Items

• 2021-02

  Touring COVID Texas

  When reflecting back to my traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic I think of constantly waiting. I was overseas when the pandemic started and was not worried at all about travel restrictions. I was not even concern about what might happen to me. All of a sudden traveling stop in the middle of March and I was supposed to leave in April. I felt the full effect of the restrictions of where I lived and I made sure I followed every restriction because I wanted to come home. Forward to three months later I was able to come home after travel was open back up but I immediately noticed a difference. We could not leave the plane during refueling. I quarantine before I left and again once I arrived. The world I left had change entirely. Mask were worn by almost everyone and lines were longer because of spacing. Sometimes there would not even be a line because stores and shops were closed down. Once I finally made it home my day to day routines became less adventurous. I used delivery apps on my phone to order the majority of what I needed. This was continuous until the end of 2020 leading into 2021. Restrictions to COVID were becoming social norms and less enforced, specifically where I lived, Mississippi. The first trip I took once restrictions of travel were lifted was to San Antonio. Touring in in Texas was thriving when I initially got there. However the very next week Texas had frozen over. We did not have electricity or water for almost a week. Texas was in a state of emergency. Traveling on the road was highly advised against. Getting resources to feed myself was difficult. I waited in line for two hours to gather groceries for myself because the line stretch around the store. Once I was able to leave Texas and return home I did. My time traveling to Texas set a precedent for me. I now travel with extra food and water no matter where I go.
• 
  2020-07-21

  I think I want to start a garden with you

  I decided to start a garden during the pandemic with my girlfriend at the time (now wife). It was my senior year of college and life changed drastically in the spring when the pandemic hit. My wife and I had somewhat recently started dating at this point and suddenly we had to go on lockdown together to avoid any potential spread to her family since we both were required to go in person for our jobs. We went from dating to living together in an instant and it made us grow even closer. Together we tried to find quarantine hobbies to bide our time originally thinking that quarantine would only last a few months. I remember one day suggesting we start a garden in the backyard. My yard in Lubbock got so much sun it was just perfect for a garden. We slowly built a garden adding various plants from cactus and aloe vera to hot peppers, bean sprouts, and sunflowers. I loved going out there and caring for all the plants with my wife it was a real bonding experience. It was beautiful watching the whole process of our plants transform from little seeds to baby sprouts. I remember the way the new sprouts smelled crisp as they became verdant green and leafy. When we would water them on a particularly hot day it had a scent that reminded me of rainy summer days in Dallas when it got humid. I enjoyed getting to start this hobby that I most likely wouldn't have picked up at the time if I kept to my usual college routine. It was also a good distraction for both of us from the worries and anxieties of the pandemic.
• 
  2022-05-26

  From COVID-19 to shootings: Is mass death now tolerated in America?

  This is a news story from The Associated Press. Just recently, there have been over one million COVID deaths recorded in the United States. The author of this piece asks if Americans have just begun to tolerate mass death. Racial and social inequalities are also cited, where the author claims that those of certain backgrounds are more likely to die sooner or more violently. The COVID deaths are then related to the recent shooting deaths, such as in Buffalo and in Texas. While the gun violence deaths are lower than the COVID deaths, the author uses this to show that little is being done for either to help lessen the amount of deaths. I don't agree with the author completely on this due to dying from COVID being very different from dying from a mass shooter. With COVID, people could pass it along unknowingly and get someone infected, as it is an asymptomatic spread. With a mass shooter, it is much less predictable and far more sudden. From what I have seen on my social media, I did not see anyone I follow really mark the 1,000,000 COVID death milestone, but many have expressed outrage over both the Buffalo and Texas shootings. I don't think the question should be whether Americans accept mass death or not, but of methods of prevention. Obviously, gun ownership won't solve all problems. The police that had guns were waiting outside the school as the shooter was slaughtering kids and adults. Though, one man with a gun, a border patrol agent, is who finally shot the mass shooter and killed him. This is more of a question of character, as well as how competent police forces are in these scenarios. I do not think the author made a fair comparison because protecting yourself from COVID to prevent death would be an entirely different process than protecting yourself from a mass shooter. While the goal of preserving life is the same, the methods differ. Outrage isn't an issue because I have seen people upset over death from COVID and mass shootings. The main problem I see is that people have trouble coming together on a solution.
• 
  2022-04-15

