Items

• 2020-05

  Sick, Broke and Stuck at Home

  This Is a story about my being at home during covid-19 endemic May 2020. By this point, we were 2 months into lice living with a pandemic in America. Things were not progressing as people thought it should have been. And on top of going through the pandemic, there was a racial war going on. So, Not only was I dealing with being a human being and trying not to get sick Or get my mom, my little brother who is only 5 years old sick, but I was also struggling with being a black woman in America. A black woman with black parents, two black fathers, and a black mother and brother. I was scared to death every day. I hope they're dying because of the pandemic or dying because of my skin. It's still a story is still a feeling that I go through every day. It is December now, but I have a little more hope because of higher beings that I'm hoping and putting a little faith in doing what we need them to do to better our country. Now the name of my story is sick broken at home because, during May 2020, I was all of those things. I was not because of the pandemic, but because I had crazy allergy attacks, I was allergic to something I didn't know I was allergic to, and I think I was just mentally sick. My anxiety was at an all-time high. I was depressed, and on top of the fact I was home with a younger brother who is also autistic, and although he is high-functioning, there are times where he just doesn't understand like most kids don't know what they're going through and why the world is now changing so fast. And having to deal with adult anxiety while also dealing with child anxiety and having to pinch pennies because the government hadn't given me the money I had applied for and been approved for. It was all depressing, and while I am blessed to say that none of my family members who got covid died, it was so scary to know how drastic you could be. Now I know I don't know for a fact if I had to live in there was a point in February where I had gotten very sick and my stepdad had gotten very ill as well to the where we self-quarantine to not get my mother and my brother sick. I had never felt so bad in my life, and I've been very ill for four to the point where I couldn't get out of bed, and whatever flu I had was worse than that. And not three, four weeks later that our country goes through basically a state of emergency with everyone shutting down on March 13th. It was my last day of work, it was my last paycheck, it was my last everything until late May, and I still have the bills to pay. I got claimed as a dependent the year before, so I was one of the millions of college students who didn't get the stimulus check and whose parents didn't get anything for them because they were between 17 and 25. Everything in the country was being held handled during that time did nothing for me; it did nothing to help my family or me. Every day was a struggle, and every day I felt stranded like I was just a number, and nobody recognized the pain everyone was coming through on more than one level. And then you also have people who we're refusing to do what is so simple to do and call minor things like wearing a mask, slavery. How damaging that was to a fair few amount of people, and I'm talking millions of people. This pandemic is not something I'm going to look on with anger or pain because, for one, I met good people after the fact. I had many things that happened to me for the better, but the month of March through May had to be the worst months I'd had in a very long time. And as someone who's been through a lot, that's not something I say lightly. My only hope is that a lot more good will come out of this unfortunate and heartbreaking situation than bad.
• 
  2020-11-17

  Women Face Unique Issues During Pandemic

  For millions of working women, the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a rare and ruinous setback. Job losses, childcare closings and remote schooling are not just pushing women out of jobs they held, but also preventing many from seeking new ones.
• 
  2020-11-18

  Working Full Time as a Mother and Student During a Pandemic: Interview with Ashley Trayler

  The interview is with Ashley Trayler, a senior undergraduate student majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Ashley is not only a student but a mother of a two-year-old named Adrian. In the interview, Ashley discusses her life before the pandemic, which involved taking care of her son and working full time at a call center. Once the pandemic hit, Ashley was impacted by job loss, facing financial obstacles, and being a college student transitioning to virtual school. Ashley has made many sacrifices to adapt to obstacles that have come her way caused by COVID-19, but she has remained strong by taking herself and prioritizing her health to be the best mother, student, and person she can be.
• 
  2020-03-30

  From Dine In to Takeout: Staying Connected With Thai Dee Restaurant

  For my friends and I, Thai Dee is our most cherished gathering spot. It is a local San Antonio restaurant that is tucked away in a small building next to a convenience store. The restaurant is centrally located and 15 minutes away from where we all live and work. Thai Dee is the community dining room for my family and friends. We celebrate all our special occasions here in addition to frequenting the restaurant on a weekly basis. It is both a treat and a part of our daily lives to eat at Thai Dee as it is for hundreds of other customers. These last few months have felt strange not being able to eat inside their restaurant. The pandemic hit Thai Dee hard at first. In March they had to lay off all their waitstaff and close their busy dining room. I was laid off from my full-time job too, but I continued to support them with the little money I earned from my part-time job. I turned my weekly dine-in visits to takeout orders. I did my best to support them, but instead I found that they wanted to support me. The family who owns the restaurant has always treated me like a member of their family. When they found out that I had been laid off, the owner sweetly yet sternly told me not to leave them tips anymore. She advised me to save up all the money I had and assured me that they were okay. She would not process any tips I tried to leave on my card. Her son then told me that if I ever got to a point where I was hungry and had no money that I should call him. He would never let me go hungry. I thanked them and started crying as soon as I exited the building. I felt so loved and cared for in that moment. When I opened my bag of food, I found a complimentary order of mango and sweet sticky rice—my favorite dessert. They have since done this for me several times. Back in March I didn’t know if I would be able to return to my job, or if the company was just going to fold. I never shared these anxieties with them, and yet they helped ease them with their kind gestures. The closure of Thai Dee’s dining room saw business slow down at first. When this happened, I sent a text to my friends who immediately went and ordered food. My friends and other regular customers are now back in the habit of ordering Thai Dee’s on a regular basis. Thai Dee has many other loyal customers who love the restaurant and family as much as I do. The walls are adorned with Christmas cards, postcards, and photographs of newborn babies all given to them by devoted patrons. Even former San Antonio Spur, Sean Elliot, has several photos with the Thai Dee crew on the wall. For myself and other regulars, not a week goes by where I don’t go to Thai Dee. My visits give me a sense of normalcy. Even though I miss the social gathering space their dining room provided, I still get to eat the best Thai food in San Antonio and check in with my dear friends who own the restaurant. If I did not have regular access to them my pandemic experience would be miserable. Thai Dee is an icon of San Antonio and they have helped me through this time more than they know. Although Covid-19 disrupted my dining experience, it only strengthened my patronage and bond with the Thai Dee family.
• 2020-10-30

