Items

• 2020-11

  Journal Entry: Thoughts on the first semester of grad school.

  This is less of an entry and more of a summary of how my year has gone? I'm trying to write without too much filter, to really capture the raw emotions of the pandemic. It's been a weird, and rough semester. A positive is that due to the pandemic, I was able to get into a school I had been interested in for quite a while. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get in, but I had a much better chance of doing so, than I did before when online classes weren't offered for my major. I did get in, at the last minute and picked my classes the day before the semester started! I needed a laptop, which were certainly in short supply, but luckily there were some available. When my laptop was stolen, and a webcam was a more immediate option for an older computer, that was more difficult to obtain. I hadn't even considered that they were in short supply but almost every cheap to middle priced webcam were sold out. I definitely didn't think this is what my first semester of graduate school would be like when I started. One class ended in a project showcase that felt far differently than it would have had we been able to present in person. Juggling the semester and also working at night was certainly not something I expected to be doing. During the nights we (my coworkers and I) would be frantically trying to stock canned goods, paper goods, and other items in high demand, just to watch it all be bought within 30 minutes of the store opening for the day. This is also on top of trying to run the store normally. It was very surreal to go in and see shelf after shelf empty and ransacked, as if a hurricane was on the way. All in all, I'm not thankful for the pandemic, but being able to find positives, and to be grateful for the opportunities afforded me is healthier than focusing on the negatives.
• 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.
• 
  2020-04-04

  Use. Full.

  This story, "Use. Full" speaks to my feelings of uselessness as lockdown set in and the irony that, because I had the time and not much else to do - because I knew people who knew people and was armed with a smart phone and limitless wifi - I was able to be of use in a remote, emergency situation. I am a professional actor, writer and singer, for whom all performance work was brought to an abrupt halt. I have family and friends who are clinicians and who, unlike me, (still) find themselves on the frontlines of the pandemic dealing with their own pandemic-wrought stress. There was something strangely comical about doing nothing, this enforced idleness, being touted as my patriotic duty. It is especially difficult to accept that proposition when usefulness and productivity have been so ingrained and associated with 'getting your hands dirty.' My smartphone and computer, devices often derided as barriers to 'real' human connection became the conduits for the only real connection we could have other than with the loved ones we were isolating with. The 'pings' of text notifications were welcome accompaniments to days spent reading, watching movies, amusing ourselves with the latest pandemic-inspired memes.
• 
  2020-11-16

  Interview with Active Air Force Reservist during COVID-19

  This is a audio interview with a active Air Force Reservist, describing how the Covid pandemic has impacted his work environment and personal livelihood.
• 
  2020-11-12

  Quebec's $1.5 billion Plan to Restart Economy

  Quebec has been one of the hardest hit provinces during the pandemic. This plan hopes to revitalize the economy by investing in workers, "buy local" initiatives, and research. This will also come with a deficit for next couple of years.
• 
  2020-11-09

  Another One Bites the Dust

  Insecure work is nothing new but I was too lucky to hop onto welfare when my hospitality job wrapped up for the lockdown. Really feel for my colleagues, international students and others who aren't supported in the same way and have to hustle in exploitative arrangements. No workers compensation, pay well below minimum wage, and increased risk of contracting coronavirus all while keeping the city fed. These folks are holding it down for us without getting much back. Reform is needed.
• 
  2020

  The Warning Signs

  While COVID-19 restrictions became part of the everyday, it was at times difficult to keep track of their constant changes and revisions. Businesses started to put up signs outlining their policies for staff and clients to keep everyone safe. The first image is from a cafe in Potts Point, one of many local businesses put under strain by the pandemic. The second is from an aged-care facility in Woollahra in response to the beginning of the second-wave outbreak in Melbourne.
• 
  2020-11-07

  Boston Celebrated Joe Biden's Victory in the 2020 election

  This moment is an important moment in American history, as it marks the end of a tyrant. However, it's important to me because it will hopefully represent a shift in the handling of this pandemic, meaning we can get back to a regular life sooner. Donald Trump has not handled this pandemic very well, giving our country the highest one-day increase of any country and the deaths of nearly 250,000 people. I hope that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's inauguration will America get back on the right track. Their current plan for handling the pandemic looks very promising, and I cannot wait for them to work I also think that its really cool that my sister now has a role model that she can look up to in the White House, and while Ms. Harris may be the first, I am sure that she won't be the last.
• 
  2020-03-17T18:07

