Items

• 2021-02-23

  How Covid-19 effected me

  Around March 2019 I was a freshman in college. At this time I was attending an HBCU in North Carolina 10 hours from where I live. Around this time Covid was relatively new and we didn't know much about it. About mid March the whole school received an email that we all had to pack up and leave campus by the following week and for some people that was easy because they lived either in North Carolina or in a close distance. After finding put this information I had to contact my parents and let them know of the situation. My family isn’t poor but we are not rich either so the finical stress that was put on them to call off of work and try and get some type of rental car big enough for all of my things without paying a bunch of money because we didn't have that to spend and rental companies already knew that this time was coming so of course they used it as a way to get more money my raising all the rental prices. So fast forward I come home and now were doing virtual school which was okay I really missed campus and my friends and class was so much more boring staring at a computer screen all day all the stores were closed it honestly felt like the world around me just completely stopped grocery stores closed no tissue or paper towels it was just everything happened so fast but I’m so grateful for my parents for coming to get me because they could of easily made me stay with a relative but they sacrificed a lot to get me home and I really appreciate it so much
• 
  2021-02-07

  Plan A Reopening Schools and Rights

  This document from North Carolina Association of Educators is explaining the legal facts that educators have in my state when it comes to opening schools fully under Plan A. This document shows what legal protections we have and don't have as a state employee and how COVID-19 is viewed as a public health issue. It is important to note that as of right now most school districts in my state are not on Plan A which is 100% open but instead are either on Plan B or Plan C. Plan B is partially open/ online and Plan C is strictly online. Our governor is encouraging our schools to reopen and is opening more vaccine sites as teachers are next in line for the vaccine. This is important to document because every state is doing so many different things and people's rights vary from state to state.
• 
  2021-02-04

  My Grandma's Passing

  Travel restrictions and emotional impact.
• 
  2021-01-24

  Students Accessing the Vaccine

  College students have been left out of many of the COVID relief efforts such as the stimulus payments. And now due to their status as healthy and young adults, many of them are now at the back of the line for receiving the COVID vaccine. An estimate reported by best colleges states that college students can expect to get the vaccine in April with the rest of the general population. North Carolina initially planned to prioritize college students but has now recently revised its plan so that this is no longer the case. For college students, the COVID process can be incredibly frustrating as they exist in an economically precarious place, as they are going to school and in many instances unable to work full time or worked service jobs that do not exist under COVID conditions. Vaccine access seems to be another area in which college students are disadvantaged due to their status and age. https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/when-college-students-will-receive-covid19-vaccine/#:~:text=Most%20college%20students%20will%20wait,outstripped%20supply%20in%20many%20areas. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-carolina/articles/2021-01-14/nc-to-vaccinate-those-65-college-students-not-prioritized
• 
  2019-09-13

  Canceled Pride Parade

  My first time at a Pride parade was in 2019. The time at the pride parade made me super proud of who I am and that facet of my life. The photo I chose from the parade is that of the giant unicorn. I chose to use the unicorn photo because it truly represents LGBTQ+ people I feel because many people in my community consider themselves a unicorn which represents a mythological creature that is a myth and shows people view them as unique. The reason this picture represents Covid-19 is that for the past two years the Pride Parade in Durham, North Carolina has been canceled. It has bummed me out not being able to go to the Pride parade because having a new excitement for my community made me sad that I could not continue this. Also, I was looking forward to this event annually and making it a tradition.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-05-01