  The Years of Covid 2020-2022

  How covid affected my transition from high school to college
• 
  2022-03-10

  Politics wrecked America’s response to COVID. Don’t let it put transgender kids in danger, too

  This is a news story from The San Francisco Chronicle, written by Stephen M. Rosenthal and Diane Ehrensaft. This is an opinion piece comparing the government response to COVID and the politics surrounding it to ruining the response. The authors warn that following politics over science is dangerous. It later goes on to talk about the anti-trans legislation being passed through different states, such as: Idaho, Texas, and Florida. The authors believe that science proves that trans kids have no real threat from puberty blockers. A study is also quoted, where it says that gender affirming care for trans youth is linked to lower instances of depression. The point of this article is not so much about COVID itself, but fear of what was done during the peak of COVID being repeated on other types of legislation, and in this case, using politics over science with trans kids.
• 
  2022-03-30

  After two-year hiatus, LGBTQ events return to Fiesta San Antonio

  This is a news story from the San Antonio Current by Sam Sanchez. This story is about LGBTQ events returning to San Antonio after a two year break due to COVID. For the past two years, many of these events have been canceled. This article shares events happening in San Antonio and what non-profits they benefit. Some of these non-profits include: the San Antonio AIDS Foundation, The Thrive Youth Center, Pride San Antonio and BEAT AIDS. Events include: themed parties, chili cook-offs, party shuttles, and fiestas. Certain events include fees for attending and certain COVID precautions, such as masks, to attend.
• 
  2021-06-20

  My Story of How COVID-19 Changed My Life

  When the pandemic first hit, I was one of those people who believed it was just like the flu and that it wasn't going to be as bad as people said it was going to be. Over time I came to realize that this was no ordinary illness and that the world had changed drastically. Streets were empty, school was online, and it had felt like a zombie apocalypse had gripped the world. One thing the pandemic taught me was to appreciate the time you have because you never know when it may come to an end. Spending time with friends and family helped me realize the joys they bring to my life and how important they really are to me.
• 
  2021-10-04

  Neglect of Prisoners

  One of the examples of bigger issues coming to light during the pandemic. Not only were people in prisons fighting covid, but they're also continually dealing with a lack of resources such as basic air conditioning/ heat.
• 
  2020-10-29

  COVID Testing in Schools

  This article informs of the Texas Education Agency's decision to provide covid testing kits to school districts throughout the state. The testing kits were purchased from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and were to be distributed by size of district and rate of infection. From there, the school districts could decide how to make these available to students and staff.
• 
  2021-09-21

  COVID cases 2021-2022 School Year

  This article shows the amount of COVID cases at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year compared to the number of cases from the 2020-2021 school year in Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott ended the mask mandate in March 2021, although many school continued their use until the end of the 2020-2021 school year. A May 2021 executive order issued by Abbott banned local governments from requiring mask wearing. Thus, many Texas schools did not require masks to be worn on campuses. The article provides data that there are more COVID 19 cases in the first two months of the 2021-2022 school year than there were the entire previous school year.
• 
  2021-08-20

  School District Facebook Post

  This is a Facebook post from Cypress-Fairbanks ISD prior to the start of the 2021-2022 academic year. Cypress Fairbanks ISD (CFISD) is the 3rd largest public school district in the state of Texas and faced a lot of scrutiny for not enforcing a mask mandate. Their reasoning was due in part to Governor Greg Abbott ending the mask mandate in the state of Texas. CFISD released many of these "Fact Checking" posts to assure parents and the community that COVID safety was still a top priority.
• 
  2020-05-22

  Lining up to Shop

  This image shows a line outside of a Walmart in Katy, Texas. During the spring and summer of 2020, I would make it part of my routine to visit the grocery store at 7:00am every Friday morning. People would line up outside of the doors waiting for them to open. It was too early for anyone to talk. I'm sure people rather not talk to one another because we were to remain 6 feet apart-- with duct tape lines suggested on the sidewalk. Plus, standing in the southeast Texas humidity made us all melt under the masks. Once the doors opened, people would grab a cart and rush in. From there, it would be a race to the back of the store where the water, toilet paper, milk, and paper towels were stored. However, my prize was disinfectant wipes. The cleaning aisle was my first stop every Friday morning. Very rarely would I get lucky and any Clorox or Lysol wipes would be on the shelves. Today, I have about a dozen containers on a shelf in my garage... and I continue to buy more.
• 
  2021-08-06