  Shutdown

  The story of the photograph is one that many small businesses will no doubt have experienced. That is one of a thriving business faced with the threat of shutdown. The photograph is one of a small business being forced to face the threat of impending financial threat.
• 
  2020-09-27

  How Corona Affected Me

  Over 60% of Nevada's revenue comes from Gaming Taxes and Sales Taxes so when everything was shutdown because of the virus our revenue became unstable so large budget cuts were made to education as well as other areas. The education cuts are what concern me the most; not only am I directly affected but so is my community. Nevada is 45th in the U.S. for education so it shows that we will only be going down from that point. Those large breaks in education are significantly impactful for younger children whose brains are still developing.
• 
  2020-11-07

  The Year We Were Quarantined

  I've lived in Las Vegas for almost my entire life, and this picture is extremely shocking to me because of how barren it is. Las Vegas is known for the Strip, and both tourists and locals know that this place is always hustling and bustling. There's always flashing lights, traffic, and tons of people everywhere, so seeing this place looking like a ghost town is unbelievable.
• 
  2020-05

  Critical Industry Employee Authorization to Travel Regardless of the Time of Day

  When this ongoing pandemic initially began, people were not sure how long the extremities would last or whether COVID-19 was as bad as some people claimed it to be. As we now know, the wearing of the mask has become politicized with some movements and ideologies, and the safety and wellbeing of the community is being contested with freedom, pandemic conspiracies and/or blatant denial. It is now November 6, 2020, and I can safely say we as a global community have seen ridiculous and ineffable events unravel over the past year. Sadly, these unique occurrences are far from ending as the pandemic is worsening in terms of case spikes and as the people are growing ever more weary. I am reflecting during this election period, looking back at the strange changes I haven't seen before in my life, and recently I found this work document I had at home. The document presented is a paper granting the holder the right to go about their day, allowing them to travel when others were not allowed.This paper was given to me at work during May 2020 just a curfew took place. Although the mandated curfew in San Francisco only lasted about a week, I remember that people did take it seriously more or less as I walked to work barely seeing anyone outside. The paper would help me if the police stopped me at any point. My parents were worried that I would get pulled over since I worked evening shifts (luckily I didn't have this happen). What is interesting and scary about this document was that others could have been fined or got into trouble if they were stopped; this was something I never considered at that time. Others may state that this document is scary in terms of historical precedence to the nineteenth century in America. This can be tied to freedom papers in segregated and/or slave based areas in the American south when African Americans had to possess such papers stating their business either on their or someone else's behalf. The repercussions otherwise could have been horribly severe if they didn't have said papers. Thus, this paper holds power and grants amnesty from punishment. Two different periods with different purposes but similar implications and deterrents. Interesting what can be created during a modern pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-28

  Future History Teachers

  I am hoping to become a high school history teacher and this meme rang true for me. I cannot wait to teach 2020 to future students, it will probably be a class in itself!
• 
  2020-11

  Red Curry Tofu Rice Bowl at Bon Banh Mi in Charleston, SC

  Bon Banh Mi is a small local restaurant with two locations in the Charleston, SC area owned by two friends. Like many other restaurants in the area, they were hit by Covid-19 and had to figure out how to continue service in order to stay open. They just recently started offering inside service, however most people sit outside to enjoy their food. Masks are required at all times, except when eating food.
• 
  2020-06

  Panang Curry at Gathering Cafe

  During the pandemic many restaurants in Charleston, SC were shut down or only offered limited service. Gathering Cafe in Charleston only offered takeaway orders with two tables for outside dining. The restaurant is family owned and has a limited staff because of Covid. They also had a new baby, so in order to keep people separate from the restaurant, a large glass window was installed. They had to do their best to keep their restaurant open while also protecting the new member of the family.
• 
  2020-11-04