  What I did During Lockdown

  During the Covid pandemic lockdown was starting to ramp up and my manager came through the hospital with sheets that basically were to be shown to police or someone who would stop me from driving on the highway, or roads while going to work. This paper stated that I was an essential employee of the UNC hospitals, and that I had permission to leave my house. However many people were not allowed to go to work because their buildings were shut down and local government were not allowing businesses to operate. Some of my friends were let go, my sister was furloughed, and my roommates had to work from home. I never realized that the sheer boredom started to get to people. One of my friends had to take medication for anxiety because not being able to go to work or do anything social was becoming too stressful. While I worked a full 40 hours every week, I found that I had my weekends that I filled with classic films, new TV shows and all types of social media. Cleaning the house every weekend was part of my weekend routine because there was no where else I really felt like being, and seeing the whole hospital cleaned up I started finding things to clean around the house. Within a few weeks I began going to the local lake, Falls lake and would take long walks around it or just sit and watch the sunset, during the later part of the summer I went to photograph the sand storms from Africa that made the sunsets spectacular. While many people had to make things up and go back and forth between work and boredom and being in the same environment all the time, I was given the luxury to see the weekend in a whole new way. With the coming of the summer at the time people were expecting to have a summer hopefully and as can be seen in this video from Wral planning on having outdoor time that they could go about in the old social environments, such as the mall or local shops.
• 
  2020-10-01

  Roadtrip

  This is a picture of my husband from our trip to Chimney Rock, North Carolina. We had not left our city of Charleston for months due to Covid, but decided to take a small trip for my 30th birthday. The entire time we were playing tourist, we wore our masks and did our best to social distance. In the area we stayed, there were signs everywhere that explicitly said, "You must wear your mask" or "Masks are required". However, many people chose not to wear them or had them on incorrectly. It was a little odd being around so many people during this time, but we made the best of it.
• 2020-03-16

