Items

• 
  2020-05-08

  The world outside, during the pandemic

  The article describes how the pandemic has affected the natural environment in Arizona: the building of the border wall between the US and Mexico (with great effects on animals), the changes to how firefighters will put out fires during this time to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and the increase in trash in federal natural areas. It has described how some people have gained a new appreciation for the environment during these times.
• 
  2021-02-24

  Death, Through a Nurse's Eyes

  "A short film offering a firsthand perspective of the brutality of the pandemic inside a Covid-19 I.C.U." This reporter has nurses wear a camera so he can glimpse what happens in the Covid-19 units in an Arizona hospital.
• 
  2021-02-21

  Mini Oral History with Michele Lebsack

  On 02-21-2021, I sat down with my mother-in-law to ask about the positive experiences she had since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2021-01-07

  How the Pandemic Has Affected Refugees

  In this episode, we at the Podcast of the Plague Year were granted the opportunity to record interviews with two organizations assisting refugees that have been relocated to Arizona- RICE and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Refugees are those who have been forced to flee their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Almost 3 quarters of a million refugees have been resettled in the United States since 2008; they often come with very little resources to begin life anew once resettled. Life for refugees during resettlement comes with hope, but also with struggles to learn a new language, navigate new employment and educational systems and integrate into a new society. It is easy to imagine how a pandemic could intensify already existing struggles.
• 
  2020-10

  How Tribal Communities Have Dealt with the Pandemic

  A cursory look into A Journal of the Plague Year reveals that the pandemic is nondiscriminatory, all of are affected. Yet, the reality is that Covid-19 is having more impact on certain populations in American communities. Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict partnered with the Henry Luce Foundation to provide rapid relief funding to marginalized communities in the southwest. As part of the rapid relief program, the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict is collaborating with A Journal of the Plague Year and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication to raise awareness about the marginalized communities that were assisted via this grant. By joining this "Southwest Stories" project, we at the Podcast of the Plague Year were granted the opportunity to spotlight one Native American community in Arizona- the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
• 2021-02-11

  Vaccinated!

  Relief was what I felt when I received my covid vaccine. I felt even more relief when my 21-year-old daughter was able to receive her vaccine since she would not have been able to have gotten vaccinated until early summer. My first vaccine appointment was at 12:30 in the morning, and my daughter rode along with me to keep me company since I had to drive to State Farm Stadium. As we exited the freeway to go to the stadium, the parking lot where the vaccines were being administered could be seen, and I was surprised that it looked relatively vacant of vehicles. When we reached the parking lot, we were directed to follow the signs and pull up to the first checkpoint, where a person verified I had an appointment. At the second checkpoint, a person scanned in my appointment and asked if my passenger had an appointment as well. I told the person “no,” and they said, “we have had a lot of people not show up tonight for their vaccination, so if your passenger would like to get vaccinated, they are welcome to do so.” I immediately accepted the offer for my daughter to get her vaccination, and we were directed to another spot where she could fill out her paperwork for getting a shot. Once my daughter completed her paperwork, we were sent to wait in a line where the vaccines were administered, and after a five-minute wait, we had our first vaccine. After we had our shots, we were directed to wait in a line of cars for fifteen minutes to ensure we did not have any adverse reactions to the vaccination. While waiting for the fifteen minutes, an individual came to our vehicle and scheduled our second vaccination appointment, which was a huge relief since going through the computer system the state had established was cumbersome. What was surprising to my daughter and me was that while we waited during that fifteen-minute time frame, a nurse came by to ask us how we were feeling. We both said we were okay and stated we were surprised that we could get through the vaccine process so quickly and how there were so few cars. The nurse told us that many people were skipping out of their appointsments out of fear of rumored side effects from the vaccine, which was why there was extra serum for individuals like my daughter, who had ridden along. So I had the right schedule for the right night for my daughter to ride along. And now my whole household has been inoculated, which is a relief after three times of being in quarantine. Whew!
• 
  2021-01-15

