Items

• 2021-02-18

  #WhenIAmVaccinated

  I have been vaccinated. I got both of my shots, waited the requisite two-week waiting period, which mysteriously dropped from 30 days to 14, and so as of yesterday, I am as fully vaccinated as I can be. And I am still not traveling. I will continue to wear a mask. In fact, I will be double masking when students return to the high school I work at following spring break. There is still a pandemic. Not enough people are vaccinated. I don’t truly know how effective the vaccine is, no one does. And most of all, I want to make a statement. That masks are important. That masks are important. That social distancing is important. That I might still catch COVID, be asymptomatic, and pass it on. Herd immunity is essential. A lot of life I want to get back to, but I know that so many things should not go back to the days of 2019 and early 2020. We cannot forget. We cannot become complacent. Okay – sometimes I want to keep wearing the mask so hide my sneers so no one can see. ;)
• 
  2020-11-05

  Echoing Empty Galleries

  This photo, taken at the Detroit Institute of Art, is a glimpse of the drastically different pandemic-era museum experience. Upon entrance to the museum, guests are masked, tickets are bought online, temperatures are checked, and then one can wander the silent, empty galleries. Diego Rivera’s monumental Detroit Industry Murals are even more awe-inspiring when drifting around the cavernous hall distraction-free, with only sentinel machines keeping one company. Presently, Rivera’s personal history of political conflict and pandemic-related loss ring especially true. Although museum visits have adapted, one can still experience a powerful connection to art, in a new, maybe even improved way.
• 
  2020-12-01

  The Covid Quilt

  This is my Covid Quilt. When the lock down started I ordered a bunch of different fabrics to make masks with. The fabric size that seemed to have the most value was called a fat quarter. After making my family a bunch of bright colored masks, I had so many squares of fabric left over I decided to save them. I was not sure why I was saving them though. By the end of this summer I had hundreds of squares and decided to make a quilt. This is my Covid quilt. You can see a years worth of colorful masks represented in it. I really wish I knew how to do embroidery. I would embroider the words, "Covid Quilt 2020" into it. I am not even a sewer. I took a class in high school over twenty years ago. Defiantly imperfect just like the year 2020. But it is warm and thick. I think I will try my best to take care of it.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-04

  Covid Portraits: Allston

  I decided to do a series of portraits of family members in masks to document the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04

  Covid Portraits: Los Angeles

  I decided to do a series of portraits of family members in masks to document the pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-02

  2021 Predictions

  I actually agree with most of these predictions. I fear for the economy. I worry about the struggle people will face this year.
• 2021-01-19

  COVID Procedures and Rules

  During the COVID 19 Pandemic, we have had to follow many new rules and protocols. For example, we have to wear a mask at school, we have to wash our desk of before class and after, we can't use the cafe, we have to use hand-sanitizer before and after class, we have to stay 6 feet apart at lunch and break, and much more. I feel that most of the rules/procedures are useful and make a difference in not spreading the corona virus. I think wearing a mask is very uncomfortable and doesn't due much but I still wear one a stay as safe as possible. Although they are not fun to do, they make a big difference and allow us the keep school open and not spread COVID 19.
• 0021-01-06

  Christmas During Covid

  This year for Christmas, it felt the same. There was only a subtle difference between the holidays of last year and this year. On Christmas Eve, my dad and I went to Costco to buy necessities lacked at home. All of the shoppers needed to wear masks, which is different from previous years. However, the current guidelines have been initiated for many months already, so I have already adapted. Every Christmas morning, my little brother and I would wake up to find presents from "Santa" under the Christmas tree. This year, I received a crochet kit and polymer clay kit. I gave my mom a watercolor butterfly and heart hair clip; I gave my dad a Christmas-themed fortune teller. After the exchange of gifts, I spent the rest of the day playing and fiddling with my new gifts. Most of my Christmases, including this one, are the same.
• 
  2020-08-31

  Photo of LGBTQ protesters

  This photo shows protesters, one holding a pride flag, and police.
• 
  2020-10-24

  "I Stand with Mi'Kmaq"

  This photo includes two girls, one holding a sign which states "I stand with Mi'kmaq" while the other's says "Respect the Treaties."
• 
  2020-08-30

  "Black Lives Matter"