  Silence at School, March 2020

  This is a true anecdote about my experience as teacher during the pandemic, and the sensory experience by which I recall these events. I am a teacher at a middle school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In winter of 2019, I was aware of the coronavirus, which was something my students often joked about. For instance, if a child was out sick one day, the students would say the he or she had coronavirus, and everyone would laugh about it. It was funny to them at this time, because the virus was something that was mostly contained to places outside of the United States, and everyone thought it was preposterous that there was so much speculation about it on the news. My students engaged in speculation as well, and many of them concluded that it was actually a big cover-up for a zombie plague, and they would try to determine if I or their peers were also zombies in disguise. I recall hearing them laugh about it in the class, and I especially recall the return of one of our students to class after she had been out from the flu. I remember them asking her if she was a zombie, or if she had eaten bats before she got sick (remember, these are middle-school kids). Winter passed pretty much as usual, and cases began to occur in the US early in 2020. It was still seen as no big deal, generally. In March, we started to hear news stories about the virus in Winston-Salem. Some people claimed to know people who knew people who were related to someone with the disease in Greensboro. More and more cases began to appear, but it still seemed like something distant to us. Gradually, the sickness moved from Greensboro to Winston-Salem. I caught a cold in March, and by the end of the day on a Wednesday, I was feeling pretty bad. I told my many bosses that I would be out of work on Thursday, and on Thursday evening, I called out again. The first day that I was out sick, the school district had decided to close down the schools until further notice, starting the next day. I never got the chance to tell my kids goodbye, which was very painful, as we were all close and we had such a good experience in my class. Today, in October of 2020, I still haven’t seen any of them, as my school district is currently closed for in-person school. I wish very badly that I had the opportunity to say goodbye to them. Those are the events as they occurred chronologically. I will now recall the sounds that constitute my memory of the time. To begin with, my school is loud—our students are beyond unruly. I can recall the sounds of the end of a regular school day: raucous laughter, shouting, cursing, threats, insults, loud rap music, and the sound of me flipping the switch to cut off the overhead lights as we prepared to exit the classroom and make our way to the school buses. Then comes the sound of the announcements overhead, which no one can hear over the students, then the prolonged loud and dull tone of the "bell" which signals the beginning of the stampede to the buses. A chorus of shouts raises immediately—a proclamation of victory and freedom. It is exuberant. What follows is hundreds of footsteps on linoleum tiles, backpacks shuffling as kids adjust them on their backs, more yelling, screaming, and swearing, the sounds of an occasional "runner," who knocks the other students down to get to the buses, a teacher shrilly, piercingly yelling at him to go back and "try again", and reminding him that "you will not go up these stairs unless you can walk up them!," a muttered "f---you, b----," from a male voice that is just about to begin deepening as he turns around to try again, and so on until we get to the buses, load those kids up, and ship them out. Going to my car every day after work is over, my ears ring as I sit in the silence of my car with the doors shut before starting the engine and making my way home. I often sit for just a minute or two and enjoy the silence before departing, but the ringing in my ears gets uncomfortably loud, and I finally turn the car on and leave. When I go back to school on the Monday following my sick leave, the difference is remarkable. The school district has instructed us to come in safely, get whatever we need from our classroom that we require to work at home, and leave as soon as possible. Teachers are strictly instructed to only walk directly to and from their classrooms to their vehicles, not to visit with their friends, etc. Everyone is in their classroom, working quietly. The only sounds I hear as I walk down the halls to my room are the hum of overhead fluorescent lighting and my heels striking the linoleum tiles, echoing off the walls and rows of lockers. I hear my key turn in the lock of my classroom door, the flick of the switch to on, more humming fluorescent lights. Shuffling papers and sliding metal desk drawers and file cabinets come next. With a handful of papers in my arms (I travel light), I cut off the lights—the humming stops—and my heels strike the linoleum tiles until I open the exit door, walk across the parking lot, and leave. This time, the silence of my car is nothing extraordinary. Gone are the shouts, the yelled jokes, the subsequent laughter, the retaliatory swearing. Also gone are the kids coming up to me to just say "hey," do one of the complex handshake rituals we have worked out, and to ask me if they can have a dollar for a cookie in the cafeteria, which is a request that I have obliged so often that I will count it as a charitable donation on this year's tax return. On that last day in the school building, there was no sound of a kid coming up to me to tell me how well he did in last night's basketball game, and how poorly his best friend did by comparison, or a girl walking up to tell me that an unpopular teacher has once again worn ugly clothes to work, and that her shoes don't match either—middle school students pay a lot of attention to these things. Put simply, those are all happy sounds. They are the sounds of kids doing what kids do in 2020, saying the things that they say, and teachers managing the best they can. The sound of kids coming up to me to talk are the sounds of acceptance—acceptance of a teacher into their lives, who is usually the categorical enemy of the student. I'm glad to be an exception. These are the pre-Covid sounds. What follows conveys emptiness. The sound of echoing footsteps rebounding from the walls demonstrates how vacant the hallways are. The fact that I can hear the overhead lights hum is amazing in its novelty. The chatter of students is all gone, the desks, empty. For a teacher who loves his students, the sounds that follow the March arrival of the pandemic are the sounds of loneliness.
• 
  2020-03

