Items

• 2020-05-04

  The Burdens of Online Classes

  Hi everyone, As I write this I feel as if this is like a time capsule that future generations will see or read and learn about our experience. For me, it goes like this, my name is Vianney Ruiz and I am a student Tempe's Arizona State University, I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering as well as French. Why French you ask? I seem to have a passion for languages, but I can't just study French so I decided to combine it with Engineering. Now I am back in Texas, I had to give up my new job as an ambassador for Microsoft and online classes do not live up to the standards that universities say they do. On the other hand, it is me who has the problem, why can't I seem to live up to my own standards when I appear to have more time on my hands? Did I have a class in ten minutes? It is one hour past the time. How could I have forgotten? I reminded myself ten minutes before class. I tell myself there is nothing to be done, I simply send an apology email to my professor. I go on with my day, when suddenly I panic did I have a quiz today? I hurry to Canvas. Phew, I am good, no problem. On other days it's, oh no I missed th quiz. I read the announcement, told myself I had a quiz, why did I forget? Once again sends email apologizing to the professor and even decide to ask for a retake. The professor replies back granting me the permission to retake it. Oh, thank God, I feel such relief. Now, what about my C++ class? I was having so many problems with the professor's teaching style before, how will I do it now? I decide to contact my fellow classmates and see if we can work together on assignments. They say yes, I feel relieved. How will I do my final project? This is something I have to do alone. I ask my dad if any of his co-workers if they have any experience with coding. He says he will ask. The next day he forgets, what will I do? Should someone do it for me? No, that's not like me, I will do my best and assume responsibility. Finally, my dad remembers to ask, someone, contacts me, do I know arrays, vectors, structures? I do not know how to answer. I answer honestly, I laugh at myself and say, my current professor, is a student himself, he has a long way in his teaching career, he went over them, but I found it hard to understand him.
• 
  2020-04-27

  Finished my first semester of grad school amid a global pandemic

  Juggling grad school and a full time job hasn't been easy. The outbreak of Covid-19 made this a more difficult task, as I work at a school and teaching was shifted to an online format within a matter of days notice. It often feels that things have been moving so quickly that I haven't had time to fully comprehend them. Nonetheless, I must take note of some of the accomplishments along the way, such as finishing my first semester of grad school at Arizona State University. 10 monographs, some dozen scholarly papers, and two major papers I feel both relief and a sense of accomplishment.
• 
  2020-03-15

  Navajo and Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund Established

  Thousands of donors contribute to relief fund set up with the goal of raising $1 million to assist the Navajo and Hopi Nations during the pandemic. #IndigenousStories
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  2020-04-02

  Legacy Program Emergency Relief Fund, Preservation Hall, New Orleans, LA

  The COVID-19 virus has necessitated the closure of Preservation Hall and all music venues in New Orleans for the foreseeable future. Due to these cancellations, our musical collective faces an unprecedented challenge without work, with the growing health risk in New Orleans and indefinite economic uncertainties for all musicians and those tied to the tourism and entertainment industries. To address these challenges, the Preservation Hall Foundation has launched the Legacy Program Emergency Relief Fund to assist our musical collective affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Legacy Program Emergency Fund assists the 61 musicians to be used towards medical expenses, lodging, food, and other vital living expenses due to illness or loss of work. While we hope the health risk is short term, the economic impact will have lasting repercussions. Today, we are marshaling all of our resources towards caring for our musical collective and helping them weather this crisis. It's vital that we get resources into their hands immediately in order to meet their critical needs. The mission of the Preservation Hall Foundation is to protect, preserve and perpetuate New Orleans music. None of that would be possible without our cherished collective of musicians who play, teach, create, compose, entertain and enrich our lives on a daily basis. Jazz musicians are experts at improvising. We'll get through this with your help. Please join us in helping our musical collective and ensuring the protection of our vital culture in New Orleans.
• 
  2020-04-10

  I Used to Think Taking Off My Bra Was the Best Part of the Day - Meme

  an image of a surgical face mask with the words "I used to think taking off my bra was the best part of my day... But taking off my mask is 100x better!" Shared by a healthcare worker (with a private account) on Twitter.
• 
  03/24/2020

  Animal Crossing Review - NPR

  While I do not personally own the console to play this game, everyone of my gaming friends have been playing Animal Crossing during this time. This opinion/review piece describes the appeal of the game in this moment of indoor isolation.
• 
  2020-03-31

  Fund to Support New Orleans Cultural Community

  While there are several efforts to provide assistance to New Orleans musicians, gig workers, and other cultural community members up and running, many musicians, artists, street performers, and traditional culture bearers are still struggling to access resources due to lack of documentation, awareness, capacity limitations, or other roadblocks. MaCCNO is committed to helping all members of our cultural community get access to needed resources during this unprecedented challenge.
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  2020-03-26

  AIA MA Letter to Governor Baker

  Letter written by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Institute of Architects r to Governor Baker of Massachusetts asking for in cases where a construction project is designated an essential business the architecture firm also be designated an essential business. #HIST5241
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  2020-03-26

  Rechaco Crisis Response

  Instagram announcement from Chaco Footwear: In response to the pandemic crisis at hand, Chaco is retrofitting our ReChaco factory operations to aid in the prototyping and production of protective masks. #HIST5241