  Getting Vaccinated at State Fairgrounds

  As the vaccines were getting rolled out in Arizona, we were excited to learn that Arizona State University faculty fit into category 1B, as teachers. When the Arizona Patient Portal opened for 1B appointments on January 11 we dropped by the site at lunchtime, worried that we'd missed our opportunity. As luck would have it there were appointments available on January 15 at State Far Stadium in the wee hours of the morning. We were surprised as we'd heard the rollout of the site had met with difficulties earlier in the morning; we chose the a time just after midnight on the morning of the 15th, rather than at 4am (which seemed just too awkward.) On the 15th, we were antsy and hoped that the wait would not be too long; we decided to leave a bit early for the stadium, which is an hour drive from our home. As we arrived, we saw the shining portable lights of the vaccination center, just south of the stadium, in a parking lot. We navigated to the entrance and were delighted that nobody appeared to be waiting. Volunteers directed us through an elaborate maze of lanes, and traffic cones. (Many of my friends, in fact, served as volunteers, partly out of civic duty and partly to get the vaccine.) We showed one registrar our appointment slips (from the state website), and he wrote our appointment numbers on the window of my car (in either sharpie or wax pencil). We briefly waited in another line, as two registrars sitting under portable heaters that are so common on chilly winter nights in Arizona (normally you'd encounter them at restaurants.) They checked our identification and entered our names into the system, as well as asked about our health. From there we were directed around more cones into traffic lanes, leading up to where the vaccinations were delivered. Again, after a brief wait, and more checking our registration--confirming our appointment numbers (written on the windows) and names--we entered a tent. Two nurses briefed us on the vaccine and delivered our shots. They directed us to a waiting area, where we were asked to wait 15 minutes in case of an adverse reaction. And, voila, it was over--in under an hour.
• 
  2021-02-09

  A Field Trip to the Doctor

  What it's like to go to the doctor for a non-Covid19 reason.
• 
  2020-02-09

  Drop-off COVID testing

  ASU just announced a drop-off COVID-19 saliva testing program. Testing at ASU and in the community, thanks to the ASU Biodesign Institute, has been more accessible and efficient compared to other states. Now, ASU is letting people pick up kits, fill them, and drop them off at a collection box. Results are speedy, returned within about 48 hours. It's reassuring to work in an enivornment that takes the public health crisis seriously and is actively taking measures to reduce risk and exposure.
• 
  2020-11-13

  At least we can cheer...

  Fall high school sports in Arizona were delayed and in some cases canceled completely. My daughter, an 11th grader at Cactus Shadows High School, is on the cheer team and was disappointed not to have her usual, very full cheer season. Football games finally were allowed to happen, and four home games were put on the schedule. They ended up only playing 3 due to quarantines with both our own team and opponents, and they were allowed to attend one away game. Our school is also known for a very rowdy and fun student section, so it was sad to be at the game without students in the stands, and only four spectators per athlete. At least they got to cheer- even in masks- and got some semblance of a football season.
• 
  2021-02-05

  Tempe Chiropractor Knows How to Bring Back Taste and Smell

  A local Tempe chiropractor claims he found a fool-proof way to bring back the taste and smell of people who were once infected with Covid. The article states, "Dr. Ross said he simply stimulates the olfactory nerve and taste buds. Demonstrating how it works, Dr. Ross said, 'Have someone put their hand on their heart. The other finger, index finger, is going to be put right at the olfactory nerve, which is at the base of the brain, just above the sinuses. At that point, you're holding both of those. It's literally just a flick on the back of the head. The second part is they stick their tongue out and touch their finger to the tongue. Same thing again, flick them on the back of the head.'" This process has not been reviewed and Dr. Ross stated it might not work for everyone.
• 2020-02-05

  Father Received 2nd Dose

  The other day I went with my dad to the State Farm Stadium vaccination site in Glendale and he got his 2nd Pfizer dose. It's amazing to know that for him the pandemic is "over", as he likely will not be hospitalized if he does contract Covid-19 in the future. As my father was my main concern being a young person, it lifts a weight of my shoulders knowing if I come back from class with Covid that I won't hurt him. Currently, he is the only one in my family, including extended, who has received it. He's apart of the minority of Americans who are fully vaccinated, hopefully the numbers will increase soon.
• 2021-02-04

  Vaccine

  On January 17, I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. What most stood out to me about this experience was how streamlined and efficient everything was. I never even had to get out of my car and I only spent a total of about 20 minutes there! I was also struck by the hundreds of employees/volunteers who were at the site around midnight. I'm sure most of them weren't there for the money -- if they were getting paid at all -- but rather were there because they genuinely care about people and want to do their part to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror. This was a good reminder that, although at times it seems like everything is broken in contemporary America, there are some things that still work. I'll be back at State Farm Stadium on Sunday for my second dose!
• 
  2021-02-04