  A man holds a sign which states "Black Lives Matter" and "Treat Racism like Covid-19."
• 
  2020-06-05

  Picture of massive group of protesters in Calgary

  This photo shows a large gathering of protesters in downtown Calgary.
• 
  2020-06-07

  "Stop Killing Us"

  This post focuses on the murder of Black and Indigenous Canadians, and the image of the one protester surrounded by riot police.
• 
  2020-06-02

  "COVID-19 Safety Tips"

  This post directly ties COVID to protests, sharing various ways to be conscious and safe while protesting.
• 
  2020-06-02

  "What to do After the Protest"

  This Instagram post explains the proper safety steps to take after protesting.
• 2020-12-10

  My Thanksgiving Corona virus Story

  This year's Thanksgiving was different than most years. My family and I usually spend Thanksgiving in Lake Arrowhead and luckily we were still able to go its year. We also still got to spend thanksgiving with my cousins, aunt, uncle and nana like we usually which was fun. One of the things we love to in Lake Arrowhead is shop in the village but this year some of the stores in the village were going out of business because of the coronavirus. In the other shops that were still open we had to wear masks and there were lines outside of some of them. Another thing that was different was that a lot of our favorite restaurants were closed for seating and instead we had to pick up the food. Our family still had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and we ate turkey and all the normal foods we would usually eat. However, when we went to the local grocery store they were sold out of all of food and the grocery was packed even more than it usually is because people were getting worried about not having another food while were in lockdown.
• 
  2020-12-08

  Being Lowe’s safe by wearing our mask.

  Sometimes social distancing is hard to do at all times. It is especially important to wear a mask when unable to stay 6 feet away from others since covid-19 spreads mainly from people who do not acknowledge the 6 feet requirement and have close contact with one another. While masks offer protection to yourself it also provides protection to those around you. Lowe’s provides its employees with Lowe’s specific make to stay safe. Lowe’s also provides masks to the public who do not have a mask. All one has to do is go to customer service and ask for a mask and we will happily provide one. With this there are some customers that come into the store without a mask and refuse to wear one. We still have to provide great customer service while being safe. In these situations we have to do our best to practice social distancing.
• 
  2020

  Politics during a Pandemic

  I chose this graphic as my second artifact because it references not only the global symbol of COVID-19 – a mask – and its impact on decreasing the spread of the virus, but also the political unrest our country has faced in response to this pandemic. In addition to other social injustices that continue to plague America, the Coronavirus has caused significant debate and division between Americans, notably between political parties. Our current president has time and again proven that controlling the virus is not his priority, constantly placing the blame on others while simultaneously denouncing the legitimacy and severity of COVID. Upon contracting it himself, Donald Trump downplayed COVID by Tweeting an enormously insensitive message saying, “Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life,” as if the hundreds of thousands of deaths on his hands could have been prevented by the power of sheer will and determination. As this graphic suggests, the mishandled pandemic should not be an issue of political preference, but rather about human character and our moral obligation to treat others with respect by avoiding placing others in danger knowingly and without regard.
• 
  2020-11-24

  Pandemic Protesting

  A summer protest against police brutality at which you can see people wearing masks
• 
  2020-03-30

  Sewing Masks for Friends and Family

  There was a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the start of the pandemic. I was anxious for my family and friends, especially for the nurses in my life who didn’t have any face masks. Once my mom and I saw on the news that cloth masks were an acceptable form of PPE, we knew exactly what to do. We busted out our library of fabric that we had collected over the years and dusted off our sewing machines. My grandma taught my mom to sew, and my mom passed the skill down to me. We started off making free masks for my friend’s sister and her fellow nurses. None of our other friends or relatives knew how to sew and when word got out that we were making masks, the orders started pouring in. My mom, brother, and I relied heavily on our crafting skills in order to fill custom orders. During the first month of the mask making craze, it was difficult to buy fabric that our friends were requesting. Solid black, Spurs, Cowboys, and dark colored fabrics as well as elastic were hard to find. Furthermore, Joann’s had limited hours and their best fabrics were sold out online and in-stores. My brother printed custom images on heat transfer vinyl that I would then press onto the fabric, and I bought bedsheets and dyed fabric to create colors that we didn’t have in stock. My mom and I already had a bad habit of buying fabric for no reason, and now that we have an actual purpose our collection has grown even more. I look for fabric that suits the personality of my friends and try to find prints that are cute and festive for each season. My friends and family will own wear masks that my mom and I have made. I think they take comfort in knowing each mask was made especially for them. As for my mom and I, we are relieved in knowing that our loved ones are protected with masks that fit their personalities.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Together we can protect St. Mary's University