  Covid Gardening Story and Okra Recipe

  I chose to focus on my garden and our chickens that we began right before the pandemic hit. I never realized how lucky I was to live in a rural environment until Spring 2020, when living in the country meant having a bit more freedom than in the city. Our garden and chickens provided us with foods that sometimes were out of stock in our small, local store. However, we also faced other things in our community that made the psychological aspects of the pandemic really hard, such as living with those who deny the reality of the disease and mitigation efforts that people like my husband promoted, as an ER physician. I suppose this story is a bit of a love letter to our little property out in the country, despite the differences in values that we have with our town.
• 
  2021-06-19

  Pet Adoption Comic NPR

  This comic is fun, engaging, and informative. It talks about the increase in pet adoption during the pandemic and how pets helped a lot of people deal with emotional trauma. It cautions would-be pet owners not to jump blindly into adopting and to think about what will happen when life returns to normal. Separation anxiety can be difficult for pets to deal with, and owners need to have a plan for that.
• 
  2021-04-18

  The Beginning of the End!? Corona Culture Spring 2021

  These items are a sampling of documents and links to news articles and public event dates that chronicle the reopening of some parts of the United States in spring 2021. One year after the start of the pandemic (the anniversary itself celebrated in various media), Texas and other parts of the U.S. were trying to return their businesses and services to more normal conditions. A community college's plan for reopening its main campus, a news article about a baseball park increasing its capacity (and having a sold out game), a listing of 2021 tour dates for popular musicians, and a town's decision to end its mask mandate all tell the story of people wanting to return to normal living. However, both government leaders and ordinary people could disagree about whether it was good to relax COVID restrictions as the announcement by a local mayor and the decision of a local school board suggests. These items reflect the challenges of returning to Pre-COVID lifestyles because not everyone was united in the belief that it was safe to live normal lives. This illustrates the interesting conflict between holding on to what makes people be or feels safe and those who believe such restrictions are unnecessary now.
• 
  2021-04-09

  San Antonio Service Workers Receive Vaccines

  Heard, a local organization in San Antonio, Texas, set up a COVID-19 vaccine clinic specifically for service industry workers. This is absolutely essential, as Texas has opened restaurants to full capacity, putting servers at an extreme risk of exposure. While spaces for the April 15th clinic were limited, by only allowing service industry employees to reserve a vaccine, they allowed individuals to protect themselves sooner by getting vaccinated.
• 
  2021-04-17

  Corona Culture Products #2 UV Light Sanitizing Box

  This is a photograph of a UV light box for sanitizing items that may have been infected with COVID. This professional and stylish looking box was a long time coming. In late spring 2020, as summer was approaching, the CDC and leading doctors announced that the UV rays in sunlight killed the Coronavirus on surfaces within minutes. This led people to hang their masks in their car windows, and leave things outside to sanitize them. It was also believed to be safer to be outside on a sunny summer day because the sunlight would kill the COVID virus in the air and on objects. This primitive method is not available all the time and cannot be taken inside though, so companies created various products that produced UV light that were portable and could be used inside. While a late bloomer to the UV trend, this is a perfect example of the use of UV light against COVID. As you can see from the descriptive packaging, any small items, especially phones, can be put into the box, and after 10 minutes will be sanitized. Great care was taken to point out its effectiveness as seen in the "kills 99.9% of germs" and "laboratory proven technology" statements on the front of the package. Of course, it's not just useful but is discreet and stylish as it looks like a purse or a make-up bag. This item is important because it shows the lengths people went to try and keep their things clean. It also shows the power of fads during Corona. Everyone jumped at the chance to try UV light when it was first announced, yet it decreased in importance for most people after summer 2020. Like all the Corona Culture products, it reveals the depth to which Corona became imbedded into the U.S.'s consciousness.
• 
  2021-01-16

  Pandemic Street Art: The Black Lives Matter Movement and the Black Public Art Tradition (in three parts)

  Author James Glenn writes, "From the New Negro Movement to the Black Power and Black Arts Movement to the Black Lives Matter Movement of today, public art created by black artists has served as communal visions of history, heritage, and hope. While it is important to highlight the work of contemporary black artists using their talents to push forward the antiracist demands of the Black Lives Matter Movement. it is imperative to understand that the current work of black artists is a continuation of the traditions black muralists initiated during the early to mid-twentieth century." This blog post explores the Black Public Art Tradition in three parts and includes an overview of Black Public Art during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-21