  My Grandma's Passing

  Travel restrictions and emotional impact.
• 2021-02-04

  Two generations of silences

  For this journal entry I plan to discuss two important silences that could be occurring in this archive. The first silence is with nursing home or assisted living residents. These are elderly people who may have physical or mental disabilities preventing them from even using a computer let alone navigate the internet to find this website to contribute their story about the pandemic. These people often do not have the skill set for accessing and using the internet, because this tool was invented decades after they were born. Today, I am thinking of my 89-year-old aunt who just recently was diagnosed with covid after being in an assisted living home that had a small outbreak of around seven individuals. She received the first dose of the covid vaccine around two weeks ago, and then a week later was diagnosed with covid but asymptomatic until yesterday when her oxygen levels dropped. She is now at a hospital receiving oxygen and care. A proxy would have to share her story to this archive. Would it then not be a firsthand account? We might never know what she is feeling at this moment in the hospital. Does she even know she has the virus? The second silence is of a group of people who are decades younger than the last generation I just spoke of. Our youngest children are silenced in this archive, too. My youngest is in kindergarten. He has been in online school all year. He is learning about computers and the internet right now, and because he has been online all year, he is learning computer literacy faster perhaps than his peers who are offline and in-person. But does that make his situation any better? No. He is not able to socialize with his friends or make new ones in the classroom setting, and his relationship with his teacher is limited to the screen. It is hard for his teacher to check her kindergartener’s work over the screen and help them with writing etc. Kindergarten, however, is not only about learning the beginnings of academics, but it is mostly about social learning—how to make and keep friends, how to communicate with other people, how to express yourself, how to learn and ask questions, and how to be a student. Sadly, because of the pandemic, he is missing out on so much of what kindergarten really is intended to be. For this archive, he will also need someone to write his experiences with the pandemic for him as he cannot type fluently yet on the computer. He is also learning to express his feelings, so we may never truly know how he felt about his experiences of online kindergarten at this moment in time. He will need his parents to write down their observations for him and contribute it on his behalf. These are challenging times, and it seems some of our oldest and our youngest are being silenced with regard to this archive.
• 2021-02-02

  First Round Vaccines!

  I stayed up late Monday night and headed over to my parents house around midnight. Their appointments were at 2:48 AM (and I had a time getting them appointments together), but we were planning to arrive early and expected to spend hours in line. I made myself a thermos of coffee and loaded an extra air tank into the car for my dad, in case the wait was longer than one tank’s capacity, and reminded both parents to bring their phones and tablets. It felt a little bit like loading up my niece and nephew for a road trip. We drove out to the stadium, the suburb’s quiet and empty, then followed the signs to the appropriate parking lot. It was surprisingly empty and I wove the car through the cones set up to guide a much longer line. We arrived at the first of three drive-thru tents, where my parents answered a set of questions about their health and medications. The car acquired a bit of caution tape on the side mirror and some notes on the window about blood thinners. At the third tent, they got their shots. We parked and waited thirty minutes rather than the standard fifteen since Mom has a penicillin allergy. They got their shots at 1:36 AM and we were released to leave at 2:06. We were back at their house before the original appointment time. I unloaded the air tanks and said my good nights then drove through the silent streets back to my apartment.
• 
  2021-02-03

  Is COVID-19 vaccine distribution fair and equitable in Arizona?

  Minorities have been hard hit by COVID-19 and some want to ensure that they are receiving the vaccine. However, some states, like Arizona, are not providing that information. It is unclear whether the demographics data isn't being collected or if the information just isn't being released to the public.
• 
  2021-01-30

  Arizona doctors issue warning about MIS-C; a rare condition possibly caused by COVID-19

  It is believed that children that contract COVID-19 are developing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) after recovering. MIS-C can cause organs and skin to become inflames as well as cause high fevers. Doctors are warning parents about MIS-C because it can be deadly when not treated.
• 2021-02-01

  Vaccine Story

  Introduce yourself, where you live, age, and occupation Randall McNerlin, 73, of Phoenix Arizona. Retired airline pilot. · How did you feel before getting the vaccine Physically, I felt find before getting the vaccine, although I was a little concerned about the possible consequences of getting the virus before I could get vaccinated. I had had numerous instances of close contacts with people not wearing masks. I had always worn a mask in public since the early spread of the virus but still felt exposed on occasion. · You can record the moment you get the vaccine/if you already received it, what do you remember and where were you? The day I got the vaccine, I had received word that there was a walk in line, referred to as aisle four, at the State Farm coliseum. I took my wife and son with me in hopes we could all be vaccinated but we were turned away when I told the admittance guards that I had no appointment. I determined to try again the next day but came alone. I told the guard that I had an appointment but once in line I told the volunteer agents that I was hoping to get in as a stand-by. They offered me the shot and I was very relieved to have started down the path of getting some immunity started. · What vaccine did you get (if you know) Pfizer · How did you feel about getting the vaccine? Grateful to science, grateful to the luck of being where one was available and relieved. · Why did you get the vaccine? I listened to science and logic dictated that the achievement of herd immunity of the public was of paramount importance. I wanted to be part of the solution.
• 
  2021-01-31