  Cruise I : Fillipinos

  I remember the announcement in the crew area. All internationals were to go to HR. With international borders closing the cruise ship needed to send all the internationals home. Both my roommates were international, one from Colombia and one from the Philippines. It was an incredibly hectic time, something 20-30 year veterans of the cruise industry never experienced. Being sent home before a contract was finished due to an operational shutdown. The Filipinos were the blood of the ship. Nearly every leadership position in management was held by one. So when the announcement was made there were a lot of questions as to how the ship would continue to operate. Regardless however the company needed to get these people home before they had an even bigger problem on their hand. I wonder if they are doing okay. Since cruise ships are down, they must all still be unemployed. The international lines don't really have many workers' rights, so if you are unemployed you don't get paid. I hope they are able to sort things out.
• 
  2020-10-28

  Pandemic Playlist: Reflections of Quarantine Life Through Music

  In March I was laid off from my full-time job of 6 years. Those first few weeks of unemployment found me struggling to stay productive and positive. With too much time on my hands I did what any well-adjusted person would do in that situation—listened to sad music to make myself feel worse. Tom Waits – More Than Rain Like many Americans, I live paycheck to paycheck. I knew that missing even one pay period would mean falling behind on several bills. I get paid weekly which means that even though I don’t make a lot of money, I at least always have enough to make it through to next Friday. Being broke made me feel like a failure. I resented my pre-pandemic life of always being so busy and going the extra mile at work. What did I have to show for it? “None of our pockets, are lined with gold Nobody's caught the bouquet There are no dead presidents we can fold Nothing is going our way” The “our” in this song made me think of all the other people who were in the same situation as me. I was sad not just for myself, but for everyone else who was out of a job. It reminded me to be grateful for the things I still had. Tom Waits is someone who I admire for his humor, but this particular song is void of any playfulness. The best way I can describe this song is to call it a cross between a lullaby for pirates and a circus ballad for depressed clowns. It features a melancholic vocal and a wearisome accordion sluggishly making its way through the song. “It's more than rain that falls on our parade tonight It's more than thunder It's more than thunder” The pandemic is much bigger than what we initially took it for. It’s poverty, depression, isolation, death… The Specials – Ghost Town The Specials are my favorite band, and this song which is perpetually on my playlist took on several new meanings for me. “Ghost Town” was originally written in response to unemployment and racial tensions in Thatcher era England. Now the song seems as though it was written against the backdrop of Trumpism. “This town, is coming like a ghost town All the clubs have been closed down This place, is coming like a ghost town Bands won't play no more” Driving around downtown San Antonio during the early days of quarantine was incredibly eerie. All the usual sights had vanished: tourists waiting at crosswalks, work trucks driving to their next job sites, bicyclists slowing down traffic, mariachis playing at restaurants, and people strolling the Riverwalk. San Antonio was dead. “This place, is coming like a ghost town No job to be found in this country Can't go on no more The people getting angry” The harmonized ghostly screeches in the chorus set the spooky tone for the song. How can we possibly live in a city that is dead? When everything was closed, I felt like a ghost--dead and unable to enjoy my favorite hobbies. I couldn’t visit friends, travel, or waste time browsing clothing stores. I had a difficult time figuring out how to enjoy life. Ginger Rogers – We’re in the Money Of course a depression era song would resonate with me. For the first time ever I had money in my savings account. This was only possible because I was temporarily laid off and able to receive unemployment benefits. I begrudgingly went back to work when my boss received a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Not only did I have to work in-person putting my health at risk, but I also had to do so at my regular pay rate which was much lower than my unemployment benefits. Body Count – Body Count I discovered this song while watching a video montage of BLM protests on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to Ice-T’s angry vocals complemented by an equally aggressive punk rock backing. The lyrics sound like they written this year, but they are from 1992—a year after the Los Angeles riots. “God damn, what a brother gotta do To get a message through To the red, white and blue What? I gotta die? Before you realize I was a brother with open eyes” The Specials – B.L.M. Just like Ice-T, The Specials have been singing about Black lives for decades. In 1980, Specials guitarist Lynval Golding wrote a song called “Why?” after he was violently attacked because of his race. In that song he seeks understanding and asks his attackers “Why did you try to hurt me?” Almost 40 years later, Golding wrote another song about his experiences with racism. Again, he takes a gentle approach by telling the listener: “I'm not here to teach you I'm not here to preach to you I just want to reach out and say Black lives matter” Cher – Chiquitita These days everything exhausts me, and I feel like I have no time to rest. As soon as Cher opens with “Chiquitita tell me what’s wrong?” I start crying. Thanks for checking up on me, Cher. As with most of her songs, I get happy when her music comes on because I know I’m about to do an ugly sing-along. Nowadays this song just hits different. “You were always sure of yourself / Now I see you’ve broken a feather” I have never felt so uneasy and uncertain in all my life. I used to be the shoulder to cry on when my friends needed comfort. I no longer have the energy to offer my strength. Lila Downs – Una Cruz de Madera Despite being a song about death, the Lila Downs version is a happy, upbeat tune. She turns it into a party song. The overall translation of the song captures how I want my loved ones to handle my passing. Instead of a fancy funeral, I’d prefer a big party in my honor. I don’t want my family and friends to shed tears, or feel any sadness. The only thing I want at my wake is a serenade in the early morning. Toots – Got to Be Tough Toots is one of those artists who radiates positivity. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when his upbeat tempos and powerful, soulful voice booms through the speakers. I saw him perform live a few years ago and watched him with awe. He would step away from the microphone and continue singing at an impressively loud volume—his voice filling up every corner of the auditorium. I was pressed up against the stage because he motioned for everyone to get closer. Toots came over to me several times and squeezed my hand and sang directly to me. In those moments I felt so happy and lucky to be alive. My best friend was right next to me and we both had tears in our eyes. How lucky we were that this Jamaican icon came all the way to perform for us in a stuffy San Antonio venue! We swore that we would see Toots again. I was excited when Toots dropped his new single “Got to Be Tough” earlier in the year. It meant that a tour would follow. The song itself was also a great comfort. “Got to be tough when things get rough You got to be tough and this is a warning You got to be smart, living in this time It's not so easy to carry on” Sadly, Toots passed away from Covid-19 two weeks after his “Got to Be Tough” album was released. Listening to the title single doesn’t bring me much comfort anymore. It makes me think of how excited I was that I was going to see him next year. Now it just makes me nostalgic for the days when we could go to shows and experience a more intimate connection with music. Nothing beats bonding with thousands of strangers who are singing, crying, and dancing to the same music as you. The song makes me miss being as happy as I was that day Toots held my hand and sang to me.
• 
  2020-10-10