  Corona Culture Products

  These pictures are a collection of Corona themed products from summer 2020 to January 2021. As you can see, there was a great variety of products and some of the most unusual appeared starting 2021. Of particular note is the coffee mug and a small wall plaque. Even the infant phrases "Social distancing" and "Healthcare worker" had crept into daily items in real stores. By fall, masks were being advertised in stores on long plastic hangers and had become just as common on random aisles as dish gloves, scrubber pads, and dryer balls. By January 2021, companies had begun to get creative with masks and shields. The final picture shows a set of children's face shields encased with the features of animal heads. This was likely to appeal to children who like to pretend to be animals. One company also began to make masks in small, medium, large, and extra large, to accommodate the variety of face shapes among the public (not pictured). The most important thing about all these products is that they show how deeply embedded Corona had become in United States culture despite the fact that it was not even a year since the virus appeared in the U.S. This indicates that companies were actively involved in both creating and maintaining a COVID consumer culture that tied what people experienced to what they could buy. Although more difficult to determine, it also shows a demand for such items both out of necessity (masks) and for leisure or fun (mug, animal shields). These items also reveal that COVID-19 was a highly unique event in that it was so marketable. No other event in the 21st century generated as much cultural/societal presence as Corona. These products should be further studied to see what better understanding about Corona can be gained from them.
• 
  2020-05-28

  One Way Only Signs in Texas Stores

  These are pictures of one-way-only signs posted in a Texas Walmart on May 28th and June 11 2020. Many stores such as HEB, Target, and Sam's Club also had similar signs in there stores. The purpose of these signs was to encourage the public to walk in only one direction on each aisle of the store. Stores created an elaborate zig zag pattern using this method. At the time, it was thought that the risk of contracting COVID could be minimized by keeping people from congregating in the same space such as going in and out of the same aisle entrance. Some peopled followed the signs, but it was not a state law so others did not. These photos are important because they show the great extent stores took to try and minimize the spread of COVID. Stores were very concerned about projecting the image of a safe shopping experience in their stores. However, they also hint at the legalistic bent many COVID precautions were beginning to take on. Another implied effect of this arrangement was that by encouraging all people to go in the same direction, stores increased the risk that their customers might catch COVID-19 as everyone was to follow the exact path the person in front of them had. This was the type of situation these signs were supposed to prevent.
• 
  2021-04-03

  Presley McBride Oral History, 2021/04/03

  This is an interview with Presley McBride about how Corona Culture has affected her personal life and United States Society. Presley first describes any pandemic-related purchases or activities she has participated in and also highlights how her favorite Youtube personalities have incorporated COVID crafts into their shows. She also includes reflections on the impact of plexiglass shields and sanitization on human interaction and socialization. Presley also touches upon the political divide caused by a sense of shame that people in society feel when they are pressured to get vaccinated or wear a mask. Presley includes a description of how businesses have been using more packaging to protect their products since the start of the pandemic. Finally, Presley shares her insights on the negative effects of the stay-at-home mentality on U.S. mental health and culture. Contributed by Kayla Phillips, URE, for Arizona State University for the #CoronaCulture, #HST494, #ASU, #Texas #OralHistories collections.
• 
  03/31/2021

  Anonymous Oral History, 2021/03/31

  This is an interview with an anonymous narrator about how Corona Culture has affected the narrator's personal life and United States Society. The narrator first describes any pandemic-related purchases or activities he/she has participated in and also highlights how his/her favorite Youtube personality has dealt with COVID on her show. The narrator also shares his/her perspective about COVID themed items that have appeared in U.S. consumer culture over the past few months and includes his/her assessment of Dr. Fauci and his work. The narrator includes a reflection on the impact of plexiglass shields and sanitization on human interaction and socialization. The narrator also emphasizes the potentially harmful effects of strong chemicals used to produce the various kinds of sanitizers used to disinfect surfaces in public. The narrator touches upon the sense of shame that people in society feel when they are pressured to get vaccinated or wear a mask and elaborates on how Corona vocabulary has affected U.S. social mores. Finally, the narrator shares his/her opinion about the effects of the stay-at-home mentality on U.S. culture. Contributed by Kayla Phillips, URE, for Arizona State University for the #CoronaCulture, #HST494, #ASU, #Texas #OralHistories collections.
• 
  2021-01-28