  Libya Covid assistance

  After the Obama administration intervened in Libya and removed Muammar al-Gaddafi; Libya's entire infrastructure of hospitals, emergency services, and universities became totally decimated by US airstrikes. Libya is currently experiencing a civil war post-United States intervention and it has left the population in a refugee crisis. The country most likely would have been able to handle the COVID-19 pandemic considering they had arguably the best healthcare and university systems in Africa pre US intervention. However, it is good to see the US and UN donating money to help the war-torn country currently experiencing civil war and total humanitarian collapse. The money is being given to the US-installed regime so it will be interesting to see how it is spent. Ironically in a country that was totally decimated its oil enterprises are back online and producing crude, which before the US intervention, the money went to the people first, but now is being divided up by BP, Shell, and the US installed regime.
• 
  2020-04-20

  The Committee to Protect Journalists Advises Protection Strategies for Protest Events

  This redacted photo from the Associated Press covers anti-lockdown protests in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on April 20, 2020. I redacted the original to protect the identities of the protestors. The crowd demanded the reopening of their state’s economy. Their demonstrations came on the heels of new social distancing measures to help diminish the spread of Covid-19. The article that accompanies this photo should be essential reading for both journalists’ safety and the public’s safety. The tips on protecting oneself in a violent crowd are widely applicable.
• 
  2020-10-24

  Defunct Shopping Centers Become Senior Housing Solution

  Due to economic hardships brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, many shopping centers and malls have seen their last shoppers. Many of these structures are now being repurposed for upscale, senior retirement living. The article observes that the over-65 population is “increasing by about 10,000 a day,” which makes such repurposing an inventive and useful idea. Wasik also writes that “the retail-to-housing transformation [has] been accelerated by the pandemic.”
• 
  2020-03-19

  The Las Vegas strip

  What it does means to me is that our bright and beautiful city which was active was dead, it was a ghost town. It showed that at that time the Governor Steve Sisolak needed to make a very difficult decision and shut down our country in order to protect the Nevadans. But it came at a risk of shutting down our economy many Nevadans have been hurt recently, When it came to the federal government barely anything has been done. There are still millions of Americans who are struggling to put food on the table for their children and Congress can't put politics aside for the betterment of the American people. I was one of the lucky ones and I have been negatively affected so I don't know how it must of felt for the Americans who are struggling but I know it must be painful.
• 
  2020-04-22

  AOC Tweet 4/22/2020

  This tweet is by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and reads: “GOP is seriously arguing that it’s worth sacrificing the lives of hourly workers so they can get a spray tan again. If they really wanted to reopen the economy, they’d fund mass testing, contact tracing, & healthcare for people. Instead they’re fighting against hospital funding.” This tweet briefly brings up the not-scientifically-founded idea of “re-opening” in order to boost the economy. And the lack of funding for mass covid testing/tracing, and general healthcare is also mentioned.
• 
  2020-04

  COVID Stimulus Check: Grad School in Quarantine

  This meme, posted on the popular social media platform Reddit, represented and still represents the feelings of many Americans as they attempted to survive the pandemic with a one time payment of $1,200. For many college students there was no money at all, it is common for parents to still claim their adult children as dependents for tax purposes and because of that their children were not eligible for the stimulus check. Thousands of students, including myself, had to make it through without even the small one-time payment provided by the government. With the pandemic still going strong there is talk of another stimulus but if the same problems with tax status occur again then it won't mean anything to many struggling students.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Follow the Yellow Brick Road

  “Do you sell hand sanitizer?” asks nearly every customer that enters the door into the store that I work at. If I’m not busy, I’m usually kind enough to walk them down to the aisle they’re in (Aisle 12, Cleaning and Breakroom!), however, if I can’t take the time to, I tell them to follow the stickers we have on the floor that leads to that section. Sort of like the yellow brick road from The Wizard of Oz led Dorothy and her gang to the Emerald City. Many stores nowadays have social distancing and directional stickers for aisles, but this is the only place that I have seen these types of stickers. This is something that I have come to associate with life during the pandemic; now learning to work during this.
• 
  2020-04

  No Disneyland this Summer

  I started following a lady on Youtube and Instagram as I began preparations to go to Disney for the first time. This Youtuber gives advice on how to have a great Disney trip for introverts. Needless to say, my trip didn’t happen and neither did hers.
• 2020-08-28