  Time to Complete a Decade-Old Project

  We had just moved from Fort Bragg (Fayetteville), North Carolina, to Eglin Air Force Base (Destin), Florida, when my husband learned he was deploying to Afghanistan this past January. Usually, when my husband deploys, I have work to occupy my time, but I did not find a teaching job when we moved. I decided to return to my hometown of Kane, Pennsylvania during my husband’s deployment. When the pandemic started, I decided to fix up a one-hundred-year-old table left in my sister’s house by the previous owner. I made my sister keep this table in her basement for ten years, with the promise that one day I would take it with me. It only took a deployment and a pandemic to get me started on this project. I figured working on the table would be an excellent way to pass the time since I could no longer visit old friends due to the pandemic. I started working on the table in my sister’s basement armed with paint scrapers, wire brushes, CitriStrip, Mineral Spirits, and an acrid-smelling varnish remover. CitriStrip smells like oranges, and that is not a bad smell to have to permeate your sister’s house for days; however, the other varnish remover was not as nose-friendly. It smelt so bad that one could say that I was using biological terrorism on my family. Imagine ten thousand girls removing their nail polish at the same time with acetone, and you have some idea of the smell. It did not take long for my sister to kick me out of my (almost warm) basement work area, and I began to work on the table in the frigid temperatures of my parent’s garage where the smell of chemicals would not reach inside. Pennsylvania is not very warm in March, and I could never get warm, especially when I was using acetone. Acetone evaporates quickly, and as a result, it kept my hands cold. Also, I found that the acetone melted my latex gloves, and that made matters worse. My hands were always dry. Removing the old varnish was laborious, and I am still not sure if it was varnish that coated the table. Research led me to believe that it might be shellac or a type of wax, and when I scraped the layers off, everything turned into a goopy mess. As I scraped each layer of the varnish off the table, I could begin to see more of the table’s features. I began to see the scorch marks from the saw, a mark where the previous owner left a paint can, and I could see the beautiful wood hiding underneath. Finally, it was time to sand. When you are sanding wood, you start with large grain sandpaper, and you work your way to finer sandpaper. I used both an electric sander and a hand sander. The electric sander made my hands numb, but the hand sander was time-consuming. As I wiped the sawdust away from the table, I felt accomplished. Now the table is a treasured part of our new home in Monterey CA; in fact, I am writing this paper on it right now. *This is the story of someone finally getting around to refurbishing an old table.
• 
  2020-10-08

  Is this our future?

  I look at this photo of my granddaughter wearing a mask and cannot help but think this might be her future. When I was her age, we did not have to worry about such horrible things like a deadly virus taking lives locally and globally. But if this is to be her future, then it will be second nature to her, because she will have grown up with it. I still find it hard to believe that my granddaughter at three years old, and my three grandsons have fallen in line with the protocol of changes this pandemic has brought to our doorstep and what they now have to endure. Sure, they may have some complaints about missing their friends. Who wouldn’t? But in today’s world, we have the luxury to still communicate through technology. I am not saying it replaces social interactions, but it does keep us connected to our friends and family, which is so crucial in all aspects of our lives. They did have a choice to attend school physically or virtually; they chose to take classes online. By staying inside and only going out when necessary, they are protecting themselves and others. The rest of the world needs to understand how serious Covid-19 is, and I know so many do. But some still do not believe it is real or that serious. Some of those people I know personally, and it drives me insane! But do you blame them when every day you see in the media many high-profile political leaders stand in front of the camera before the masses and make fun of other high profile politicians for following the CDC Covid-19 protocol so as not to spread the virus? What examples are they setting? There is no respect shown for those who have lost family and friends or those infected with Covid-19. Why are we told not to worry the virus is not that bad when thousands have and still are leaving this world because of being infected with the virus. So, it is no wonder this type of influence has caused such unrest between officials trying to control the virus and those fighting against them. Here in NC, the populous are fighting our governor on closing the doors of different establishments, such as retail stores, restaurants, salons, non-essential establishments, churches, etc., when the pandemic is at its highest. If the virus has leveled and not spiking, he will go into one of the softer phases, more lenient to the establishments and all in lockdown. What is surprising and so disappointing is in so many church leaders' attitudes—how they have handled the pandemic from the very beginning. You can expect a lot of rebellion from some of the retail industry, restaurants, clubs, and so on. But when you witness on the news a church with its community, not following the Covid-19 protocol, passionately holding a rally against the governor’s mandates, you wonder what the logic really is behind their actions. Apparently, it is not about spreading the virus. It is disturbing, like a scene from a bad movie; it is so unbelievable. It confuses me because we learned in church to love and care for one another. Still, these churches' leaders chose to sue the governor, instead of protecting the parishioners and others from a worldwide pandemic, leading by setting a good example. The virus hit the state hard. The governor mandated the closing of all church doors. He did not have a sinister plan to take people's rights away. The governor is desperately trying to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and asking the cooperation from NC. Once all settled and under control, the doors will open to the churches as well to life itself. The churches' leaders are not thinking of their people's wellbeing or the rest of the world when a virus of this proportion is spreading worse than the flu. The leaders of the churches that are suing are causing unrest between their congregation and the governor. They should be following the guidelines set by the governor and the CDC by using new and inventive ideas to service and protect their communities from getting through these difficult times. Some religious communities are coming together and putting their brains to work, coming up with creative ways to continue to carry on their religious traditions. Documentaries have shown religious organizations across the globe, organizing ways to continue their spiritual practice and rituals. Friends have shared their experiences of what their churches are providing for them to keep the connection of faith alive. These stories are refreshing and give me hope, but it does not make up for the injustice because a federal judge overruled the governor's mandate and opened the doors. So, are we mixing religion with the government? I am so proud of my grandchildren for understanding and being more compliant with this horrific pandemic than the adults we see on social media. If one has true faith, one can worship anywhere because my understanding is the god these parishioners believe in would accept praise and worship from anywhere - not exclusively a church. The question is, who really has the power and who has always driven that power?
• 
  2020-10-07