  Phoenix Municipal Stadium to Serve as Valley's Second State-Run Vaccination Site

  Already more than a month into Arizona's vaccination program, the state has just announced its second vaccination site for the Phoenix area, one of the largest metro areas in the US. The rollout has been slow, with only a little more than half of one million people having received the vaccine as of 30 January, 2021.
• 
  2020-07-11

  Q Anon Shaman Video

  Back when there was a rumor that COVID-19 couldn't survive in the Arizona heat. This guy is one of the people who got a platform during the Trump COVID era. This is a must-see video for future research into pandemic skeptics.
• 2020-10-15

  COVID Scare

  Going through the pandemic, I always knew how serious the situation was especially considering how large the number of cases were in Arizona. However, despite all of the people that were getting sick, I never had anyone that I knew who contracted the virus through most of the Pandemic. That was until late 2020. Now due to the precautions I knew I had to take, the only two places that I ever really visited apart from staying at my own home were my parents' houses. My mom and step-dad were extremely cautious when it came to the Pandemic and so too were my dad and step-mom however, I knew because my dad was an essential worker he would be exposed a bit more. One October day, my heart sank when I got a call from my Father telling me that he tested positive for the virus. This sparked a number of fears throughout my head like: "Is my father going to be okay, especially considering he has pre-existing conditions that would make it worse?", " When was the last that I was exposed to my father in timing when he tested positive for the virus?", "Who else could have gotten sick from my father... my step-mom or worse my 6-year-old sister?". The first thing I did, despite remembering that luckily it had been about two weeks from seeing my father, was get tested. I ended up testing negative, but I was extremely worried for my father and my step-mother who I later learned also contracted it. This was the first time I ever dealt with knowing that someone I knew that was close to me got the Virus. I truly feared for my family member's lives. I remember constantly calling my father to see how he was doing and hearing the struggle with the virus in his voice. Luckily, both my parents would make it through the sickness okay. My sister also was able to be taken care of by my step-aunt which was also a relief. As time passed and as my family tested negative for COVID-19, I would be able to visit them again. But, now I truly understood the severity of the pandemic and that the virus held no bias in who it targeted.
• 2020-01-28

  Forced Quarantine

  Earlier this year, during my winter break, my brother was sent home two days before his high school finals. Someone in his class that he sat next/near to had contracted COVID, so as a precaution, he was sent home to quarantine. My brother was less worried about possibly having COVID himself, and more angry about having to make up his finals the next quarter (speaks a lot about our education system). I asked him who was the person that got COVID, and he said it was probably the girl behind him, but she said she didn't have it, and her friend that sat next to her backed it up. We drew out the seating chart and concluded that it HAD to be that girl, because everyone who was sent to quarantine was sitting around her. I told him that she probably just lied about not having COVID, because people would probably get mad at her. I personally would get angry myself if I was prevented from taking my finals, but I understand the girl's reasoning. No want wants to be bullied for getting sick, or called "COVID-girl," or whatever.
• 
  2021-02-28T10:55

  No shots for you!

  This picture shows what I get when I try to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination through the Arizona Department of Health Services website. I'm basically out of luck for the time being. It is good that a vaccine is available now and the end of the pandemic is in sight, but the process is frustrating. While I understand that our state agency had to develop their website in a short time, they've known for months that vaccines were on the way. Their site is needlessly complex, buggy, and non-informative. I initially got hung up on a page that required me to enter my health insurance information; it took several tries and a few phone calls to figure out exactly what I needed to enter in each of the fields. Once I get through, I can't find an open appointment. There is no indication on the webpage, but it seems that the system returns no open appointments for me because I am not yet eligible. My mother who is more than 75 years old has managed to get an appointment and get her first shot. I'm concerned that many other people, particularly the elderly who need the vaccination more than others, will not get access to them because they will not be able to navigate through the website. I have read a number of media reports about this. It seems like poor planning to set up a process that relies on individuals to use the internet without offering an alternative.
• 2021-01-27