  Scott Adams Oral History, October 10, 2020

  Scott Adams, a graduate student at Arizona State University, lives in Camarillo, California. In this interview, he reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected his life. He highlights the effects the pandemic and quarantine has had on mental health and employment. He also touches on the division caused by COVID-19, politics, and the politicization of the pandemic by both the right-wing and left-wing. Scott also describes the precautions taken by he and his friends to avoid catching the virus, and how the quarantine and the current political divide has affected their relationships.
• 
  2020-03-18

  The Las Vegas Strip Shuts Down

  I remember the first day the strip closed I ran into a guy at the gas statio who had to clear out the treasure island casino. He told me it was a very eerie feeling. This was March 17th or 18th I believe. This is importtant to me becuase of what it represents. For example, Nevada had an unemployemnt rate of nearly 25% due to the shutdown. This not only hurt 25% of the population, but all of the surrounding businesses as well that rely on the strip to bring in customers. *Photograph of the Las Vegas Strip taken by CBS local news
• 
  2020-10-15

  Feminist nightmare

  Women are leaving the workforce in record numbers. Or better yet, women are being forced out of the workforce in record numbers. Due to COVID, loss of childcare and desperation. I appreciate posts like this one, giving a voice to the voiceless in this pandemic. Women are being hurt the most due to COVID. At the top of that list are minority women, those who depended on industries like childcare.
• 
  2020-04-05

  Corporate Growth

  This is a photo of Elon Musk smoking marijuana on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, captioned with the phrase “show me the money.” This is a reference to the astronomical growth of the Tesla Corporation in 2020 and the average investor’s potential to secure massive gains, as well as a joking reference to the near worship of Elon Musk that can be found in the subreddit ‘WallStreetBets.’ This subreddit often features ‘absolute madlads’ making huge gambles on stocks (usually TSLA, AAPL, or AMZN) and subsequently either securing massive returns tallying into the hundreds of thousands or losing everything. When most of my family was laid off from their jobs, my brother and I turned to day trading to keep ourselves and our family afloat. I was one of the only ones still employed at the time, and I was doing this in addition to working up to 75 hours a week to take advantage of overtime pay stacked on top of hazard pay. Although only my father and I were still working, everyone in the family still had bills to pay and the rent was still due. Tesla’s stock, specifically, has grown almost 500% this year and is set to grow even more. This meme is somewhat of an inside joke my brother and I had as we began securing leverage and buying covered calls on TSLA to increase our overall cash flow with the little savings we had to work with. We were quite literally counting on Elon Musk and his revolutionary car company that we had placed our faith in during this time to pay our rent. Luckily, it worked out for us. Ironically, the massive transfer of wealth to corporations from small businesses that went under as a result of COVID-19 was incredibly beneficial for my family and I since we invested in the right stocks at the right time.
• 
  2020-10-08

  How COVID-19 Has Impacted My Life

  This story talks about my experience amidst the pandemic, and how it has impacted my life. This is important to me because this time is so unusual and is definitely going to be a huge part of history.
• 
  2020-09-02

  Experts fear pandemic could spur dramatic spike in homelessness

  PHOENIX – For more than three decades, André House just west of downtown has provided food, showers, temporary housing and other services to Arizonans experiencing homelessness or poverty. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of families seeking such services has almost doubled, said Ash Uss, the faith-based nonprofit’s coordinator of advocacy and partnerships. “We have had families who show up and say, ‘I was just evicted,’ or ‘I’m about to be evicted,’ or ‘We’re living out of our car,’” Uss said. “The need is greater than it ever was.” On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implemented a nationwide temporary eviction moratorium through the end of the year to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Under the order, landlords cannot evict renters who meet certain conditions: “exhausted their best efforts to pay rent, seek Government rental assistance, and are likely to become homeless due to eviction,” according to a statement from the White House. However, the latest efforts may have little impact for those already struggling to secure housing. A July report from University of Arizona researchers suggests the spike in people seeking homeless services at André House and elsewhere in metro Phoenix may be just the beginning. Researchers found the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic shutdown could increase the state’s homeless population – about 11,000 as of January – by 16% to 42%. “I think everybody needs to take this very seriously,” said Claudia Powell, associate director of the university’s Southwest Institute for Research on Women and co-author of the report, which put the number of at-risk renters at 365,000. “It will be a bigger crisis than we can imagine if we don’t act soon.”
• 2020-03