  Lifelong Mental Illness and the Pandemic

  Mental Health is stigmatized, especially in the United States. How does the Pandemic effect someone who had lifelong mental illness before Covid-19?
• 
  2020-08-21

  A Fluid Jail Cell

  The story I uploaded is my personal story about how my family and I handled the pandemic. A lot of what is on the news are extreme cases and I wanted to share that although these last months have sucked I have had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing community supporting each other and helping each other stay safe.
• 
  2020-08-10

  The Heart of Fuquay-Varina

  All of the small businesses in downtown Fuquay-Varina, a small town south or Raleigh, NC, painted hundreds of hearts on their windows while they were closed during COVID. It brought a sense of togetherness for the entire town while we were all isolated at home.
• 
  March 27, 2020

  From 24/7 to 24/3

  During these times of quarantine and working from home, it feels like every day is the weekend. It can be hard for some to keep track of time, unaware of what day it is. Instead of stating a specific day such as Monday or Friday etc, the creator plays with this concept and says that yesterday, today, and tomorrow is currently the way to keep track of time.Original text: Due to Corona, we officially have three days of the week 1. Yesterday 2. Today 3. Tomorrow
• 
  2020-04-05

  Coloring Sheet

  Coloring has been therapeutic during COVID-19. Charlotte, NC-based artist Stephen Wilson distributed a coloring book over email and social media to encourage everyone during this time.
• 
  2020-07-10

  Alexis Walker Oral History 2020/07/10

  Alexis Walker grew up in Southern California but is currently living in Fayetteville, NC while her husband is stationed at Fort Bragg. Alexis is currently a full-time mom and a full-time graduate student in Arizona State University’s online History M.A. program. Alexis’s day-to-day life is mostly centered around her family and the social life of the family is heavily centered around the military community of Fort Bragg. In this interview Alexis reflects on her experiences as a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that has affected the way she cares for her children. Alexis also provides a unique insight to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of military members, their families, and the military community as a whole. With the stop movement order issued by the military, the lives of Alexis and her family have essentially been put on hold until the military decides to relax this movement and travel restriction. Finally, Alexis reflects on the varying responses to the pandemic within a community made up of great diversity due to the varying cultural backgrounds of military families.
• 
  2020-07-10

  Freed From Prison, Dead from COVID-19, Not Even Counted

  The Butner prison complex in North Carolina is also a medical facility. Basically a prison that is set up to take care of inmates with chronic illness and disease, like cancer, etc. This facility has so mismanaged the covid pandemic that the few people being released early in an attempt to slow the spread were released, only to find out they already had covid and died after boarding planes to travel home.
• 
  2020-06-10

  Gay Pride Flag at Amazon Warehouse during Covid-19

  This photograph shows that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts to continue the Civil Rights movement via the LGBTQ+ movement is still continuing, even in the work place.
• 
  2020-06-06T17:53

