Items

• 
  2021-10-14

  Alone

  When travel restrictions were lifted, did you take a trip? If so, where did you go and why? What are your memories of this trip? Were there any continuing COVID-19 restrictions in place? Once the Pandemic restrictions were eased, not necessarily lifted, my family and I traveled to northern Arizona, southern Nevada, southern California, and Korea. During the Pandemic, life continued on as normal for me, not so much for my spouse. I was a social worker who continued to do home visits. My spouse was an elementary educator who was able to work from home. Life during the early-, and mid-stages of the Pandemic was busy, and it felt like we were going full-speed ahead - faster than before the Pandemic. Traveling has always been my family's go-to experience; however, the Pandemic halted travel as the areas we usually go to, road trips to California, or flying to Korea, were off-limits. Once restrictions were eased, we immediately traveled to those areas to get away. Restrictions were still present, mask mandates required us to wear masks in California, and Korea. One of the memorable moments was wearing a mask for a lift, a 14-hour flight, to Korea with a one-year-old who constantly wanted to pull the mask off. Lastly, the most memorable moment throughout the whole trip to California and then off to Korea was the feeling that we were always alone, during the day or night, everything felt like a ghost town.
• 
  2020-05-20

  LaGuardia’s Ghost Town

  For my primary source, I selected a photograph I took of the gate house area in LaGuardia Airport in mid March of 2020. In the picture it shows several employees, sitting around doing nothing at all, the whole airport was a “ghost town”, meaning there were no passengers to assist with there tickets and gate claims, or any questions in general. During this time we were all nervous, not just nervous about COVID-19 and from the horrific scenes in the news, but also as an 11 year veteran in the airline industry, our jobs were on the line because of the decrease in flying, fear of flying, and the travel restrictions of no flying. With the airline burning 35 million dollars a day how can they pay 80,000 employees system wide I told myself. The airline soon told us system wide that it’s recommended we take a leave of absence at least a year with no pay to save the company or else there would be cuts, not including the 25% cut in our salary we took already. All week I was on the phone with my work partner talking everyday trying to figure what’s the plan. All these thoughts came racing three my head. What are we going to do? Do you think we will be fired or let go since we have seniority? Why I didn’t finish college 13 years ago and became lawyer or something. My job made us an offer, hey said take the year off with no pay, and your still have flying benefits for you and your family as always, and you will still have full medical benefits and we will pay your medical as well. After talking with my family, my fiancé, my partner from work, I decided on March 26th 2020, I was going to take the leave of absence. A whole year later April 26th of 2021 I finally came back to work full time, and the airport passenger count is starting to increase. The reason why I seated this primary source is because I would like historians to know the insides that us airline employees faced during these challenging times. I know many airline companies asked Congress for help in payroll support for the employees which majority of them did get including us, but we never saw that payroll support, nor did they call us back Early to work since they got some kind of support from the government, instead that money went in the stock market, and for bonuses to the CEO, and managers in the company. While I am happy and very fortunate to be back at work, it was very challenging as I’m sure it was for everyone, but one good thing that came out of it, 13 years later, a year ago from today. I was able to join the family of bronx community college, and focus on my education while I was off.
• 
  2020-11-07

  Coronavirus in Las Vegas

  Covid-19 has affected everyone in the world, and the city of Las Vegas is not an exception. Las Vegas is considered to be a major tourism spot yet no one is here. Coronavirus did not just impact tourists, but locals as well. Seeing our city empty and looking like a ghost town is sad and it feels like our sparkle is gone. Although they are being empty because it is for our good to remain distant from others during these harsh times, it is still terrible to see our city empty and eerie. When we think of Las Vegas we think about the huge crowds at the strip, the casinos filled with people gambling or watching shows. Now the city that never sleeps is now an empty place that does not look like the city we know and love. Fichtel, C. (2020, April 22). Las Vegas workers push back after mayor's call to reopen casinos and hotels. Retrieved November 07, 2020, from https://news.yahoo.com/las-vegas-workers-push-back-022132572.html?guccounter=1
• 
  2020-02-28

  Abandoned Playground

  In this photo caution tape was put up around the playground to prevent any kids from going onto it as well as a sign that said that the playground was closed due to the corona virus. Generally during that time of the year (the spring) the playground is always inhabited with children and families. Usually in the afternoon, kids from the school behind it always played on it. The shutting down of schools and effort to prevent the spread of germs caused this playground to be also be shut down. It felt weird to me when I walked past the playground and the basketball court that was next to it, to see nobody there and it reminded my family of a ghost town. We walk past that playground almost every day and to see in empty was a weird and eerie sight.
• 
  2020-03-20

  [UNTITLED]

  The image shows how seriously Covid-19 is being taken. A city that is constantly filled with people looks like a ghost town.
• 
  05/06/2020

  Joslyn Barragan Oral History, 2020/05/06

  This recording is the life changes I have had to go through due to COVID 19. Not only has my life changed but American society as well. This health crisis has brought lots of fear to lose in high risk of being affected. So staying at home has become the new normal for me and most Americans. #CSUS #HIST15H
• 
  2020-04-28

  REL Arizona State University Ghost Town

  I work at the Sun Devil Card Office a the Memorial Union on the ASU campus. These are the signs that are on every door of the MU that has been closed. Usually, the Memorial Union is filled with people at the food court, dining hall, or just studying, but now there is nobody but the 10 employees that still clean/ roam the building. The virus has made this lively campus a ghost town. Students and faculty haven't been on the campus since spring break. This shows you just how serious this pandemic is. Usually, around this time, students would be studying for finals in the MU or the library, but now there is no one studying here.
• 
  2020-03-22

  No Street Traffic, Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans

  Typically bustling with activity, Carrollton Avenue is quiet in the middle of the day due to the pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-14

  Food Traffic

  The Economist reports that residents of cities affected by covid-19 heeded advice to stay at home during the week of March 4th through March 11th.