  Together we can protect St. Mary's University! Signs like these are in place to remind students at St. Mary's University to remember the new COVID19 safety guidelines put in place to protect the university and the St. Mary's Community. The signs remind students to wear their masks, keep their social distance (about six feet), to wash their hands, to use hand sanitizing stations placed around campus for their health and safety, and to mind the direction they walk in public areas like dorm hallways or large public spaces.
• 
  2020-10-02

  Socially Distanced Formal Event

  HIST30060 This is a photograph of myself and three other final year Undergraduate students at Ormond College, The University of Melbourne, taking a socially distanced group photo before "Club Dinner." During non-COVID times, this is normally a major event for students and is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Given COVID restrictions, the dinner was not able to run as normal, but students still took the opportunity to dress up in formal clothing and share socially distanced dinner and drinks. Personally, this photo is one of my favourite to come from this year featuring my friends and I, because it shows an adaptation to abnormal times. It is, I suppose, an attempt to find normalcy.
• 
  2020-11-09

  Getting a COVID-Safe Haircut

  With COVID-19, even things as simple as getting a haircut were never the same. The photo above shows what that looked like. In Bahrain, where I live, hairdressers were closed down in March and were only reopened months later. When they finally did, patrons and customers had to abide by certain restrictions. There was only a fixed number of customers allowed in. Body temperatures had to be taken. Contact details had to be provided for the purposes of contact tracing in case anyone was exposed to the virus. Masks and face shields were mandatory for the persons giving the haircuts. Moreover, many people seem to not want to handle cash, and as a result, cashless payments are more popular than ever. This reflection was submitted as part of the HIST30060 Making History project at the University of Melbourne. HIST30060.
• 
  2020-07-22

  Not Wanting to Wear a Mask During a Pandemic

  HIST30060: Making History From 22nd July 2020, it became compulsory in Victoria for everyone to wear a properly-fitted face mask when out in public. This was indeed commonsense for a lot of people, many in the streets already starting to wear face coverings before the official ruling came into place. But just because it’s commonsense does not mean it is at all easy or comfortable or that it will not be the cause of what is now known as ‘mascne’. At first, the adrenaline rush of it all meant that wearing a mask felt kind of cool, and made everyone look like a spy, or at least made you feel like one. And it was quite entertaining to see people taking it all the way with their creative face coverings. But after a while, it was kind of annoying to put on a mask to take out your rubbish, made afternoon walks a bit more sweaty on the face (and noisy with the sound of your own muffled breath from being puffed, also caused by the reduction in exercise during quarantine). But with all the minor inconveniences of wearing a mask during a pandemic, you are mostly thankful it’s compulsory in your city, especially when someone on the bus coughs.
• 
  2020-11-09

  Covid-19 and Religious Observance

  Religious observance was one of the many aspects of daily life affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In my home country of Bahrain, congregational prayers were prohibited in mid-March, in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. The Friday prayers were restricted to only a single mosque, Bahrain’s largest. Under normal circumstances, Muslim congregants would stand shoulder to shoulder in prayer. This was no longer the case as seen in the photo, social distancing and mask wearing was enforced. The Islamic call prayer (the Azan) was altered, the normal line summoning the faithful to prayer “come to prayer, come to good deeds” was instead replaced with the line “pray in your homes” (as seen in the attached video, which I recorded in Bahrain on). It was surreal hearing this for the time. The Covid-19 pandemic was the first event, at least in my lifetime, where this was done. Historically, this had precedents in times of plague. Moreover, the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage, which draws millions to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia every year, was this year limited to a symbolic 1,000 pilgrims. Having attended the Haj myself a decade earlier and been in the midst of the human masses that descend on Mecca, it was very strange to observe the images of the few socially distanced pilgrims which undertook the Hajj in late July 2020.
• 
  2020-05-30

