Items

• 
  2022-05-04

  Families during COVID

  A popular narrative across several media platforms is that Covid-19 brought together families. Thanks to Covid-19, we were forced to gain a new sense of appreciation for our family and those dearest to us. Not only that, but it forced us to spend more time with our families away from digital technology, work, and other factors that strained family relationships. For the most part, this is true. Lockdown and quarantine forced us to reflect. However, the extent to which this was true is questionable. When you think of essential and frontline workers the first thing that comes to mind are health care employees such as doctors or nurses, however, a subcategory that often gets overlooked are those important for the continuous function of our economy and society. This includes individuals who operate and work in food and agriculture, transportation, education, public work, general merchandise, maintenance, janitors, etc. While a majority of the world was shutting away at home, making use of the additional time they have with their family, this wasn’t possible for certain people. Specifically parents who were forced to continue working during chaotic and fear fueled moments. At extreme cases, some parents weren’t present at all at home because of Covid. In my case, both my parents were extremely absent during the beginning of lockdown. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to. With lockdown in course, my mother and sister were not able to return home, getting stuck in another country for over five months or so. The process to return was not easy. There were all these requirements that needed to be met that were not available and or accessible in El Salvador, a third world country struggling as it is to have some form of control over the virus. When we thought she would be able to return, then El Salvador initiated their lockdown. It became this back and forth cycle of possibility and hope of having our family together, healthy and safe. My father on the other hand had to continue showing up to work, working ridiculous hours. When the whole world including my father was consumed by fear and confusion, there was no room to process and plan. My father, an employee of a multinational beverage corporation, experienced no change in his routine. On the contrary, besides wearing a mask, everything remained the same; crowded working spaces, no social distancing, etc. My sisters and I questioned why he continued to go to work knowing the danger that posses to not only his health and safety but also ours. His reason was “because the world doesn’t stop. There are still expenses and bills to pay regardless so not showing up is not an option.” This made me question just how many parents continue to work because they need the money to survive, especially at the beginning of the pandemic when many businesses were taking advantage of the short supply of items such as disinfecting spray, wipes, toilet paper, etc. and committing price gouging, knowing people were desperate for such things. That being said, stories as such continue to expose the disproportionate disadvantages that many low income communities and working classes face. Not only that but the additional strains placed on several families because of Covid and just how important resource and accessibility is.
• 
  2020-03-06

  Food and House Supply Shortage

  When the pandemic first started people were out of control buying food and house supplies. There was a shortage on meat and the price rose up to an unreasonable price. Not only that the people were buying all the toilet paper. Like whom would have thought we will run out of toilet paper.
• 
  03/13/2020

  Bare toilet paper shelves at Walmart in Mesa Riverview

  Complete shelf is empty on both sides