  Black Lives Matter Rally Concord, NC June 6th, 2020

  I was driving through downtown and noticed a section was blocked off and then I saw that it was infact a Black Lives Matter Rally. So, I pulled over and walked up to the rally to check it out and to talk to people and see what their views were on the issue.
• 
  2020-05-29

  Grocery Store Worker Still Wears Lipstick Under Her Mask

  My brother-in-law is a grocery-store worker in Texas. As the numbers of positive Covid cases rise, he continues to go to work. He believes in his heart that his work is important and that he is an essential worker. Jobs previously overlooked such as truckers, grocery store workers, or waste management, Now Americans are celebrating these workers.
• 
  2020-06-04

  Couple Gets Engaged During North Carolina Protest

  The country had many protests in June. Some were violent, but most were peaceful. There has never been such a large civil rights movement in our history. One particularly touching story is the story of a man who admired his girlfriend's commitment and action so much, he knew that he wanted to marry her. I guess he was considering marriage because he happened to have a ring in his pocket. So he got down on one knee and asked the big question. She said yes behind her face mask. She is pregnant and they call their child "Baby Batman" and plan to marry in September 2021.
• 
  2020-05-09

  Crabtree Mall Reopening

  The Crabtree Valley Mall was starting to reopen after over a month of being closed due to COVID-19.
• 
  2020-03-13

  Empty Shelves at Target

  When I went to Target to get Clorox wipes for my team, I saw the empty shelves of what should be products. It's important to record the item shortages and panic buying
• 
  2020-06-19

  Juneteenth Prompts Voter Registration in Black Communities

  The recent protests and Black Lives Matter Movement have sparked America's interest in promoting Black culture and historical events. One such event, Juneteenth Day, has captured the attention of many people. Juneteenth celebrates the day when the slaves in Texas were freed by incoming Union soldiers who were enforcing the Emancipation Procaliamtion Executive Order while also stating that the Civil War has ended (June 19th, 1865). Juneteenth was primarily celebrated in Texas until it spread to other cities and states during the 20th century. This was especially true during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Men and women who had participated in the Poor People's March on Washington D.C. began to host Juneteenth celebrations when they eventually went back to their respective states and cities. Today, Juneteenth "celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while [also] encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures." One way African American organizations have promoted this 'self-development' is through voter-registration. In Navassa, a large black community near Wilmington, NC, two organizations have come together to do just this. As the news article states, "Women with [social sororities] Alpha Psi Omega Chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha are sponsoring [a] three-day...voter-registration drive." People who come to this event are required to wear face masks and maintain a 6ft distance between themselves and others at all times. Although the Coronavirus has negatively impacted the Black communities in America, this Juneteenth Day will hopefully incite a rise in black-voter-registration and raise awareness for this important day in history.
• 
  2020-06-10

  Petition to Change a Park's Name During the Pandemic

  Even though the pandemic still lingers, the world is pressing on to combat other issues. The recent protests have reawoken the subject of racism in America. I believe the pandemic has afforded us with a unique situation where the nation has more time to discuss this issue at large. Plus, a lot more people have participated in those protests because they are either working from home or have lost their jobs, unfortunately. With all this additional time, people have sought to make changes to promote a more welcoming environment for the black community in many towns and cities. Thousands of residents in Wilmington, NC, have already begun a petition to make such a change. One of the city's most popular parks was named after Hugh MacRae. This man co-lead the plan to overthrow Wilmington's local government. While doing this, his group also demolished a black-owned newspaper office and killed/injured many African Americans. This event became notoriously known as the 1898 Wilmington Massacre. Over 8,000 people have already signed a petition to change the park's name. An interview by WECT News I watched today really struck me. The woman, who was a peaceful protester, had been asked why she thought changing the name of the park was necessary. She told the news anchor that "'I grew up there, I had birthday parties there, and it was always a terrible reminder of the history of Wilmington and having that park, a public park be named after somebody of such vile reputation is shocking and it’s a shame that although Wilmington acknowledged its history it does not do more and be more proactive to make a change.'" The legacy that this man and his mob caused has continued to negatively affect the black community in Wilmington. Renaming that park could lead to a reconciliation of the past in the present day. The reintroduction of the issue of racism and Black Lives Matter might not have been as impactful as it was if the pandemic had not occurred in the first place. Having people at home watching TV (especially the news), helped garnered the attention it needed to begin the movement again.
• 
  2020-06-03