  Helpful, Novelty Add-ons for Corona Accessories

  Here are 5 pictures of various accessories for masks and hand sanitizer that began to appear in the last months of 2020 and early 2021 and have continued to the present (April 2021). Among them are mask "straps" and "chains" much like glasses strings for eyeglasses to keep a person's mask from accidentally falling off their face. Another picture shows a "posh" faux leather mask wristlet with a matching pouch for hand sanitizer. For those going on a airplane, a complete Corona safety travel kit including masks, antiseptic wipes, a headrest cover, and disposable gloves is produced by the company IFLY Smart. Finally, the emphasis on preventing potentially COVID-19 infected droplets from getting on someone's face lead to an entire pantheon of plastic shields attached to the wearer with bands or even hats of which this final picture is only one of many examples. These pictures show how businesses were quick to capitalize on the new problems, needs, and wants of a society having to accommodate Corona Accessories. It also shows how rapidly COVID was commercialized which is unusual for a significant event in the 21st century. Arguably, no single event in the 21st, and perhaps only World War II in the 20th, ever so thoroughly entered the public consumer culture like Corona. The prevalence of these products may also hint at the demand for them.
• 
  2021-04-05

  The Holderness Family's Corona Culture Parodies

  The following music videos cover different aspects of the 2020 COVID-19 experience through a family's hilarious parodies of popular songs. In "Wash or Dang Hands" (March 2020), "End of the Roll" (April 8 2020), and "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" (May 4 2020) the Holderness family uses humor to lift the spirits of people affected by increased sanitization, toilet paper shortages, and a longing for the pandemic to end. The videos take the everyday pandemic experiences of millions of people to produce funny lyrics that resonate with listeners because of their light-heartiness, and truthfulness. While all fun and games, these songs also help people to begin to crystalize their thoughts about Corona Culture and develop a better understanding of their experiences and the experiences of the world they live in. "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" in particular serves as both a much shared expression of hope and a sort of prophecy for the future. It expresses the fatigue the world is experiencing due to the demands of COVID-19 and also expresses wishful hope (and doubt) that 2021 will see the end of the pandemic. These songs merit more study because of their immense cultural value during the Corona era.
• 
  2021-01-16

  Texas family without sense of smell escapes house fire

  WACO, Texas -- A Texas family suffering the effects of COVID-19 is safe after their home caught fire, and they weren't able to smell the smoke. Fortunately, a fourth family member, a 17-year-old girl, was able to alert her three relatives and get them to safety. The one-story home caught fire in Waco Friday morning with four people inside. Three people at the home where Bianca Rivera lives lost their sense of smell due to the virus and were oblivious to the danger that was consuming the structure. The teen told KWTX-TV she smelled something burning around 2 a.m. "I started smelling burnt plastic, and that's when I got more alert and ran outside of my room," Rivera told the station. "I couldn't even pass the hallway because it was filled with so much smoke." "I would just do whatever anyone else would do for their own family," Rivera told KWTX. "I just wanted to get everyone else safe and alive that's all I wanted that's all I wanted was to keep everyone alive. I don't really count myself a hero." The family members escaped with their lives, but weren't able to save much else. The Red Cross and other relatives are helping the family as they recover from COVID-19 and a destroyed home.
• 
  2020-10-07

  Second Grade Class Reacts to Teacher Being Kicked Out of Class

  When a 2nd grade teacher at Parkland Elementary in Texas lost internet and left of her virtual classroom, her students realized the conversation was being recorded and won’t stop talking about toast.
• 
  2021-03-10

  At Home COVID Easter Egg Hunt Supplies from the City of Pflugerville Texas

  This photograph shows an advertisement from the City of Pflugerville in the State of Texas. It announces that in lieu of its annual Easter Egg Hunt, the City of Pflugerville is offering families $5 at home egg hunt kits containing 20 eggs prefilled with "candy and toys" for children. Although this advertisement is for the 2021 Easter season, one year after COVID became a problem in the United States, many cities, towns, business, individuals, and other groups still wished to avoid in-person gatherings because they believed doing so would prevent additional hospitalizations and deaths (despite precautions such as masks, social distancing, and increased vaccinations). The advertisement communicates the sense of "cautious caution", in other words hesitation and apprehension, that many people still have about large gatherings, yet it also shows the strong desire to continue age-old traditions. This is also an excellent example of modifying public activities and events for at home enjoyment and performance. This became a mainstay during the spring and summer 2020 lockdowns and continued, for the most part, throughout spring 2021.
• 
  2021-03-02