  Losing Grandma

  A week and a half ago was my grandmother's 90th birthday. I shared here about our family's disappointment at not getting to have a big party and instead visiting her at her window. Now she's in the ER, awaiting a transfer to hospice. It doesn't seem to be COVID, although the tests aren't back yet. No one knows what happened or why. There are no ICU beds available and resources in general are limited to investigate why a 90 year old woman who was fine 12 hours earlier is now unresponsive and on a ventilator. No one can go visit her. We're not sure if we will be able to visit her at the hospice. Grandma has had health scares before but nothing like this. Before we would be coordinating visitors and making sure someone was by to see her everyday, even if she was unconscious. Now we’re limited to the family group text as my aunt follows up with doctors by phone and relays information to the rest of us. She’s pulled through before but this time feels different. The doctors are all stretched so thin and resources are so limited that all the odds are against her. I used to take Grandma out at least once or twice a month. We’d go to a movie or just lunch. Maybe run some errands. I haven’t seen her without a window between us in nearly a year. I’m probably never going to get to hug her again.
• 
  2021-01-27

  Vaccination does not depend on residency status

  I've been afraid to ask this question. Can you get a vaccine if you're not a U.S. resident? My mother-in-law has been more or less stuck here since last February. She came from Peru to help watch our 2 year old and planned to stay 6 months, per her visa allowance. WIth COVID, we applied for an extension, and we haven't had an update on her application yet. I do want her to get vaccinated before she goes home, and this information on the Maricopa County website is reassuring that she'll be allowed to get one before she goes home.
• 
  2020-12-19

  COVID Birthday

  This is a photo of my sisters birthday party late last year. She is a nurse at St. Josephs Hospital and for the safety of her friends she decided that a Zoom birthday party would be best. At the time she was working in the ICU on the COVID unit; the heart of all the action. She has since been moved back to her normal position but for quiet a while she wasn't able to see or interact with anyone outside the hospital. Her birthday was fun and we got to see family that we hadn't seen in what seemed like years. It was also really fun teaching my older family members how to use Zoom. Putting filters and funny backgrounds was hilarious. It is definitely something I'll remember about living through this pandemic.
• 2021-01-24

  Doctor On What It's Like To Fight The Coronavirus On The Navajo Nation

  Interview between NPRs' Ari Shapiro and Chief Medical Officer of Indian Health Services, Dr. Loretta Christensen. Dr. Chirstensen discusses some of the challenges in covering an expansive area which includes Arizona, Utah, New Mexico.
• 2021-01-24

  My Student Staff Lost Their Graduations

  I manage a staff of Math and Science student tutors for one of the Arizona State University campuses. In early 2020, five of my staff were seniors who started to get excited about their upcoming May graduations. As COVID-19 started spreading, they began to worry that their commencements would not take place. Sadly, they were correct. It was heartbreaking watching them try to accept that their last four to five years of study would not culminate into the graduations they were so looking forward to experiencing. I tried to comfort them by reminding them that all of their hard work these last several years was about to pay off in a future that would provide them many opportunities to succeed. It did not comfort them. Next, I tried to put into words that although their disappointment was valid, their ultimate goal was not walking across a stage but instead to realize their dreams of becoming scientists, mathematicians, medical doctors, etc. It did not help. In the end, it was what it was. There was nothing I could say to make them feel better. In retrospect, what could possibly have been said to comfort these students who may very well have been the first group since the Spanish Flu pandemic that would not experience a traditional university graduation? This was not a time for words. It was just a time to be there if they needed someone to listen and vent to without judgement. True to form, these five did apply to medical and graduate schools, and forensic science positions. I know great things are in store for them. Hopefully, if this pandemic has taught them anything, it is perseverance in the face of adversity. To not give up and keep moving forward.
• 2021-01-24

  A Story of the Pfizer Vaccine

  97-year-old Alexander White, a Holocaust survivor, got a vaccine with a push from Arizona lawmakers.
• 2020-12-27