  Information on Covid in Both English and Spanish

  This is a photograph of informational signage outside of the Civic Center in Clinton, North Carolina. The sign is written in both English and Spanish, illustrating how the Clinton was making information accessible to its diverse population.
• 
  2020-05-31

  Order Adopting Citywide Curfew During State of Emergency

  This order, written by city mayor Lew Starling, declares that as of March 18, the city of Clinton will be placed under a curfew from 8pm-6am until June 1 due to both Covid-19 and the presence of peaceful demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd
• 
  2020-05-31

  Curfew Declaration for the City of Clinton

  Following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the neighboring city, Fayetteville, the city of Clinton declared a curfew starting at 8pm
• 
  2020-03-10

  Sampson County Executive Order

  This is a copy of the executive order given by Governor Roy Cooper which declared a state of emergency for the state of North Carolina due to Covid-19 as well as Sampson County's compliance with that declaration.
• 
  2020-04-17

  Locally Displayed Photos of High School Graduates

  These images of graduates from Hobbton Highschool were hung on display around town for everyone to celebrate their accomplishment, together.
• 
  2020-06-07

  The New Age After Covid-19

  This picture indicates the strong measures put into place by businesses to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. We couldn't enter the cafe unless we had a face mask on.
• 
  2020-05-08

  Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribe Plans to Reopen Casino on May 18

  “With North Carolina starting to ease restrictions, Harrah’s has announced it too will begin with its first phase of reopening. In a press release, the company said that extensive health and safety precautions will be in place.”
• 
  2020-04-18

  Toilet Paper Aisle in Walgreens- Waxhaw, NC

  The toilet paper aisle at a Walgreens in Waxhaw, North Carolina with only one package of toilet paper left
• 
  2020-05-08

  NC Department of Health and Human Services: Corona Virus Guidance for Persons Under Investigation.

  I am a young Asthmatic woman and I was was sent to the emergency room today to be tested for COVID-19. This image is a photograph of paperwork I was given upon discharge from the ER. The paperwork itself was written by the NC Department of Health and Human Services on March 16, 2020. It was put in my hands on 5/8/2020
• 
  2020-05-05

  African American Covid-19 cases in Southern States.

  It shows that the African American population is getting hit hard by this disease in the South, even though they are less of the population
• 2020-05

  NC State Parks status during COVID-19 pandemic

  how many state parks in the state of North Carolina are closed due to covid-19
• 2020-05-01

  Walgreens launches coronavirus drive-thru testing site in Durham

  An article describing a new drive-thru testing site in Durham, NC run by Walgreens.
• 
  2020-04-03

  Enjoying Spring at the Park

  This image was taken by me on one if my walks around a local park. I have been going to this park since I was three years old. Ever since the stay-at-home order was give for NC at the end of March I have noticed a much greater diversity in the demographics of people who visit the park.Traditionally the park would be populated by younger children, around elementary and middle school aged, along with young parents and their children. Now people of all types and ages frequent the park in an attempt to help normalize and adjust the the changes caused by the pandemic. Something I never expected to enjoy while going to the park is being able to see so many different people playing happily and making the best of the situation. Seeing others adjusting to the pandemic, in a way helps me accept the normalization of the changing social dynamics that have been created.
• 2020-04-30

  Life isn't fair and that's okay

  College student's perspective on senior year ending during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-24