  Having a Graduation during a Pandemic

  COVID-19 impacted my senior year from the beginning and certainly still today. In my final year before college, students are given multiple opportunities that because of COVID, I was not able to do. To name some, my March of the Living trip got cancelled, my spring break trip with my friends got cancelled, the rest of my senior year got cancelled and put on Zoom, my graduation was very untraditional, etc. I attended Miami Country Day School for the last 12 years and I was so excited to get to walk and get my diploma in my own graduation. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, things were extremely different. At first, my school had decided to postpone graduation until December or COVID was not a huge impact to everyone's life. However, everyone fought and it resulted to an untraditional graduation. My school hosted for us a "drive-in" ceremony on the Barry University's campus. The ceremony was outside, everyone was social distanced, and the cars with family were lined up around the ceremony stage allowing my class to celebrate as a community. All families would honk for their friends and families. I say this ceremony was untraditional because everyone was able to decorate their cars with everything associated with their new school for the next 4+ years. I was extremely upset when I found out my graduation was going to be this way but it was by far one of the most special moments in my life. Even though I did not get the same graduation as everyone in the past years, I know that my high school did everything they could to make that moment extremely special because they know all the opportunities that we lost due to COVID-19.
• 
  2020-06

  BLM Protest During the Pandemic

  A friend, who is to remain anonymous but offered a photo, lives in Washington D.C. and attended a BLM protest there. I asked her to share her experiences. “it probably didn’t move the needle anywhere, but I’m glad I went. The energy and atmosphere were... it’s hard for me to describe. After the sun went down it felt like a street fair, a party. During the day it was passion. The whole time there was a strong feel of togetherness”
• 
  2020-11

  Chef Serigne Mbaye Collaboration with New Orleans restaurant Turkey and the Wolf

  Sergine Mbaye a popup chef who owns Darak in New Orleans, collaborated with a famous restaurant, Turkey and the Wolf. He was able to share his knowledge of Senegalese cooking and history.
• 
  2020-10

  Vacation and Covid

  Here is a picture of my husband on a short trip to North Carolina. It was the first time that we had gone anywhere outside of our town in 7 months due to quarantine. We wore our masks at all times except when we were by ourselves. Here he is enjoying the small river we stayed near.
• 
  2020-10-31

  Dorm list upgrade: Masks are the new essential item to bring to college

  My dorm list for my first year of St. Mary’s consisted of the usual: bed sheets, towels, and-masks? The new normal of college is needing as many masks as you can get. The picture attached are 50 masks I had to buy, and I couldn’t even buy them at a store since they were sold out. Masks becoming the new college essential is a complete change and was unheard of a year ago. What's more interesting is masks becoming a new way to express yourself. While some students like myself choose disposable masks we have others who are showing off their school pride with their St. Mary's masks as well as masks that showcase their interests and hobbies.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Black Lives Matter and Covid-19

  The protests have a lot going on without the added stress of the pandemic. In many photographs of the protests, even the riots, there is a lot of masks. Some groups appear to social distance, but others like in this picture do not. People are trying their best to support the cause and be careful at the same time.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Its Everywhere!

  The effects of the pandemic can be seen in the most unexpected places!
• 
  2020-10-07

  Young Doctor Dies of Covid

  This doctor worked in the emergency department at a hospital and refused PPE repeatedly because there was such a shortage of it. The article addresses the fact that so many medical professionals have died because of inadequate PPE.
• 
  2020-10-29

  Keys, Wallet, Mask

  The image I chose to share was of the basket of masks in my room. Never in my life could I have predicted that this would be something I have, never mind how much of a staple it would become in my everyday life. I think what I titles thing story holds a certain importance as well. Keys, Wallet, Mask, really emphasizes how much masks have come to be a part of my daily routine. Going from living at home to moving into my new apartment in North End during the middle of the pandemic in July, just minutes from Downtown Boston, I went from only wearing a masks when going to get groceries indoors to wearing a mask every time I walk out my front door, even just walking down the street. I truly has just become such a natural thing to have a mask on my face and for everyone I walk by to have one on as well. I think the significance of the mask during the pandemic and that it has really been the only constant in my or everyone’s lives throughout this COVID-19 experience. Every day I hear contradicting statements about the pandemic, not knowing what’s true and what’s not. My masks for me symbolize a sense of protection at a very vulnerable time in life. I’m not sure if they help or if they don’t, but I know for sure that wearing a mask has given me some sense of security throughout all this chaos and uncertainty.
• 
  2020-10-23