  The rich get vaccinated while the poor are slowly dying

  Just wanted to share my frustration and get it off my chest. COVID has taken so many people from my life, its almost been a year and at first, I saw its effects on the news but was not personally affected. Living in suburbia Gilbert, AZ life is not as disrupted as perhaps it should be, but my family in Los Angeles is currently living in a horror film. The other day I was at the communal mailbox when my neighbor approached to say hello. He was beaming with joy as he told me about a recent golfing game he had with a few of his doctor friends. He is an insurance broker and lives a well-off life. He mentioned that while on the course with two of his doctor friends, one asked if he had been vaccinated and he said he didn't expect to be yet since he's not a medical worker or high risk. His friend laughed and told him that he would take care of him. My neighbor gave his doctor friend his email address who then contacted him with his medical office and got him in line for his COVID vaccine. I should have shrugged it off and went about my day but I was immideatley filled with anger and frustration, I had lost my aunt to COVID only a week before and I wondered if the vaccine could have saved her. Here was this bearly-thirty-year-old healthy man getting his vaccine only because he has wealthy friends who can do favors for him. It makes me wonder just how many people have gotten the vaccine because of who they know rather than allow those who really need it to get them first.
• 2021-01-22

  The Silver Lining of Pandemic Community Building

  I have a busier schedule now than I did when I left the house for more than grocery runs and work. I spend a lot of my time on Zoom, as we all do, but doing things I was not doing before. In April, quickly after Friday the 13th, my #twitterstorian dreams came true when Dr. Joanne Freeman launched History Matters…. And So Does Coffee with the National Council for History Education. A couple of months later, The Gilder Lehrman Institute launched a weekly series talking with a historian about their book called Book Breaks. I could never attend conferences like the Southern Historical Association annual meeting, and now they were available to me virtually. The Western History Association annual meeting was online in October 2020 and was one of the best conferences and online meeting experiences that I think is possible given the circumstances. I have seen Joanne Freeman and Dr. Heather Cox Richardson speak together frequently over the last few months, and each experience is just as fun as the previous. I am on the board of the Arizona Technology in Education Association. The ability to host events and PD without needing to secure locations and catering has increased the number of events that we host by what feels like tenfold. I also started my Ph.D. in history at ASU, and with those added time blocks to my schedule expanded my little world with cohort and classmates. The pandemic has forced us to come together in new ways. By trying to carry on, those components of our lives shifted to the internet and thus actually made them more accessible to our larger communities than they were before. It has prompted even more of the existing conversations about virtual conferencing from an economic and environmental perspective. Don’t get me wrong, I am eagerly awaiting my 2nd vaccine and the days when I can travel for conferencing, community, and research again, but I think I will frame my plans around a different question. I don’t believe that I will have to ask myself to choose what to attend and not attend. Instead, it will be what things do I want to engage with in person (and what things can I) and what things I will still attend, but from afar. We are closing in on a year in this pandemic, and with the new year, I think it is essential to try and find some kind of silver lining – and it is that I think the communities that we have built over the last year and continue to build will be larger and stronger. Now I suppose I need to mull over the ramifications of overscheduling, burnout, and prioritization.
• 2021-01-22

  COVID😢

  Somebody that I know that got covid was my mom's friend. Her name is Carrie and she lives in Arizona. When she got sick she infected her two kids and her husband. Sadly her husband was hospitalized but her and her kids are fine. Thankful with a lot of praying 2 weeks later that all tested negative and they are no longer infected.
• 
  2020-11-07

  Covid Dog Shows

  I have shown dogs for thirty-five years, which is my hobby and passion. Before Covid going to a dog show was a social event for all humans and canines involved. Exhibitors would greet each other with high fives and hugs. Ring stewards handed armbands to exhibitors, and judges would give placement ribbons to exhibitors and shake their hands when leaving the show ring. Both winners and losers were hugged in congratulations and condolences. Dogs could cue off of their exhibitor's facial expressions and were not leary of strangers who approached them. Dog shows were a laid back and social environment. When the pandemic created shutdowns in every aspect of life, dog shows all but disappeared in Arizona from the middle of March until early November. A few kennel clubs have opted to offer hosting dog shows with "Covid Rules" in place. Starting in November, showing a dog became "different." An exhibitor had to sign a "Covid survey and waiver form," have a scan temperature taken when entering the show grounds, wear a mask at all times, pick up armbands set out on tables and verbally declare the armband was received. When entering the show ring, a specific entry point and exit point was utilized, and exhibitors had to be six feet apart while in the show ring. After a judge examined each dog and determined placements, the exhibitors would stand six feet apart by placement placards and then exit the ring taking their placement ribbons off a table by the exit. There was not any physical human contact made between exhibitors, ring stewards, and judges. The physical challenge of running with a dog while wearing a mask restricted breathing, making showing a dog difficult. If a dog won at the show and a picture was taken, the photographer would offer to "photoshop" the judge into the photo with the dog and exhibitor or everyone socially distanced. In addition to no human interaction, dogs were unsettled by people wearing masks. Showing a dog in a Covid environment has become tiring and stressful, and going to a Covid dog show is not fun even when you win.
• 2020-10-21

  Spend time doing what matters to you most.