  NBA Bubble

  During the pandemic all sports stopped, at least until there was enough safety procedures to safely play. The NBA found a location in Orlando at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort, which was able to both house the teams invited as well as the staff and support staff for the teams. The games would be broadcast with virtual fans. This worked pretty well because the people in the bubble were tested and could work out and play on the many courts that the complex boasts. This idea was one of the better sporting decisions but with the size of the teams much more easily done than with other sports, with larger teams and more staff. The NBA soon returned and began to play and give people live entertainment with few COVID cases reported from the bubble
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  2020-10-25

  San Francisco is Leader in Slowing the Spread of COVID-19

  Despite being one of the most populated cities in the United States, San Francisco has the lowest death per capita. People who violated safety protocols were held accountable, and long lines were regulated to ensure social distancing. Masks were also handed out by the police. When I visited San Francisco, I was astounded by how many people there were, and how small everything was. I would have thought that San Francisco would be heavily debilitated by the pandemic.
• 2020-10-28

  Taiwan's 200th day COVID-19 Free

  I was born in Taiwan, so I was happy to see that my home country is doing so well in the pandemic. Despite their close proximity to China, Taiwan cracked down on COVID-19 very quickly and was never heavily struck by the disease. I asked my mother about this, and she said that Taiwan already has experiences with pandemics (the SARS outbreak). I think that coupled with the political tension between Taiwan and China prompted Taiwan to tackle the coronavirus outbreak very aggressively.
• 
  2020-10-30

  “We’ve been gearing up for this financial year”: Hornby returns to profit for first time in nearly a decade

  During the pandemic, many people have turned hobbies to keep themselves busy and to relieve stress. Because of this, the hobby industry has seen a revitalization. Some company's, such as Hornby, are seeing profits for the first time in years.
• 
  2020-10-30

  Disneyland Workers Face Huge Layoff

  California guidelines dictate that the state's largest theme parks won’t reopen until infection rates drop considerably in their counties. An Orange County health official has said that means Disneyland likely won’t be able to open before summer 2021. Due to this, many Disneyland workers have been laid off from a job that felt like home. Many furloughed Disneyland workers are struggling to make ends meet.
• 
  2020-09-18

  Sex Work in Africa During Covid-19

  As subsaharan Africa already had a pandemic of HIV/AIDS prior to Covid, it has made sex work even more dangerous in Africa. For many, it has also lead to a reduced income and increased harassment.
• 
  2020-10-28

  Disappearing Hotels?

  I submitted this image because it has a lot of significance to the town of Scituate, with it being the only inn/hotel in this town. The owner has to cut a lot of employees and other things because of this pandemic and they are not receiving any money to do what is normal. Local hotels are getting diminished, just like this one and if these go down, so is the history. There is so much history that is brought along with local objects and there is meaning that locals understand so we need to try and protect local objects, not just hotels during this pandemic.
• 2020-10-26

  A Short Review of My COVID-19 Experience

  Everything started at my job at my school’s pool, when one of my bosses told me that the district shut down my school. I was a little surprised, but I got back to work, it was off season and the pool wasn’t going to watch itself. The smell of Chlorine and chemicals was slightly comforting, since at least I still had work, which was something to do during these strange times. But over time there was more talk from my job’s higher ups about shutting down the pool, and two weeks after school closed, my job did as well. Now the only thing I could do was lay around my house, listen to the news and my family stuck in our home. Online school starting up was the worst though, having to sit there and listen to teachers yell at us over due dates even though I wasn’t paying attention to what day it was, everything was just a blur. Finally, it was summer, instead of sitting outside and listening to the birds chirping or smelling a nice barbecue, I was stuck inside, with nothing to do. In June, after almost three months, my work returned! Back to Chlorine and Hand Sanitizer, it was the first time I’d seen any of my friends in person, we stayed safe and far away, but it was good to be in the same room as them. And as quickly as Summer came it left, and we were back to school, well digitally back to school. it's much better than earlier this year. But it didn’t help that during the first week of school we got huge fires, it didn’t affect my schoolwork but it did affect my work, I spent two weeks on and off at work, only smelling smoke and seeing the orange sky and red sun. Now things have gotten better, I still work, I still go to school, and I’m a year older than I was before. Hopefully, things will keep getting better.
• 
  2020-10-22