  Masks: Socially Responsible and Fashionable

  I don’t think I’ve worn jeans, or really anything other than leggings and t-shirts since I started social distancing. I’m pretty sure my makeup drawer hasn’t even been opened since March. I wear a mask when I go grocery shopping, so why even bother? A friend of mine shares Facebook and Instagram posts nearly everyday of herself wearing makeup and a mask that matches her outfit. As you can see from the photo she allowed me to screenshot, she adapted her need for social responsibility to fit with her own personal style. I think it’s time to feel like myself again; maybe get matching Sword Art Online masks for my daughter and I.
• 
  2020-07-30

  Some form of Selfish

  Those that refuse to wear masks could be seen as selfish. I know there are many who can not wear them for medical reasons but most of the non-mask wearers do not fall into this category. I work in a coffee shop, we have multiple signs stating that a mask is required inside. Late one evening, right before close, a woman came in without a mask. She did not have one and refused the one I offered to her. Another employee who did not know this happened because she was in the backroom asked her about a mask. The woman leaned over the counter and was screaming about rights and the government and threw Peter Parker the spider plant at us, one of the many plants we keep along the bar.
• 
  2020-03-21

  Policing the Plague

  This is a photograph of myself that I took just prior to the service of a search warrant on March 21st 2020 in Salinas, California. The state of California was the first to issue a statewide lock down order due to COVID-19 and had done so just the day before on March 20th. Officers in my department were required to don our gas masks for the service of search warrants and other specific activities at this time due to concerns of contacting the virus. These specific gas masks are issued to be used in environments in which CS or CN gas is introduced. They are also designed to be effective in nuclear fallout and are subsequently extreme overkill in regards to protection against COVID-19 and additionally utterly unpractical for officers whom work 40 plus hours a week. The requirement to wear these masks was very short lived as we soon downgraded to surgical masks and cloth masks. Nonetheless, this exemplifies the fear that has surrounded COVID-19, especially in the early days of the pandemic, and the often drastic reactions we as a society have had in response.
• 
  2020-10-13

  Muted Sense of Smell

  COVID-19 re-created a living paradigm I had experienced living in Japan for many years of wearing a mask in public, usually on public transportation or during flu season. Although I did not wear it all the time, when I did wear it my sense of smell would of course be muted, or I would smell my own breath. It would also bring to my attention what I perceived others would smell when I spoke with them making me more self-conscience of my breath (and increasing gum and mint purchases). Although I found it uncomfortable, I would deal with it for the short periods of time it was necessary. When the COVID-19 government responses in the US required the use of a mask in public, I found myself back in unpleasantly familiar sensation of having to wear a mask, but now one made of cloth, since disposable paper ones were hard to acquire or reserved for health care workers. Of course, said mask has been washed and dried with perfumed detergents further muting the sense of smell. What also made it worse was the fuzzy lint strings that existed on the inside of any mask (cloth or paper) that would tickle the nose and inducing a sneeze, unleashing a round of stares from strangers nearby. Overall, I have grown used to it, but the behavioral shift in wearing, washing, gathering, and staging of a mask that has become a norm, and so has the muted sense of smell. Sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse.
• 2020-10-12

  Waiting for My Next Breath of Fresh Air

  The magnitude of COVID-19 has certainly changed all of our lives forever, and I can absolutely discuss the greater magnitude of the issue. However, in this archive, I will submit a more specific story of how my wife, children and I have been affected and are still affected today. Living in Arizona, there is one thing every Arizonian knows, the summers are hot! After living in Arizona for almost a decade now, my wife and I have grown to appreciate Fall, Winter and Spring because the weather is spectacular, and we enjoy being able to take a walk. In Summer we quickly learned we could enjoy our walks by window shopping in any store or mall as the air conditioning was second to none. This all came to a screeching halt in March 2020 with the declaration of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We heeded all the orders, bypassing our Spring walks to stay indoors for our safety. My wife and children would stay in while I would make very sparse food runs to restock following every precautionary instruction given. I quickly realized what was said to be not important at first, later to be told it was necessary for basic safety measures, I would learn the “Mask” would be my greatest foe. Why? Because it makes it very difficult to breathe. As stores begun to open in early Summer, it was too hot to be outside as temperatures were topping 100 degrees in the valley of the sun. We would at least be able to enjoy our walks in stores after the stay at home orders were lifted. However, at this point mask orders were put into place making it mandatory indoors. Now faced with the choice of it being too hot outside or walking indoors with a mask where breathing is labored, gaining headaches and now lightheadedness while struggling for air. As the mask orders continue and seeing masks of every type, people wearing them incorrectly, people touching them, raising them and removing them. The more and more people I see out and about and no significant rise in deaths or hospitalizations, I wonder what the reason for these masks can be? Right now, the only thing I am waiting for is my next breath of fresh air.
• 
  2020-07-14