  During the COVID-19 pandemic I have had to surmount multiple extremely challenging situations that were only made even more difficult by the pandemic, including the death of my last grandparent. As someone with pre-existing conditions, I usually have to be very careful about not just protecting myself when I leave my house in Chandler, Arizona, but making sure I don't spread any disease to my family. When I got the news that my Grandmother probably didn't have much time left due to her cancer, it was extremely distressing for several reasons. The main reason was the fact that I was losing my grandmother, but one factor that was just as, if not more distressing, was the question of how to be able to best safely spend time with her. After a long discussion with my family, I made it clear that just being on video chat or on the phone with my grandmother was not enough; I wanted to find a way to travel to her house in Kansas, and physically be there for her. It was not an easy decision to make, especially when one takes into account that my method of transportation was to fly, which made me very nervous as someone with pre-existing conditions. Fortunately, I was able to take a safe flight to Kansas, but I was shocked to find family visiting my grandmother from out of state that not only refused to wear masks around her, even though she had virtually no immune system left. Despite such stressful conditions, I was able to spend a week with my grandmother just before she passed away, even though COVID-19 made it very hard. The fact that I was able to do such a thing is striking to me, especially when compared to the vast amount of people around the world who aren't able to spend time with loved ones infected with COVID-19 before they pass away. Looking back, I am very lucky I did not get sick, and I was even more lucky that flights were beginning to become regularly available again after they had been shut down earlier in the year. Most of all, I feel very grateful that I was able to spend time with my grandmother, especially when so many people are dying alone all over the world, leaving families distraught, and without closure.
• 2021-01-18

  Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

  My name is Delanie Cencelewski, I am 20, I live in Kingman, Arizona and I work for a private fiduciary office and deal with a lot of elderly clients. Before getting my vaccine, I really was not nervous at all and did not really feel any particular way about it. When I received the vaccine, I was in Bullhead City, Arizona at a local pharmacy called DeeFLat Pharmacy with one of my coworkers. It was only two people in the pharmacy, one administering the vaccine and one working the counter. The lady asked for my I.D. and insurance card, then I sat in a chair and got the shot. I had to wait in the pharmacy for 15 minutes so they could monitor me and make sure there were no symptoms. I am not sure which vaccine I received. I felt fine getting the vaccine, it did not hurt at all and was pretty quick. Later that day, I developed pain in the area of my right arm where I got the shot and a headache and fatigue, but other than that I was fine. I got the shot on Saturday, 1/16/2021, and am still experiencing fatigue and pain in the arm. I got the vaccine partly due to work because I come into contact with many elderly people in my community and because I have diabetes, so I fall into the 1b category for the vaccinations in Arizona.
• 2021-01-17

  Homesick Holidays

  This past Thanksgiving, I was unable to return home for the holidays. Despite being a busy university student, usually I take the Flix bus from Tempe, AZ to Tucson, AZ so that I can spend the short break with my family before returning to school for finals. However, despite all the precautions that I and my roommates had taken, my father still recommended that I stay at my apartment, seeing that he is a first responder and goes outside almost every day. That, combined with a recent COVID-19 scare on my end meant that for Thanksgiving, I decided that it was my first holidays spent alone.
• 
  2020-05

  The Sound of Silence

  The experience I am sharing focuses on my sense of hearing. Work has shifted away from office buildings and into our homes and, as a result, downtown urban areas emptied. This was especially true in mid-May of 2020. The one time I was in my city's downtown, it was uncomfortably quiet, and the negative reaction I had in the moment caught me off guard. Covid19 put me in a constant state of anxiety, and this is one more example of how seemingly small differences in a familiar environment can turn us upside down.
• 2020-12-25

  Christmas in Covid-19

  It was the morning of Christmas Eve. Me, my mom, and my two siblings usually fly to Arizona to see my grandparents but because of Covid we had to drive. It was about a 6 hour trip so not too bad. When we got there, the tradition of every year is my cousins come who I never get to see. But again because of Covid, they cancelled out. To me, Christmas didn't feel like it had in the past. No cousins, wearing masks, I just didn't get in the Christmas spirit. I tried to make the best of it with my grandparents and see the good in that it was Jesus' birth which helped me brighten up my mood.
• 
  2020-12-01