  Covid and Alcoholism

  Covid-19 was something that has changed my life drastically. I have not tested positive for the virus, however the impact it has had on other aspects of life caused me great distress. In March when the United States began its quarantine I was working as a server and going to school. When the shut down began I immediately lost my job. I should also mention that I am a recovering alcoholic. Before I lost my job I had been sober for many months and my life was stable. Because of the quarantine my life was turned upside down. I was no longer able to attend support group meetings, I was just stuck at home stressing. I lost hope for my future, I felt lost. I eventually began drinking again. This soon spiraled out of control like it always does. I had to take an incomplete for one of my classes and restart my recovery. Restarting usually would not be that difficult, I would be able to go to a rehab and fix my problems. However, many rehabs were full or where closed altogether, which delayed my recovery for months. I was finally able to get in and recover from my mistakes. I am now sober again. By no means am I blaming Covid for my relapse, I am at fault for that. However, it played a major role in the stress and circumstances that led to that event. In the end I am happy for what happened. I have come out stronger and happier than I would have been.
• 
  2020-03-09

  Losing my Future job because of Covid19

  Just want people to know about my hardship
• 
  2020-09-27

  How covid-19 changed my life.

  It is important because it affected my employability.
• 2020-09-25

  The Rippling Effects of COVID-19

  COVID-19 came as a shock to everyone. No one could have predicted the rippling effects it has had in everyone's lives. This pandemic impacts all kinds of people- young, old, single, married, rich, and poor. It is the common thread among all of us. It is what binds us together during this difficult time. This time will never be forgotten. It will be written in textbooks and taught to future generations. Many families are going through a hard time. Who knew a virus could infiltrate people’s lives like this and flip them upside down? No one saw this coming. Many families are struggling financially including mine. We weren’t prepared for this. We thought it will all blow over soon enough. Unfortunately, we were wrong. First, my school closed. Then, my job place closed. Then, my gym closed. It seemed as if the whole world was shutting down right before my eyes, slowly stripping the things I love the most. The thought of being trapped in the house, all day, every day, for who knows how long, gave me anxiety. Slowly, life began to become very boring. Waking up knowing that you’re trapped in the house. Curfews were put up in my city. It’s like we were little kids and the Government was our parents trying to protect us from the monster- COVID 19. I suddenly had so much free time on my hands and didn’t know what to do with it. I decided to pick up some new hobbies. I tried everything. From painting to reading. It was a crazy time for all of us. When we were finally allowed out, I was so happy. Happy that everything will go back to normal, happy that I could get my old life back, happy that I could leave my house again. However, it wasn’t what I expected it to be. We had to wear masks, gloves, and maintain six feet apart between people. I remember the first time I went out in months. Everyone had covered faces and only eyes of sadness and fear were able to be seen. We all looked the same, yet on the inside we were different, each of us experiencing the impacts of the pandemic in a different way. I was shocked. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that a virus, something that is not visible to the naked eye, has turned our lives upside down and forced us to deal with the consequences. As of now, September 2020, life is somewhat what it used to be, but it will never return back to the way we’ve known. The fact that this has become our new reality, is kind of scary. But we are not out of the clear yet, there’s still so much work to do. We have to cooperate with all the guidelines and stick together. Especially during these difficult times, together we are stronger. This is all my own interpretation of the times we live in now and how it has impacted me and changed our lives forever.
• 
  2020-03-14

  Time of uncertainty and uncharted territory

  March 14. That was the date everything became real. COVID-19 had personally reached my life. My restaurant, my livelihood was gone and I found myself scared for my safety, my well being and I wondered how I was going to survive this pandemic with no income. My family and loved ones were in Los Angeles, CA, my birthplace. They all encouraged me to "come home" but I vowed to stay in New York, the place I had been calling home for the previous three years. Once I received the email from the general manager of my restaurant, I felt as if my world had shattered and I realized New York City was going on lockdown. As one of the most eccentric places to live, we have been hit the hardest by this virus, arguably more than anyone in the world. Six months later, with 200,000 American lives lost and counting we are still in the midst of this global pandemic. There have been moments of fear, unification, division, perseverance, and love among other things. Looking forward, I hope there is a means to this end and as we arrive there we treat each other with the love and respect that we each deserve.
• 
  2020-09-22

  Professor Shares Anonymous Student Anxieties

  A professor shared student's anxieties about the Fall 2020 semester. Most of the responses show the toll the pandemic has taken on student's mental health. Another common theme is that many students face a multitude of difficulties when it comes to online school. Whether it's finding the motivation to go to class or how a student's home-life creates a toxic environment for online learning.
• 
  2020-09-01

  ‘We all need to brace ourselves’: Experts fear pandemic could spur dramatic spike in homelessness

  By Jessica Myers | Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship
• 
  2020-08-23

  Portfolio_Beattie

  Throughout my time curating and finding impacts of the pandemic named COVID-19 I have learned that through the many hardships that Americans have encountered over the past several months we are adaptable and resilient to change. I have also learned that human beings ARE mostly generous and giving entities especially when faced with communal heartache. Many of us have felt empathy at its finest by living in a difficult situation that is similar to the difficult situations that those around us are going through. Through this collection, and through the collections of others, I have seen that people have deserted self-centered mentalities placing them with more understanding than ever before. I look forward to seeing where these unselfish and positive mentalities take the humanity of our world. I have thoroughly enjoyed my work curating, archiving, creating oral histories and working as a team towards a common goal in this difficult time. I look forward to refining these beginning skills I have acquired over the last 15 weeks by continuing to work in cyber archives, whether it be professionally or recreationally. This experience has been unforgettable for me personally and professionally and I am proud to have been a part of saving this historic time in global history.
• 
  2020-08-15

  Good news in a difficult time.

