandate, which is a reversal from previous policy. Other restrictions introduced encompass lessening the time spent in public indoor spaces or events.
• 
  2020-11-18

  Time to Standardize Masks with a Mask Mandate

  With more states requiring face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, gaiters and bandannas have become popular accessories. But tests show those hipper face coverings are not as effective as surgical or cloth face masks.
• 
  2020-11-16

  Having a Negative COVID-19 Test Still Requires Social Distancing

  Some people have started to get tests for the coronavirus as a way to clear themselves to attend dinner parties without needing to wear masks or keep their distance. That’s absolutely the wrong thing to do.
• 
  2020-09-03

  St. Mary's University's Mask Squad

  St. Mary's has gathered a group of students ( the mask squad) with the purpose to promote Covid-19 safety procedures. Typically St. Marys' campus is full of smiling faces and it always busy with students running to classes or to meet with friends. Since Covid-19 St.Mary’s students have had to adjust to not seeing the campus so lively. The mask squad is currently on campus to not only remind students to wear their masks but to give the campus some life. Wearing our masks is a crucial part of keeping all those on campus safe. This email shows the efforts that the university is taking to try and promote safety and community.
• 
  2020-11-03

  Voting Lines Stretched Across Two Parking Lots

  On November 3, 2020 I took a photo of the voting line that was spread across the Legacy Bank and Library parking lots in Blanchard, Oklahoma. The small community has several voting precincts and this is just one of them. At one point it was mentioned that people were waiting up to three hours to vote at this voting location. The crowd appeared to be somewhat spaced apart and some were wearing masks. The pandemic affected how people stood near each other, which would've been normally much closer.