  Museum Awareness and COVID-19

  I have been recently researching digital archives and their effective helpfulness in the midst of crises and pandemics, such as COVID-19. While discovering new sources for research, I came upon a community that is treasured by society yet sufferers immeasurable when neglected, museums. From what I have put together in following archives and museums, there is a difference and the difference is impactful: People interact with archives while museums interact with people. Archives can be easily engaged through any format and do not struggle to adapt to a rapidly evolving society. Museums and their charm center on one core energy source, in-person engagement, interaction, and display. Museums attempting to permanently shift to online have the risk of fading into another informational website (Advertising is a dense fog). The attraction is the ability for people to see artifacts and art in person. I personally love museums and I know that without them, history seems to lose some of its luster as well. I found this website, American Alliance of Museums: COVID-19 Resources and Information for the Museum Field, while searching through museum resources and listening to museum and art directors discussing the future of their work. It is a tool for anyone from a visitor to a museum director in staying connected to updates on openings and closures as well as how museums are encouraged to keep up with their audiences. Though a permanent solution isn’t found to the situation or even COVID-19 for that matter, I have found that the need to keep moving forward is not just surviving, but living. This resource created by AAM might be the catalyst for museums to evolve into online forms successfully; that would be joyful news in difficult times. I have saved this link to a web page saver, Wayback Machine, so it can be accessed at any time even if the page is removed or recreated. Thanks for reading!
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  2020-03-18

  Las Vegas Quarantine

  The photo is when Las Vegas went into lockdown for COVID-19 in March 2020. This photo has much significance considering this was the first time in my life I witnessed Las Vegas actually shutdown all the casinos (which it’s infamously known for). This also shows how the government took action by having a quarantine/ shutdown of nonessential businesses. Being that casinos are the main source of income for many residents of Las Vegas, the virus undoubtedly affected locals daily lives, as well as billions of lives globally.
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  2020-10-20

  The Las Vegas Strip

  This picture to me represents how much Las Vegas has changed within these few months and the Las Vegas strip is one of them. The strip has never been lonely it was always a place of tourism but ever since the pandemic started the tourism has slowly decreased and has affected people's jobs due to it. People have been laid off and those who weren't laid off have not been working their full hours therefore not gaining as much money as before. Plus, the economy right now isn't the best and not working the full 40 hours is causing lots of problems for families who only have one family member working at the moment. Speaking from experience since my dad had to get a second job due to his job working at the Bellagio not giving him enough hours so he wasn’t making the same money before. I hate seeing him work so much and I'm grateful he's doing what's best for our family.
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  2020-10-20

  Life with Corona

  school assignment
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  2020-10-20

  We're Gonna Be Alright!

  This is my picture that was taken at a racial injustice march days after the police killing of George Floyd and in the midst of Covid-19. (That's me with the white towel around my neck) During this pandemic the majority of America has been focusing on health, economy, and getting back to normal. However, for most of us Black Americans the pandemic has been another exhausting setback to deal with in our pursuit of life, liberty, and the American dream. Unfortunately, our pursuit didn't just start during the pandemic and hasn't been going on for a few months, or even a year. This is a pursuit that has been going on all of our lives, the lives of our ancestors, and almost assuredly for the generations that will come after us! My hope is that when people look back and search Covid-19 and the pandemic of 2020, they will also look at the totality of the struggles of Black Americans. I want them to understand that our fight and struggle to live has been, and will always be more resilient then the forces opposing us, no matter if it's a viral agent or humanity itself!
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  2020-10-20

  Mask Mandate

  In this picture, we see a gym employee wearing a mask and cleaning their equipment. I like to go to my local 24 Hour Fitness and you are required to wear a mask which is an example of government action. This is all due to the mandatory face covering policy that was announced by Governor Sisolak caring for the health of the public. This is extremely important and meaningful to me because I know this extra protection is for me and others when going outside or going to the gym.
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  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
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  2020-04-07