  I remember the beginning of pandemic in Boston like it was yesterday. Coming back from work I was worried about everyone’s’ and my own future. I had just started a new job at the restaurant that quickly become empty as people preferred to stay home and not take a risk of getting infected after having brunch. Speaking about myself, I was mentally and financially at the lowest point in last 10 years of my life. I saw myself as a foreigner with no future who has to work 17 hours a day, having two – three jobs just to survive. I was afraid to get Covid, to lose my job, to not be able to pay rent. And then lockdown happened. During the first three weeks I’ve lost my job and wasn’t able to collect unemployment. The level of stress was nearly unmanageable. Every day I was on the phone trying to reach out any representative who could help me. Every day was restless and sleepless, until few events that seemed to be magical happened. Firstly, unemployment benefits were made available to me. The amount was $600 more than I thought it would be and I was eligible for a stimulus check too. For many people in USA it wasn’t much money but for me, it was twice what I had been making by working. It also was proof of my belief in paying taxes. I have paid taxes ever since I’ve been employed and always thought that even though I might not have gotten anything from doing so right away, there would come a time when doing so would help me. So, it did and did so because of unexpected circumstances and at a time when I was struggling more than I ever had. The news got even better for me despite what was go on around me. I received a letter I had been waiting for my entire life that told me I had been accepted to Suffolk University. I have always wanted to go to university so receiving this great news at such a hard time meant a great deal to me. I also received a scholarship to Suffolk meaning I could actually attend. I went through a number of life changing events in a very short period of time and all during a complete lockdown when I couldn’t really leave home for weeks at a time. I didn’t feel comfortable to show off my happiness whilst the numbers of cases and deaths were rapidly increasing. Ethically it was wrong from my point of view. But now, when everything seems to be getting better and there’s a hope to win the battle with Covid-19 I’m happy to be where I am and glad to share my happy-ending story with you.
• 2020

  Charts: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 in the U.S. So Far

  This article provides a break down of the big picture of United States economics in the past few months. This break down includes simplistic graphs of the following: consumer spending, national debt, U.S. money supply, consumer sentiment, fed balance sheet, U.S. dollar, fiscal expenditures, inflation rate, and loans to the private sector. These grids provide a representation of how COVID-19 has impacted the United States in a variety of different ways. The article also has short descriptions of each segment that provides the reader with more detailed information. This article provides statistical analysis and quantitative evidence depicting the economic downfall that the United States has faced due to this global pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-13

  Given history of discrimination, can community help Black-owned businesses survive COVID-19?

  Vandana Ravikumar/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship
• 2020-08-10T01:26:13-04:00

  Unprecedented Times

  The day we entered quarantine was one of the most bizarre days I can remember. I was working my normal shift at the restaurant, and the dining room was completely empty. This in itself was strange for a place usually running on a few hours wait and constantly full of people. There had been talk about the restaurant closing its doors, but the thought seemed so absurd that no one really believed it. The air felt heavy, and my manager was nervously pacing around taking call after call. As I waited for guests to arrive I robotically folded my linens wondering if I was going to have a job in the coming days. The TV above the bar flickered with images of people in masks, hospitals filled with sick patients, scientists and doctors on podiums at the White House, the President trying to calm the public, and the words CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. I looked away. I felt like I couldn’t escape the impending disaster. I was supposed to work a double shift that day, March 16, but after not getting a single table, my manager sent me home and told me not to come in for dinner. I could see the stress etched on his face as he told me he would be let me know what was going on as soon as he knew. I learned the restaurant group was probably going to close all its restaurants for “two to three weeks.” Little did we know that it would be much longer. I drove home on deserted roads. I played no music and instead sat in silence trying not to panic about whether or not I would be jobless soon. I remember my dad texting me to go get gas in case the gas stations closed and pick up any groceries I may need for my apartment. What kind of times are we living in? Unprecedented times. It was surreal. When I got back to my apartment my roommates were both home. They informed me that for the next nine weeks they were instructed to work from home. I immediately packed a bag and headed for my parents house (at least I’d have more room and it would be quiet). I ended up spending most of the quarantine with my family. The restaurant I worked at closed for over three months. I had to file for unemployment and only received a fraction of what I used to bring in while employed. Times were tough. My dad, a pilot for American Airlines, took a six month leave, and I was glad to know my family was safe at home. The news never strayed from constant Covid-19 updates: potential vaccines in the works, testing sites erected all over the country, lockdowns across the globe, borders closing, toilet paper shortages, unemployment numbers skyrocketing, business failing. The good news never came, only a bombardment of the bad. The days seemed bleak. One day flowed into the next, and the weeks became an unsettling blur of constant unease and unrest. It seemed that the condition of the sick went from bad to worse. Death tolls increased by the day. The only thing left to do was pray, occupy your mind so that you wouldn’t become sick with worry, “find a hobby” they said, “learn a language” they said. I prayed with my family. We streamed mass every Sunday, and for that forty five minute service there existed a glimmer of hope, structure, and strength. I tried to be strong. I tried not to let my family see how much stress I felt at the thought of the struggling families going without paychecks and the exhaustion of workers on the front line. I tried not to think about my grandparents alone in their dark house with no one to check on them- only a daily phone call for months on end. I could hear the sadness in their voices when I called. “It shouldn’t be much longer now” I’d say, but my words sounded hollow. My family has a strong faith. I leaned on my family more than I had in a long time during the quarantine, and I witnessed my parents’ united display of trust in God. They had faith that things would get better, that humanity would prevail, and that we’d come out of this stronger. I listened to them say the rosary every night as they prayed for the sick and struggling world. It was all they could do, and they said it with as much conviction as they could muster. Praying provided them comfort, and I found myself chiming in, sitting with them as they closed their eyes and raised their concerns to God. As I returned to work in late June things had drastically changed. The world as we knew it was gone and in its place was a fractured society slowing healing from the devastation of Coronavirus. The generosity of the guests as they returned to the restaurant was like nothing I’d ever seen before. People went the extra mile to help each other as we integrated back into some level of normalcy. I saw one of the darkest times in recent history overcome with the most eye opening displays of kindness, understanding, and commitment to helping each other out. Experiencing the quarantine was a profound moment in my life. Not only did I find strength in my family and my faith, but also in my fellow man as we navigated these unprecedented times together.
• 2020-08-10