  A Song in Honor of the End of the Texas Mask Mandate

  These lyrics were composed by an anonymous individual to celebrate Governor Gregg Abbott's March 2 2021 announcement that he was ending the Texas state-wide mask mandate on March 10th. The person who created this song composed it in a state of happy exhilaration and surprise. The song communicates a couple of things about people who do not like wearing masks everywhere they go when they are outside their homes. First, it captures a deep sense of longing to return to prior days when people did not wear masks and the comforting sense of normalcy that experience will bring again to the individual. Secondly, the last two verses express vigilant expectation and a sense of celebration for a day that the person was not sure would ever come again. The song as a whole is meant to be a positive statement of hope and a celebratory goodbye to a long-distained, yet new, custom.
• 
  2021-03-22

  Some Mexicans Find They Can Get COVID-19 Vaccines In The U.S.

  In Mexico, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is difficult. This has led to some Mexicans going to the United States COVID-19 vaccine. However, those that do this usually have money and/or connections. In some cases, the areas these people go to for vaccines are struggling to receive vaccines, such as the counties near the Texas-Mexico border.
• 
  2020-09-24

  Corona Clothing #3: "We're All in This Together"

  This is yet another example of Corona themed clothing from a Ross in Round Rock TX. This shirt boasts the popular phrase "We're all in this together" which was a widespread "rallying cry" so to speak for people to unite in weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. The shirt shows smiley faces surrounding the phrase. The shirt is intended to comfort people by letting them know their are not alone while they experience the changes COVID has caused in around the world. The phrase also serves to motivate people to be strong and focus on willingly bearing the changes that need to be borne to defeat the virus.
• 
  2020-09-18

  Corona Clothing #1: "Staying in is the new Going Out"

  I took this picture in a Ross store in Round Rock TX last summer. It reads "Staying in is the new Going Out". This is the first instance I had ever seen of a clothing item referencing COVID-19. The shirt implies that with all the stay at home orders, lockdowns, and closures taking leisure time at home is the new way to have fun and enjoy yourself. Noticed that it is also lounge wear. I did not realize it at the time, but many items of Corona themed clothing are casual or lounge wear likely both as a funny gesture and to suit the natural desire to wear comfortable clothing when confined at home for extended periods.
• 
  2021-03-18

  Moving During a Plague Year

  2020 began as an optimistic year. In January, I decided to apply to the Public History MA program at the University of Colorado, Denver. We were living in Amarillo, Texas, and dreaming of a home that allowed us to thrive in our chosen fields, something that was unlikely in our hometown. So in early March of 2020, we decided to make the out-of-state move to Denver, Colorado. I had not yet been accepted to a grad program, and my husband did not have a job in our new city. "We'll figure it out." That's typically how it goes for two easy-going free spirits: set the destination and let the journey figure itself out. We looked forward to our April 4th move date as the reality of the Pandemic slowly set in. I was thankful for my workplace shutting down because it gave me plenty of time to pack up the house with a blissful ignorance for the year to come. I packed, taped, and organized dozens of cardboard boxes while dreaming about my sunny balcony in Denver. I planned going away parties and meticulously arranged coffee meet-ups with my closest friends. Against my best efforts, the in-person experiences faded away as the isolation began to set in. "No worries," I thought, "this will only last a couple of weeks." Oh, how wrong I was. I'm typing this story on March 18, 2021, for an assignment that was given online after a lecture that was presented online. A year later and my life continues virtually. We moved with hope for our future. We weren't hoping that the future involved facing our deepest emotional issues or learning how to love each other in complete isolation. It certainly did not contain a life of unemployment and disappointment. Slowly, begrudgingly, we got to know ourselves and began to heal from years of emotional suppression. I was diagnosed with ADHD for the first time in my life. It changed everything, and I owe my current success to the therapist that offered a discounted rate in my time of need. My husband learned just how deep his depression went. But most importantly, we learned that we could do it, that we can hold on long enough to see the light at the end. My husband just accepted an incredible job, and my academic life is flourishing. Even as I grew increasingly annoyed at the idea of a "bright side," the bright side came and lit up just how far we've come as people and as a couple.
• 
  2021-02-22

  Cruz's Trip to Mexico: A Meme

  In February, as Texas faced a dangerous winter storm as well as the continuing pandemic, Ted Cruz left the state to hang out at a resort in Mexico. Much has already been said of this by political commentators, so I will simply contribute the best meme I saw about the event. This format saw some use, all of which questioned the intelligence of Cruz in one way or another.
• 
  2021-03-06