  There's Still Hope

  The picture was taken April 7, 2020, about a month into quarantine in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was a time when the only human interaction you would get is at grocery store when you were scrambling to get supplies for your home not knowing if you or a loved one could be the next victim of this pandemic. My household and I were scared, not knowing what to do besides stay quarantined in our home and not try to get tired of each other. We decided we wanted to change up our routine of just staying in the house, and drive down to get a view of the strip to see how it looked with no people. We drove by the electrified city with usually hundreds of people walking the streets partying, to only see the streets empty and all the buildings lights shut off. However, as we drove by the casinos and hotels by Aria Casino, there were two buildings with lights lit up in the shape of a heart. This showed me, despite all the trouble and heartache this pandemic has brought, there was still hope in our city. That one day we will overcome this pandemic together, and in the mean time we just need appreciate what we have, show our loved ones that we love them, and quarantine to help preserve the lives of others. The hearts gave me a sign of hope, that my family and I were not in this alone. *A picture taken by me driving down the strip.
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  2020-10-19

  A Government Against It's People

  Finding any type of media that will accurately show what little the government has done and the lack of support the people of America have is unbelievably easy. In fact, I had a hard time choosing between which cartoon illustration was better. I knew our government wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t until Donald Trump being elected and the coronavirus pandemic hitting our homes did I realize how terrible things really are. These cartoons depicted so well how our government has harmed us more than helped us. The dangerous lies told by our own president and how the government won't take responsibility. When corona made its way to the U.S it was deemed unserious. On March 11th, 2020, President Trump said, “The vast majority of Americans, the risk is very, very low.” At that time there were 1,105 cases and 33 deaths documented in the U.S. The next day my highschool as well as every other school within the country closed down as an “extra week of spring break” due to the virus. This “break” soon became eight months and in the U.S alone there are now 8,128,524 ( plus 47,035 new) cases with 218,986 ( plus 475 new) deaths . The scare became real, people started stocking up leaving nothing for anyone else. We have almost 15 people in our home, it took my mom multiple trips to different stores in order to get the necessities for our family. You would think when a pandemic is spreading throughout people in the country you were placed in position to protect you’d address the problem seriously and work hard to find a solution. All Trump and our government has done was ignore the citizens deaths and provide false hope. What we did get was our president being sarcastic and telling us to inject lysol into our lungs. The citizen’s of America have seen other countries rise in numbers of coronavirus with us and then watch their governments actually handle the situation causing their numbers to decline while our numbers are still shooting through the roof. The panic of this virus does not even cross the mind of those who are rich, the group that our current president only cares about. They didn’t have to worry about medical bills in a country where the president doesn’t believe free healthcare is a human right because they know they are important in his eyes. At the end of this virus, it will be the stories from the one percent belittling the destruction of this virus rather than those who have actually suffered. America is running on ignorance right now. Our own president and government is not concerned with the health of the country. It is the government's job to protect and provide for its people, whether it be an outside threat or a threat within the country. When I look at those cartoons of Donald Trump and the coronavirus, it makes me remember how badly I want our country to actually function the way it is intended to.
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  2020-10-19

  Las Vegas, a Petri Dish for the Coronavirus

  News of China’s “coronavirus” began to circulate in December of 2019. In March, the risk of the virus was very well known. This is when my high school shut down. In May, casinos shut down too. This was a good response by the government that was practically reversed in the months afterward. The picture above was taken on June 6 of 2020, months after people have become painfully aware of the virus. Casinos had recently reopened, and businesses were attracting tourists to make up for the massive losses of revenue during the quarantine. As you can see, there is a complete lack of social distancing, with some people failing to wear masks. This picture, to me, is but one of many examples of the government failing to protect its citizens. It’s no surprise that the reopening of commercial activity in Las Vegas resulted in another peak of Covid cases, unraveling all of the previous progress made to flatten the curve. Las Vegas is now a petri dish for the virus to thrive and spread. People in the healthcare field, including my father, are now under immense amounts of stress as Covid patients come pouring in. If officials, and citizens, had listened to common sense and scientific evidence from the start, we would have stopped isolating months ago.
• 
  2020-03-30T19:47

  Virus Problems

  This photo showcases the strip being empty and the casinos' vacancy. The governor shutdown the city to make sure the spread of the virus was limited. The residents were to be in their house the only time you could leave is with a mask. Visitors were prevented from coming to the strip and the region was quiet for a while.
• 
  2020-08-08