  Challenges accessing unemployment

  I was unable to work starting on March 17th 2020 and it took me until the end of June to receive my first unemployment check. I did not receive back pay and then not too long afterwards to Federal Government unemployment benefits ended. It was almost a full time job trying to apply for benefits and/or checking the status. I live in California.
• 
  2020-08-10

  Working During the Pandemic

  When the whole pandemic was starting, I was currently unemployed but my store manager at Starbucks kept us posted daily on whether we will be able to serve customers again. It was always an on and off conversation because our store manager had to get the approval of many people above her on whether it will be safe to work in the area of Springfield since cases for Covd-19 was increasing by the minute. As the store opened back in May, I was able to work again but with many health restrictions between I and the customers. In the picture provided, we were not able to use our computers and machines to process payments, which dramatically dropped sales because our only means of store sales were through mobile ordering. My team were still to be determined on whether we will stay open since sales were so low and also only limited amount of parters were willing to work, due to the concern of their health. Yes I worked more hours but the anxiety of whether I will get catch the disease and also the stress of whether our store will close again really affected how I saw hope for my financial strugggles. Fast foward to current day, Virginia names stores like Starbucks an essential for everyday, which allowed our store to open to customers but with six feet restrictions, mandatory masks, and as well as checking partner temperatures daily. The tasks due everyday is a heavly load of sanitation, which in the beginning was hard to handle because we also had to serve the customers at high volumes. Covid-19 has affected not only my passion to work at the store but as well as the partners since at any moment of time we can close and become unemployed again.
• 2020-04-14

  Children in a pandemic

  Children and the pandemic. My four year old daughter does not understand what a pandemic is. She repeats that she cannot go outside or to school or to the park because of "the coronavirus". Her and her siblings, along with children all over the world, have been greatly impacted by this pandemic with no understanding of the ramifications of it's spread. Children have been sent home, isolated, many removed from space places like schools or after care programs. They have lost friendships and socialization. They have lost structure. Some have lost family members. Parents out of work have cost their family food or housing. Adults struggling to cope with their own depression and anxiety has increased children's as well. For me personally all seven of my children have been affected. My son was forced to move home from college and fell into a deep depression. My oldest daughter never walked across a graduation stage or finished her senior year. My fifteen year old with autism lost support services from school. My thirteen year old lost sports and his friendships. My ten year old with epilepsy had medical testing pushed back and then had hospitalizations with only one parent allowed, even had to be taken by paramedics alone to the hospital once. My seven year old with ADHD lost all class structure and intervention programs to help him and his anxiety and panic attacks have grown more severe. And my four year old, pictured above, lost her classroom and her joy from attending preschool daily. The new round of "return to school" virtually is brought with more anxiety and worry that the kids are not alright. The picture above showcases the innocence of a child wanting to explore the world, trapped inside and the slight sadness that this may be for the long haul. #REL101
• 
  2020-04-30

  Children in a pandemic

  Children and the pandemic. My four year old daughter does not understand what a pandemic is. She repeats that she cannot go outside or to school or to the park because of "the coronavirus". Her and her siblings, along with children all over the world, have been greatly impacted by this pandemic with no understanding of the ramifications of it's spread. Children have been sent home, isolated, many removed from space places like schools or after care programs. They have lost friendships and socialization. They have lost structure. Some have lost family members. Parents out of work have cost their family food or housing. Adults struggling to cope with their own depression and anxiety has increased children's as well. For me personally all seven of my children have been affected. My son was forced to move home from college and fell into a deep depression. My oldest daughter never walked across a graduation stage or finished her senior year. My fifteen year old with autism lost support services from school. My thirteen year old lost sports and his friendships. My ten year old with epilepsy had medical testing pushed back and then had hospitalizations with only one parent allowed, even had to be taken by paramedics alone to the hospital once. My seven year old with ADHD lost all class structure and intervention programs to help him and his anxiety and panic attacks have grown more severe. And my four year old, pictured above, lost her classroom and her joy from attending preschool daily. The new round of "return to school" virtually is brought with more anxiety and worry that the kids are not alright. The picture above showcases the innocence of a child wanting to explore the world, trapped inside and the slight sadness that this may be for the long haul. #REL101
• 
  2020-07-09

  New Car!

  Throughout the pandemic, I needed assistance. I had to rely on other people for the things that I needed. Through God's grace, savings, and unemployment assistance, I got my new car! I would've never imagines i qould get my car during a global pandemic, but i am so grateful!
• 2020-08-09

  The Most Challenging of Times

  When this virus started, I did not think much about it. I was naive and was one of those people that believed that it would not affect me. Boy, did I receive a wake-up call and fast. I live with both my parents, my older sister and her two boys. My youngest sister also lives with us when she is not at college. It started with my oldest sister having to work at home and not going back to work. Then, I got the notice that I my hours at work would be getting cut and I would have to file for unemployment. The same happened to my mom. If that was not enough, graduation got “canceled” and I was not able to walk. Something, that meant the world to me. Overtime, I began to get used to new reality we all were living in. Well, I thought so, until we were hit with the most gut-wrenching news. My tio (uncle) Raymond, was getting rushed to the hospital, he had stopped breathing. A week earlier, him and my tia were diagnosed with COVID-19. Later, we found out that my tio had a heartache in the ambulance and three more while at the hospital. He was not responsive, and they had to put in a comma. My family and I leaned on our faith more than ever during this time. In the end, my tio was still not responsive. My cousin – his daughter – was the only one allowed in the hospital. His entire family had to say goodbye to him over a facetime call... Majority of my family lives in Arizona, my family and I are the only ones that live in Colorado. We have not been back to Arizona for a couple years now. I have not seen my tio in a couple of years and we did not even get to say anything to him. My tia and cousins, were then left with the financial responsibilities of his funeral, the hospital bills, rent, the essential bills, food, etc. The only issue was, there was no money. My tia has been fighting for my tio’s retirement, his life insurance and pension. We have been trying to raise money for them for all the essential needs, but mostly his funeral. One month to the day, we get even more heart-breaking news. My tia’s father, had just passed away from COVID-19. This is the same family that had just lost their husband and father, now lost their father and grandfather. I lost my grandfather way before I was born, so my tio Boa always acted as my grandfather. My family could not get a break, every time we thought we could breathe, we would just get the breath knocked out of us. Two more tio’s passed away after that, this time on my mom’s side of the family. More and more of my family in Arizona are getting COVID-19, and we fear if they will be strong enough to make it through. My nana (grandmother), then recently just ended up in the hospital. This pandemic has dropped my family to their knees plenty of times. Though we are terrified for the uncertainty, we clench to our faith to get us through it.
• March 25, 2020