  My favorite food! The Texas and Arizona connection

  Traveling during the COVID-19 has become increasingly difficult due to restrictions, precautionary safety measures, and social isolation. I am a Texas native who is currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona. Sadly, It has been well over 2 years since I have been back home to visit, but my Aunt -who has been vaccinated- periodically decides to make a trip to Phoenix. Every time she visits she is kind enough to bring along frozen portions from my favorite restaurant- Chicos Tacos. Sharing a meal with my Aunt and relatives is a special memory I will treasure despite this incredibly difficult time.
• 
  2021-03-03

  Texas reopens 100%

  From Kron4 News: “It’s time to reopen Texas 100%.” Texas is lifting its mask mandate and will also do away with limits on the number of diners that businesses can serve indoors. What do you think? Should California do the same?
• 
  2021-03-06

  The Unsung Spreader: Touch and Coronavirus

  This story tells about a overlooked aspect of the pandemic. It offers some background into why this person thinks this issue is important and uses eyewitness and second hand accounts as evidence for her position
• 
  2021-03-06

  Stepping into a New World: Embarking on the COVID Journey

  This story relates how Corona began for me. It is a valuable primary source covering a person's lived experience with how Corona began and covers a unique circumstance.
• 
  02/21/2021

  Isabel Peralta Oral History, 2021/02/21

  I recorded a mini oral history with my Tia (aunt) about silver linings.
• 
  2021-02-04

  US Rep. Yvette Harrell seeks to spare NM from Biden's ban on oil and gas leases

  This article from Carlsbad Current Argus reporter Adrian Hedden explains NM District 2 Congressional Representative Harrell's efforts to preserve the oil-and-gas driven economy in New Mexico. The oil and gas lease referenced here applies to federal lands, and the ban of new lease issuance impacts existing operations. Much of southeastern New Mexico is federally owned, while nearby Texas is predominantly private land. The effect of this ban, if successful, would merely drive operations a few miles across the state line without largely impacting production from within the Permian Basin; it will, however, destroy the New Mexico economy, approximately 40% of which depends on oil and gas operations within the state. This article and topic are important to me because of my familial ties to New Mexico, but also because it demonstrates the unintended and myopic objectives set forth in this particular executive order. The economic impact of this ban would further exacerbate community and statewide problems related to COVID-19 as homeless has recently spiked in that region, and the disappearing tax base has further inhibited county and state programs and operations.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Race and social justice in the 2020 presidential election

  In the interview, Rashawn Ray discussing race and voter suppression. He discusses the history of voter suppression and how it can be used against various communities of color and how it is being used today. He also discusses the many ways this practice affects communities and our country as a whole.
• 
  2020-04-03

  The Game of COVID Life

  During the quarantine, my wife and I were having a hard time trying to adjust to our jobs being remote. We were not used to staring at computer screens for 8+ hours. The feeling of stress was overwhelming. I’m sure everyone in the world can relate to this experience. We really needed something to raise our spirits after time passed by and the world was still shut down. When my wife and I first got married in 2019, we had a problem of spending money on board games of all kinds. We ended up with a collection of 47 board games by the time COVID started (we began our marriage with about 12 board games). The thing is, with our jobs (my wife being a Public Library Administrator and I being a teacher and coach), we hardly had time to play some except a few. Who would have thought that we were unknowingly preparing for a quarantine. Our collection helped us escape reality for a bit each time we played. Game nights became a regular occurrence and we still hold them to this day. We were able to connect more as a couple and strengthen our relationship. The sounds of dice being rolled, cards being shuffled, and game pieces being moved remind me how board games helped us cope with the unexpected changes in our lives and recharge our batteries to keep going forward.
• 
  2020-11-18

  Staying Safe In Restaurants And Bars

  As bars and restaurants continue day to day operations all over the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers consideration on their website in ways they can reduce the risk for employees, customers and the community. These establishments will collaborate with their state and local health officials on how to implement these considerations. When considering these ideas they are meant to supplement and not replace any state or local health and safety laws. The longer people interact with one another the higher risk of spreading covid-19. One key take away from the article that stuck out to me was the spacing that the CDC recommends and that I see mostly in restaurants and bars today. Capacity has been reduced and tables have been moved six feet apart to slow the spread.
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  2020-10-25