  Self Expression in a Pandemic

  The media above is a picture sent to me by a close friend whose mom’s friend was making these masks and selling them to people during quarantine. This means a lot to me because since the pandemic had already been around for a while, people began to find ways to express themselves and their culture through our required masks. Not only that, but it also proves the financial crisis many people were in and the small ideas they have in order to make some extra money to make ends meet. Although the government did send financial aid out, for many it wasn’t enough. These masks show both our insistence to express ourselves during a crisis and the inability for the government to provide proper aid to the citizens.
• 
  2020-07

  #CancelRent And Eviction Blockades in Brooklyn: Black Queer Women and Femmes Fight for the Right to Housing

  Im submitting an auto-ethnogrpahy I completed this summer about the housing movement during covid.
• 2020-10-18

  The Summer of Stress

  In the days following my graduation from community college in 2015, I fulfilled my lifelong pursuit of procrastination and let my apartment lease run out without securing a new residence. The two weeks of couch surfing and car sleeping which followed surely taught me a lesson in preparedness. I never thought I would be in a situation where I would lose my job and home. in 2015, I still had a job. I had friends who could take me in and help me re-establish; it is easier to continue work and remain healthy when sleeping indoors and enjoying hot showers daily. But in 2020, the story is different. My friends could still take me in; many urged me to. But the pandemic put a weight on my mind that I was not safe to stay with my friends; and I couldn't stay with one friend for a long time (and therefore minimize new contact). I am incredibly afraid that I could harm my friends' families because of the pandemic. Then my job as a cashier at a 7-Eleven by the Orange County Airport was lost because the travel and traffic in the airport area dropped drastically as lockdowns and travel restrictions began; many stores in the area closed. I waited all of summer before I applied for assistance. I kept thinking it would be like the two weeks in 2015; but this was not just my own negligence as a procrastinator, this was my own fault compounded by the pandemic. As the method of my hygiene (24 Hour Fitness) closed, I truly felt the weight of stress on my mind. No more daily hot showers. Luckily my mobile residence, my car, allows me to sleep near the cold showers of the beach. Luckily the YMCA has begun phased re-opening, and I began showering there end of September when I could afford the membership. I am still without a job, and without a permanent residence. It was impossible to manage what money I still have, because eating as a homeless person is not cheap; hot food costs far more money than grocery bought. I had to use my friend's address to even get EBT/food stamps; this is why the homeless folk who are less fortunate than me, who no longer have friends pursuing their safety with them, suffer. There is no address for EBT to send them the food stamps, or they as people in need simply have no friends who can help them shoulder the stress of bad fortune and extreme circumstances.
• 2020-10-15

  The Olympics

  Crazy how the olympics was postponed and cancelled. I met a Japanese lady who worked as a tour guide. She said the olympics was going to be an amazing time business wise for her. She works with olympic atheletes who need translation for Japanese to English. I remember carrying her golf bags. Everyone on the ship wanted to carry her golf bags considering she tipped $20 everytime!
• 
  2020-10-16T23:30

  Friday night out during Covid

  I am a server at a Chili's in Tempe Arizona. Covid has changed many things about my day to day life and work. The restaurant scene has changed a lot as well. This recording was from the restaurant on a Friday night about 30 minutes before closing at midnight. Pre-Covid I would be cleaning tables and finishing up some cleaning to get out of there but as you can hear, the place was still buzzing. Since Covid began numerous bars and late night establishments have closed and thus Chili's a relatively safe chain restaurant that was able to withstand closure has taken some of that business in Tempe. Peoples normal dining cycles seem to have also changed a bit and becoming more random. Normal lunch and dinner times matter less when everyone is working from home and night outs with friends are more rare.
• 
  2020-10-09

  Broadway Shutdown extended through May 2021

  This article shares the news that the Broadway League has extended the suspension of performances through May 2021. Previously, Broadway shows were scheduled to reopen in January 2021. This is significant because of how much employment Broadway affects, from performers to those who work in costume shops.
• 
  2020-10-10

  Florida Theatre

  The Florida Theatre, a historically significant building in Jacksonville, Florida, has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic and has been unable to reopen safely since guidelines have relaxed. As this article says, the theater is now out of money and is trying to raise money through donations so that they can reopen in December.
• 
  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.