  Governor Roy Cooper's Three Phase Plan for Lifting COVID-19 Restrictions for North Carolina

  Powerpoint presentation of North Carolina's progress through the COVID-19 pandemic, and outline of the metrics needed for three-phase progression of lifting restrictions on public activity
• 
  2020-04-15

  My Brother Playing Beat Saber on the Oculus VR Headset

  Since COVID-19 is forcing people to stay indoors and isolate from others, I have had the opportunity to spend more time with my family. Every night, we try to eat dinner together and do something as a group, whether we watch a movie or play a game. The other evening my brother, Joshua, elected that we play a game on his Oculus VR headset. We played a game called Beat Saber. In the game different colored blocks come flying towards you and you have to hit them, following the beat of the song playing in the background. This proved to be a fun way for us to get together and hang out. I will say that if you ever elect to play this game be prepared for sore arms the next day. It is definitely a workout. Even though COVID-19 has disrupted everyone’s plans, don’t let it stop you from hanging out with loved ones (at home). I was really frustrated when I had to leave college and come back home, but I’ve actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Even though I miss being in class and seeing my friends, it is nice to finally have some time that I can spend with my family.
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  2020-03-26

  Social Distancing Powwow

  One example pulled from hundreds of how powwow dancers are dealing with the pandemic by sharing their social distancing powwow videos to stay connected. The gathering of people at powwows may be disrupted, but the chain remains unbroken. #IndigenousStories
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  2020-03-29

  Wiped Out Bulk Cereal

  Shoppers wiped out the bulk cereal aisle at Walmart in Belmont, North Carolina.
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  2020-03-29

  Stay Six Feet Back

  A sign at the Walmart in Belmont, North Carolina, warns to stay six feet back from the shopper ahead of you, demonstrating how corporations that still operate for "essential needs" are making moves to protect their shoppers.
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  2020-03-29

  Rationing at Walmart in Belmont, NC

  Walmart in Belmont, North Carolina hangs signs in the toilet paper aisle limiting people to how many products they can purchase at once. They state: “we respectfully ask you to limit your purchase to 1 per item.”
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  2020-03-29

  Empty Shelves at Walmart, Belmont, NC

  Empty toilet paper and paper towel shelves at the Belmont, North Carolina Walmart. Many shoppers persist in getting their groceries and still gather items that they deemed essential and chose not to wear masks.
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  2020-04-08

  Cases rising in NC.

  In the triangle of counties in North Carolina, there have been 38 new cases of COVID-19. This means that North Carolina overall has over 3,000 cases as of April 1st, 2020. North Carolina has been at a stay-at-home order since March 30th. The attachment is a map created by David Raynor and specifies where the most abundant cases are located in North Carolina. This has caused great concern, like North Carolina, and many other places, are having shortages of essentials, such as bread, water, milk, and toilet paper. Grocery stores are limiting customers inside the store, and people are waiting over 3 hours to get their groceries.
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  2020-04-02

  Americans return from quarantine in Peru, appalled at lack of precautions in U.S.

  Two Wilmington couples were quarantined for two weeks, and finally made it home just days ago. When they did finally make it back, they were even more surprised to see the lack of precautions people were taking in the U.S.
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  2020-04-04

  Empty community gathering space, Weaver Street Market, Carrboro, NC

  This is a picture of a popular outdoor community gathering space in front of Weaver St. Market, a local co-op grocery, in Carrboro, NC. On any other beautiful Saturday morning, the tables pictured here would be crowded with people -- visiting, eating, drinking, working. Children would be running around, people would be walking by on the way to the nearby farmers' market. This is one of the busiest central gathering spots in Carrboro -- a small village adjoining Chapel Hill, NC, the home of the University of North Carolina. To see it vacant on what was a gorgeous, warm, spring Saturday is a breathtaking reminder of what coronavirus and its associated stay-at-home orders are doing to our beloved town and our lives together.