  Trapped at the Border: Asylum seekers protest Matamoros camp conditions

  On October 25, 2020, over fifty of 1000+ people in the Matamoros Border Camp gathered along the barbed-wire fence to protest their living conditions. The Migrant Protection Protocols (M.P.P.), a Trump Executive Order, requires many Spanish-speaking asylum seekers to stay in Northern Mexico until granted a court date. In March 2020, the administration sealed U.S. borders and closed immigration courts as part of the COVID-19 emergency response. Many asylum seekers trapped in the camps may never get a full hearing. Although protests could provoke retaliation from Mexican and U.S. immigration officials, these families demonstrated because they felt desperate. As in much of the southern border, cartels plague the Brownsville-Matamoros region. Many South and Central American migrants have experienced kidnapping, theft, extortion, and rape on their journeys through Mexico. In the camps, bounded by a fifteen-foot fence and heavily armed security forces, they face daily threats from poisonous snakes, hurricanes, flooding, and unsanitary conditions. Because the Mexican government does not give camp occupants sufficient resources, nonprofit organizations like Catholic Charities and Team Brownsville provide food, water, and medical care. On the day of the protest, two U.S. citizens from a Methodist ministry stood with demonstrators inside the camp. The asylum seeker who organized this demonstration sent her two daughters (ages 9 and 11) across the Rio Grande, accompanied only by a cartel-affiliated coyote (guide), to turn themselves into Customs and Border Protection (CBP). While she misses her daughters every day, she believes that separation is safer for them than remaining in Mexico or returning to Honduras. She trusts that God will protect everyone in the Matamoros camp because their cause is just. After the protest, I held her hand through the gate’s wire diamonds and promised to pray. Some protesters held signs with Bible verses like Matthew 25:35-40, while others called for the protection of LGBTQ+ migrants and an end to MPP. Many protesters addressed the U.S. presidential election. Voten inteligentemente, one sign reads – vote intelligently. Joe Biden promised that, if elected, he would repeal M.P.P. within the first hundred days of his presidency. Asylum seekers realize that without a leadership change, they have very little chance of entering the U.S. I witnessed this reality while I stood in an hour-long customs line, waiting to cross the International Bridge back into Brownsville. The line held a mix of Mexican and U.S. citizens, including a family carrying spider-shaped piñatas and orange-frosted cupcakes for a Halloween party. A group of two adults and three children passed me in line. I watched them approach CBP officers, a journalist following close behind. Five minutes later, a security officer was escorting the family back to Matamoros. The journalist noticed me watching and stopped to explain: “They asked for asylum, but CBP said no. They have to wait in Mexico.” “No somos malas personas. Solo queremos vivir.” The mother repeated this phrase like a mantra as she passed us, holding her six-year-old daughter’s hand. We are not bad people. We just want to live. *This is a photograph that I took on my cell phone outside the Matamoros, Mexico border camp on Sunday, October 25, 2020. Faces are blurred to protect their privacy.
• 
  2020-07-31

  ‘It’s hell living there’: Texas inmates say they are battling COVID-19 in prisons with no A/C

  Conditions in Texas prisons notoriously unhealthy, these inmates face inhumane living conditions during a pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-14

  Texas prison system still tops US in virus cases, as deaths and criticism mount

  A father who has been incarcerated for 30 years holds a baby prior to imprisonment; this man died in prison without seeing his family during the last months of his life.
• 
  2019-05-10

  The Penal System Today is Slavery’: Lawmakers Finally Start to Talk About Unpaid Labor in Texas Prisons

  Protestors demonstrate in public against the abuse of prison inmates forced to work for slave wages in unhealthy conditions.
• 
  2020-03-25

  Whataburger Employees Considered Essential Workers

  This is a short post from someone that works at a Whataburger in Texas. This story is important because while I believe fast food to not be essential, but rather an expensive convenience, it is important to keep in mind that some customers were not able to get their regular groceries at the stores during the pandemic. There was a panic that ensued amongst not only the nation but the globe as COVID-19 spread. Although fast food would not be something we would view as essential normally, during the pandemic, it may have been vital for some people as their shopping abilities may have been limited.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Texas social workers can no longer discriminate against LGBTQ Texans or those with disabilities

  After backlash, the Texas government rescinded a recent action they proceeded with.
• 
  2020-10-21

  Taking a break from the fridge

  A restaurant in Texas changed their sign to reflect what many Americans are thinking eight months into social distancing.