  COVID Share Your Story #RITtigers #5, Engineering Major's Point of view

  I've been forced into reduced hours for my co-op My father and uncle have lost their jobs. The loss of income and support comes at a critical time as I'm worried how my family will weather this storm. I am moving back into my parents house to help so we can pool our resources. Nevertheless I remain positive and thankful for my blessings. I have more time now, and I am healthy. My family is lucky as we've not been directly touched by the virus. While I know this storm is far from over there is a clearing on the other side, we only have to look for it. If I could give a message to myself at the start of this semester, what would I say? Hold onto the memory of grandma and the serenity prayer. Their going to help you through the coming months. (Also the winning lotto numbers are....;))
• 
  2020-04-13

  Vice News Article

  This is an article about how people are unable to access unemployment services during this social and economic crisis. It exposes the faults of the current unemployment system in the U.S.
• 
  May 6, 2020

  Plague Journal, Day 54: Jumping down a right-wing rabbit hole

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. In the latest entry, as the bodies pile up I explore a Trumpian disinformation rabbit hole involving a Wuhan lab, a New York-based research group, and an NIH grant. Also, a potential job goes up in smoke.
• 
  April 28, 2020

  Plague Journal, Day 47: "Needs improvement"

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. The latest entry, which sees me in a lousy mood, thinking about life's now routine uncertainties, and taking a typical walk made new by CoronaWorld.
• 
  2020-04-16

  Plague Journal, Day 35: Shuttered on Waverly

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. Here's the latest entry, pondering the fate of workers from eight shuttered businesses on a single block across the street, plus detailing my further adventures in Unemployment Insurance applications.
• 
  2020-06-15

  5 ways the pandemic is changing fashion and beauty trends

  I have always been interested in fashion. This is an article about what people are wearing. Quarantine changed the need for business work clothes--except for the top half--the one that shows on the Zoom/video conferencing meetings and classes. This article lays out the comfortable clothes that people are wearing and buying. It discusses the financial squeeze people are finding themselves in.
• 
  2020/05/22

  Anthony Jodlowski Oral History, Part 1, 2020/05/22

  University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Public History Seminar Covid-19 Project
• 
  05/22/2020

  Darcy Brossow Oral History 2020/05/22

  University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Public History Seminar Covid 19 Project
• 
  05/11/2020

  Charles Redbird Oral History, 2020/05/11

  [Curator Note] Charles Redbird, a chef from Osseo, Wisconsin, reflects on his experience being laid off and filing for unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a single father to a two-year-old boy, Charles shares his frustrations with delayed processing times and bureaucratic red tape as his financial savings dwindled during the initial months of Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order. Charles describes the steps taken by the Ho-Chunk Nation to ensure economic stability and longevity among tribal members and employees. Citing increased time spent with his child and the opportunity for personal growth, Charles shares positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that are often overlooked. Additionally, Charles notes the positive impact of internet celebrities and charitable giving, specifically mentioning the work of David Dobrik and h3h3. Comparing the experience of working as a chef before and during the pandemic, Charles provides insight into the changes that restaurants have implemented to ensure health and safety. Looking ahead, Charles expresses a belief that the social isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic will improve his familial relationships in the future.
• 
  2020-04-07

  Plague Journal, Day 25: Neon pink bonds

  I'm keeping a Covid-19 journal. Here's the latest entry, including observations on the bonds between New Yorkers sparked by the thoughts of Daniel Kahneman, fast and slow. "I head to my windows for the city’s 7 p.m. ritual cheer for the health care workers, first responders, laborers making the city function, saving our lives. It's a modest gesture, but the bonds radiate, neon pink."
• 
  2020-07-13

  Fear, Terrible Fear

  The story that I have uploaded talks about how the pandemic has impacted people and is a reflection of how I feel as a young individual amongst all of it.
• 
  2020-06-20

  People think the United States has given up on fighting Covid-19

  This is a news article about how europeans have reacted to the United States opening back up amidst rising coronavirus numbers.Many Americans are still concerned with the virus but are being forced to return to work or be fired.Others take this as a sign that the coronavirus is either not as dangerous or not as much of a problem. Everywhere in the United States there is a spike in cases and it seems that the more than 100,000 lost lives doesn't matter more than money.
• 
  2020-05

  Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, Coronavirus Legal Warriors

  "As legal first responders, at a time when many doors are closing, we are opening ours wider. In response to an unprecedented need, we’re adding a new coronavirus legal warrior to our team. This expansion is critical to deepening and expanding free support for affected families, including help with unemployment claims. We’re also unveiling a state-wide initiative to support hundreds of small businesses. We’re joining forces with over a dozen legal, business, and community partners, launching a large-scale initiative for small businesses affected by the crisis: https://www.covidreliefcoalition.com/en Check out our coronavirus resource page in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Join us on Facebook every weekday at 10 AM for the latest scoop. Injustice doesn’t take a break during the crisis — and neither do we."
• 
  2020-06-04