  COVID in the Navajo Nation

  When I was originally planning my trip, I hoped to visit Antelope Canyon, as well as a few other parks on the Navajo Reservation, but the Navajo Nation has been one of the hardest-hit regions in the country, so by the time I was in the area, the parks were closed, and even if they had been open, I wouldn’t have felt comfortable visiting and spreading it more, even if I would have been outside and away from people. Because of that experience I wanted to take this space to try to amplify their experience. This Instagram account records the experience of an organization providing relief to members of the tribe. There are only 45 search results for Navajo in the archive, which I would constitute as an archival silence considering that many cities with comparable populations have hundreds of entries. I know that taking a screenshot of a website can only tell you so much, but it is the best way I could come up with of elevating the voices of the Navajo Nation, which is an important practice to engage within the context of archival work.
• 
  2020-11-15

  Christmas Photo 2020

  A year never to forget and the most unusual Christmas holiday experience, or lack thereof. To memorialize our 2020 holiday season, we illustrated the mask mandate in force wearing holiday attire for our Christmas picture.
• 
  2020-11-08

  Thank you Phoenix PD!

  These cards were sent to the Phoenix Police Department by children to thank them for keeping their community safe. Its nice to see that there is still a lot of support for officers. Law Enforcement is a hard job and sometimes it can be hard to remember that people still care about and support those who protect and serve.
• 2020-11-06

  Arizona-Utah canceled, Pac-12 down to 4 games to open season

  The pandemic has continually put a stop to or threw a wrench into sports schedules. Now the virus has once again caused issues with college sports. In this case, the Arizona-Utah game has been cancelled because a number of Utah plates tested positive. 10 games have been cancelled this week alone.
• 
  2020-11-04

  City of Tempe Shows Gradual Rise in Cases

  The City of Tempe released an updated graph showing the rise in COVID-19 cases. The graph shows the gradual increase the city is facing currently. While other parts of the nation's cases are skyrocketing at least in Tempe the rise isn't as dramatic.
• 
  0202-11-06

  Maricopa County Weekly COVID Cases

  Maricopa County released its updated COIVD-19 cases for the week with higher cases in red and lower cases in green. As one of the most populous counties in the U.S. this type of case breakdown is highly important. Since cases are rising dramatically again, its important the public has this type of information.
• 
  2020-11-04

  COVID Election Year

  The photograph shows protesting in Phoenix, AZ on the fourth of November. The protesters were majority President Trump supporters, protesting that every vote be counted. Many protests have sprung across the United States for the 2020 election due the election results being undetermined. Most have been peaceful but some turn violent. The one in Phoenix was peaceful but more importantly the election results determine America’s course through the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Volunteering at the 2020 Otsukimi festival in Phoenix

  I volunteered at the Otsukimi moon viewing festival this October in 2020. I was impressed regarding mask wearing and following overall Covid-19 protocols. They had to dial back the event from last years due to the pandemic, so there was less food and entertainment available. It was more similar to a showcase than a festival. Also all the tickets were sold prior rather than at the door. Otherwise it was a pleasant and calm experience.
• 2020-10-30

  Being a student during a Pandemic

  From the events that have happened this year it makes it very difficult to try and stay focused on things that are important but also things that we just want to do. Due to COVID one thing that has changed for the worse is trying to get an education during a pandemic. For some it is harder than others and for others it is just as easy learning on the computer than it is learning in person. As a student I must admit that there are some things that i learn better in person than i do on a computer. During this pandemic getting my education has become both easier and harder. The easy portion is how well my school adapted to switching to the online courses instead of in person classes. I must admit that ASU surprised me with how well they transitioned. The hard part for me was trying to learn some material that I had no idea what was going on and i did not have the opportunity to get in person help on the subjects I was struggling in. What this pandemic did was rewire the brains of young people due to the lack of human interaction we had. It is almost as if we forget how to be a person around other people and I know that sounds silly but it is the truth. Going out in public was making me feel bad becuase who am i to go out when other people have to stay inside. Overall this learning curve shed a lot of light on how comfortable we were as students with being able to just go up to a professor and ask for help instead having to email and then being hopeful that they would get back to us in time. I have really learned a lot about myself during this time and hope it comes to an end soon!
• 
  2020-10-30

  Concerns From the 4-Corners

  This is a screenshot from my phone from this afternoon. I live in Colorado, but depend on New Mexico for several things. I made a quick trip to Target today, and while in the checkout line, everyone’s phones went off.
• 
  2020-09-17

  Life in the Time of Coronavirus

  From March through August, I walked through the environs of downtown Tucson to make images capturing the effect of the pandemic.