  Managing through COVID-19 #REL101

  I cannot upload personal pictures from work, but I have been managing a Starbucks through COVID-19. This is an official Starbucks Partners Instagram post of some of our safety plexi-glass guards on our bars to reduce contact between our partners, and our mandatory mask policy. I have spent anywhere between 40-60 hours a week at work this whole time and so I thought it most appropriate to speak on my experience as an essential worker. In the beginning of the pandemic, we were changing rapidly and frequently, with so many conference calls I could barely keep up. I was incredibly new in my role as Store Manager, so when we shut the cafe's down across the company it made it very hard for me to create relationships with my regulars, but I got to know my baristas very quickly. My team has become very close and work together more like a family than anything else. During the lockdown portion of the pandemic, we were the only people we saw outside of our families for about three months. This whole experience has made me seek out new hobbies and really appreciate my time with my friends (when I can see them) because you never know how long it may be until you see them again. At my location, we are training our new staff in order to try to get our cafe back open soon. It has been so long now that it will be very strange for the newer staff to see people inside our building for the first time.
• 
  2020-06-26

  Still Confused About Masks?

  The main point of this news article is getting across the point that it is very important to wear face masks while in the public. It has many pieces of evidence to support the wearing of masks. It also covers a few great points which is does it matter what mask each individual wears, and also does wearing the mask protect you from covid-19, or the people around you from it? This is the reason why I chose this article. I have been questioning both of these points since covid-19 and mask wearing started. This article reveals just how important it is to wear a mask when you are in the public and around other individuals that are not considered within your “personal bubble”. Many people are struggling with life in the pandemic right now, but also they are not doing their part in slowing the spread by properly masking up in public. The news article is very important because most of the population doesn’t know everything about covid-19 since it is new to all of us. The article provides crucial information on how to stop the spread, and hopefully eliminate the covid-19 virus. In this article, there is no bias standing out to me. This article is a fact based article that provides scientifically proven information about the virus. All of the claims of this article has stated have been run by tests. For example, a test was run about how many respiratory droplets left one’s mouth when saying a simple phrase. Without a mask, there was a range from 20-500 micrometers generated. With a face mask, nearly all of the droplets were trapped by the face mask. The responsibility of the media during the covid-19 pandemic is to keep the population up to date and educated about the virus. The more educated the population is, the slower the virus will spread, because a fraction of the population that is informed will follow protocols and safety tips from the media. From this article, I learned that wearing a face mask is much more powerful than I thought it was. After learning this from the article, I will make sure to wear a face mask when I am around my friends or in the public 100% of the time.
• 
  2020-05-15

  The Quest to Find the Perfect Mask

  The photos show my friend Jacob who tried out a variety of masks to suit his personality. He is very crafty and likes to customize everything he possibly can. Unsatisfied with the poor quality of disposable masks, he made a very unattractive mask out of an old t-shirt. Although he liked the way the mask hugged his ear, the thickness of the fabric made it difficult for him to breathe. Jacob eventually sewed his own mask much to his wife’s chagrin. He was pleased that it provided enough coverage over 60% of his face, and that he figured out a way to make the straps adjustable.
• 2020-09-11