  Hopes That Job Losses are Slowing

  Reported job losses are declining. The hope is that people can get back to work soon.
• 
  2020-05-28

  California Budget Cuts Most Likely to Be Rejected

  As an educator in California, I am watching this story closely. I don't know what I will do if I get laid off. My school district has already sent out an email asking us to prepare for possible furloughs. I don't understand how Newsome could cut budgets to the areas of highest need.
• 
  2020-05-28

  Answering Your Questions

  NPR answers questions about Covid-19, reopening, voting, elections and more.
• 
  2020-06-23

  Fierce competition in the marketplace

  A meme posted about the cutthroat labor system in Peru, it's true that there's a lot of competition in certain sectors. In some cases, vendors barely make a profit because everyone is trying to offer the lowest price just to make the sale. I often had this conversation with my mother in law who sold clothing on consignment, I understand that consignment is a normal practice, but if you have to take a bus/taxi to someone's house 3 or 4 times to collect installments, the minimal profits you were making are essentially erased. Now that Peru is allowing some vendors to start selling again, it's once again a volatile and competitive environment because so many people have been without work and the basic necessities.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Plague Journal, Day 6: "This one is a disease vector"

  I'm keeping a Plague Journal, here is today's entry: I struggle to file my unemployment claim in an overwhelmed system; Trumpians trot out a racist description of Covid-19; I work to grasp the virus's severity with everything from face touching to pants buying; and The Girlfriend and I walk and jog through Bed-Stuy.
• 
  2020-06-19

  A pandemic love story

  I was only a month into dating a British guy here in Australia on a working holiday visa when the pandemic started affecting countries outside of China. The battle that China was facing at the time seemed far, far away, as if it could never reach us all the way here in Australia. For a lot of young people like myself, we continued our daily lives, a little anxious, alert but otherwise content with our circumstances. So far, we were free. At university, a friend once proclaimed, ‘it’s okay, even if we were to get it, for young people, it’s just like the common cold, which is another form of coronavirus anyway.’ Things progressed extremely fast of course. From announcement of the first identified case in Australia, it was a matter of people frantically tuning in to the news every single day and night, talking with neighbours and phoning relatives overseas as we eagerly awaited the next steps of prime minister Scott Morrison. At first, Australia was hesitant to respond, with Morrison and health officials calmly addressing the nation on news. But surely, as the number of cases in Australia grew from 1 to 30 to 150 by March 19, the borders shut, shops closed and we became housebound. Stage 1 restrictions had begun. It’s hard to believe that since then, I’ve completed an entire semester, 9 weeks of university, online. Just a few days before these restrictions began on March 19-20, my boyfriend and I, having only been dating 1 month, went through a rough patch causing me to break off the relationship. Then, once lockdown began, his workplace closed and he realised he had insufficient savings to last more than a month of rent and expenses in Melbourne. Being a UK citizen, he was also not entitled to the stream of government financial benefits that had recently initiated. He didn’t even have Medicare so if he were to suddenly fall ill, he wouldn't be able to afford basic medical care. After pouring his heart out to me about all this, I knew that the best thing for him was to fly back to the UK. In my mind, we were over and there was no reason for him to stay and suffer in Australia. However, stubbornly and against my advice, he insisted on staying if I gave him another chance because he wanted to resolve our issues and continue the relationship. He wanted to show me that he’s not the type of guy to leave when things get tough (bit dramatic, yes). He also knew that if he left, he wouldn’t be able to return to Australia, because of his type of visa. For him, there was literally no advantage in staying: no work, no savings, no family. All he had was me, and the prospect of our relationship. For whatever reason, he decided that that was worth fighting for, amid a global pandemic and financial hardship. After many long conversations back and forth, he convinced me that it was indeed possible for him to stay because he was willing to do whatever it took, even borrowing money from family, an idea that normally revolts him. Meanwhile, I realised I didn't want to give up on our relationship. I wanted him beside me, especially during this uncertainty. I knew that a guy willing to stay in a country for you, is a guy you only meet once in a lifetime. So, I gave him another chance and we fought to get through. For 2 months, this is what our lives looked like: - Him, cooped up in his apartment with his flatmates, playing videogames, applying for jobs here and there, checking for updates and praying that the government would offer any help to temporary visa holders - Me, cooped up in my suburban home, watching online lectures, bonding with my family, exercising, baking - Me, buying him food and groceries when I could - Us, Facetiming, every night, making each other laugh, planning all the things we’d do when restrictions lifted and addressing uncomfortable topics with a pandemic sense of urgency - Us, meeting up twice a week, spending the entire day together just driving around in my car, taking away food and coffee, feeding off each other’s presence in this lonely time - Us, without the hussle and bustle of ‘normal’ life, getting to know each other deeply and authentically. You can’t hide behind your work mask or your social mask during lockdown. Where we are now, 4 months later. We are going strong. Our issues are past us, and he has been nothing but amazing and supportive. He managed to find work again and received a rent grant. Financially, he has survived. Restrictions in Australia have lifted, restaurants are open for dine-in, sports matches are re-opening and groups of up to 20 can now gather in a home. Things are finally looking up. He is hoping to find farm work soon, which everyone on a working holiday visa must do in order to stay a second year. This whole experience has been surreal. This isn’t the first time the world has witnessed a pandemic but it’s certainly the first time entire countries have gone into lockdown. At the age of 22, I never thought my relationship would develop alongside a pandemic. I’m so grateful I’ve had someone to share this experience with. More importantly, I’ve learned that when an amazing thing or person comes into your life, to hold on and fight for it because at the end of the day, all we have is our health, and our love for people.
• 
  2020-05-16

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 29

  pandemic commentary