  Altered 9/11 tributes underway as U.S. grapples with coronavirus pandemic

  The anniversary of 9/11 is a complicated occasion in a maelstrom of a year, as the US grapples with a health crisis, searches its soul over racial injustice, and prepares to choose a leader to chart a path forward. While many communities have canceled the 9/11 memorial events, many carried on with modifications. It's important to take a minute and remember the events that happened nineteen years ago. It's a time of reflection and remembrance at a time when nothing seems to be going right, we can be thankful for what we do have; starting with our lives. This year looks far different than previous years; commemoration ceremonies are filled with people wearing masks and standing six feet away from each other, but there is one aspect that has not changed, and that's the message of hope. We are reminded that we are one nation, though the good and bad, regardless of politics, social status, and race. We are Americans, we are strong, and we will persevere.
• 
  2020-08-06

  First day of Kindergarten

  We had been counting down this day for over a year. My oldest daughter could not wait to start kindergarten. The full impact of Covid had not hit me until her first day of school. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I snapped this picture of us (myself, my kindergartener, her little sister, and her dad) walking to the front of the school. There was no walking her to class to meet her teacher, no in class-pictures, no watching her take a seat at her desk. Instead, we walked her over with our masks on, waited while she got her temperature taken, and then watched her be escorted to her classroom since we were not allowed in class. A week after this photo was taken, her school decided it was best to do 100% remote learning. Since she is only five, she cannot understand the severity of Covid and has a hard time understanding why she can't be in class with her friends.
• 
  2020-04-05

  My First Homemade Mask

  Back at the beginning of April, when the CDC had just finally recommended that the general public wear masks when going out, I was eager to follow this guideline to the best of my abilities. Unfortunately, I didn't have any masks nor any good way of purchasing masks. (Online orders of anything were taking very long at that point in time, and masks weren't readily available in most stores not that I could get to one anyway.) So, I decided to try to make myself a mask. I wanted to make a really good mask. I did lots of research to find out what the best mask materials were for blocking the virus and everything. I searched my home, looking through my clothing, my towels, my reusable bags, trying to find the "right" material. I wasn't satisfied by anything I found. Given that, I decided that my best option was a relatively thick hand towel. I found a template online and proceeded to spend a couple hours hand sewing the mask that you see on my face in the picture. (I have very little experience hand sewing, so I didn't do a very neat job at all.) The final product was this huge mask that covered the entire lower half of my face. I mean, it worked, but it looked pretty hilarious. I did wear this mask out a number of times. It was basically my only option until I was able to order some better masks off the internet. I'm glad I don't have to wear that ridiculous homemade mask anymore, but I'm actually pretty impressed that I managed to make one at all.
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  2020-08-30

  Deaf students at an Arizona school will go virtual, but not without obstacles

  By Katelyn Keenehan/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship
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  2020-06-09

  Oakland Artists Create Murals in Solidarity with Blacks Live Matter

  Oakland residents find community and hope as they create street art across the city in the days following the death of George Floyd. Local artists and community members created murals on boarded up storefronts to express their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Store fronts were boarded up as a result of shelter-in-place orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a protective measure during the protests that flooding Oakland's streets following George Floyd's murder.
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  2020-07-29

  Paint The Void: Health Care Workers & Art

  Health Care workers partnered with the Paint the Void project to bring community, life, hope, art and culture to the San Francisco Bay Area. The goal of this partnership was to create a project to say "thank you for sheltering in place" and "thank you for supporting us" to the community on behalf of San Francisco's essential workers. Paint the Void has created over 91 murals across San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. This specific mural tells the story of how interconnected people are and how an act of kindness has the ability to improve life conditions for the entire community. The title of the mural is "How we care shapes who we are." The spirit of community is represented through this specific mural and the Paint the Void initiative.
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  2020-08-27

  Last day of swim class in Scottsdale

  Maya's last day of swim class at the Cactus Aquatic center. I can't imagine what it's like to wear a face mask and swim, especially once that mask gets wet. All the lifeguards and instructors wear masks. It's sometimes 117 degrees when we're sitting on the pool deck and sometimes I feel like I can't breathe in the heat. I wish I could get in the pool, but instead the parents are sidelined. Fortunately, if you're actually in the pool you don't have to wear a face mask. The last class basically involved all the kids jumping off the diving board for half an hour. Were they social distanced? No, but I think we're all leveraging some sort of invisible balance where we try to be careful, but try to keep some activities/normalcy going in our kids' lives. Our next class starts in two weeks and I hope it's cooler. Maya graduated from the guppies class to sea turtles.