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Events
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2020-02-14
Happy Valentine's Day! We have COVID!
For Valentine's Day 2021, I gave my boyfriend COVID! What a great gift, right? The week before I started to feel down, congested, and I had a sore throat. As it was mid-February, I thought it was just a regular cold, like I get every year. So I really thought it was no big deal, so my boyfriend and I spent the weekend together like normal. But on Feb 14th, I woke up, got in the shower, and realized I couldn't smell any of my soaps! I ran out of the shower in a panic and went to the kitchen to smell all the food we had. I couldn't smell the onion, the salsa, the garlic powder, the coffee...nothing! So we decided to cancel our date plans for the day and went to get tested. My test came back positive so we went in the quarantine together, as we had spent the last four days together. At this point, I was getting exponentially sicker and laid in bed for the next 5 days. About 3 days after I lost my sense of smell, I lost my sense of taste, but only for about 24 hours. What a terrible week! Hopefully, Valentine's Day 2022 is better for us! -
2021-05-27Teachers Rock
Right before COVID-19 hit my husband made the transition from active duty military to reservist. After eight years we were finally given the gift to settle down and live a "normal" life. January of 202 we moved into our home and three months later we were facing a quarantine. That same in the midst of that my daughter started kindergarten. It was a moment I had thought of for quite some time. In my mind, I would take lots of pictures, walk her to her class and tearfully walk back to my car and having a pity party about my growing girl. Instead, my daughter spent her first day at home in front of a computer while I fought to get into her virtual classroom. For months we dealt with virtual than in class then back to virtual learning as COVID cases peaked. My daughters Kindergarten teacher was the only constant bright light throughout the school year. Through it all she worked tirelessly to make sure the kids had a positive school experience. She went out of her way to make sure the school brought them joy in the midst of the chaotic year, having her in my daughter's life became personal to my family. At the end of the school year she sent out her last newsletter thanking parents but the reality of it is- she was a complete rockstar and we will forever be grateful. I wanted to share her last newsletter in hopes that it reflects an ounce of how difficult this school year was for teachers and how resilient children were. -
2021-05-25Being 16/17 in a Pandemic
This is my life during the pandemic in the United States which on personal experiences and reactions that I and those closest to me went through. -
2020-02-01Timeline of political and personal events - Tyler Corcoran
I got COVID-19 in late March and with the rapid changing of events, watching it all happen from my bed was a very sobering experience, so I created this timeline to show the most important events from the last 15 months -
2021-01-01
Curtain Call on 2020
This past year was a crazy one. Since it’s now 2021, for the first time, I’m really looking back on 2020 and reflecting on my memories and moments. The year started off normal, and simpler. I had just made friends with a group that I liked a lot in December of 2019, I’m still with them, so that was pretty important. I imagine my life would be different, and I wouldn’t have many of the memories I have today. I don’t remember much about January or February itself, but I do remember Mardi Gras. At the time, the USA wasn’t really concerned about COVID-19, so being with friends during Mardi Gras were some of the best and last moments of large gatherings and celebrations I’ve seen in a while. After the 2 weeks of festivities, March rolled around, a month that stands out for everyone when looking back at 2020. Halfway through the month, we learned that we got out of school for 2 weeks. I was in media arts and my friends and I got super excited. The tone dialed down quickly though, as my entire math period following the announcement was Mr. Milling answering questions from kids about the virus and explaining the CLP. My friends and I hung out one final time that night on March 13th. After that, we split up and resorted to talking through phones and headsets as a communication system. In April we started meeting up again at Audubon Park for bike rides, and that continued through June. Then it seemed like school came fast, and all of a sudden, we were back in person, and things felt just a little bit normal. -
2020-04-12One Way to See Family During a Worldwide Crisis
Primary Source Essay Wildania Hernandez The primary source I’m using for this project is a picture of my family on a zoom call celebrating my father’s birthday on march 12, 2020. This is how my family and myself had to gather together to actually spend some time since the virus started. Our family is a very united family, we are very close and before COVID-19 started we used to get together in somebody’s house and just cook and dance and talk, and enjoy every second of it but everything changed when the virus started it was spreading too fast, and everybody was scared. I remember how my mom was always watching the news and you could see all the videos of all those people that died in Queens and they had so many bodies that they didn't have a place to put them. Funeral homes were full and all I could think was about those families who lost a loved one and how some people were thinking that COVID was fake. The first time we use zoom was to celebrate my father’s birthday, it was something new and not something like we usually do but at least we got to see some of our family members. We were always home since we stopped working because of the pandemic. We used to work for a medical transportation company so we were “Essentials Workers”, we transport people to get dialysis treatment 3 times a week and after the virus started to get stronger we had to stop working because almost every patient we transported died of COVID-19 before the wave of summer even started. Sadly the COVID ended the life of two members in my family, at the end of June we got the news that one of my aunts was at the hospital on life support, three weeks later one of my uncle was in the same situation. We couldn't see them or say goodbye, everything just happened so fast that we were in shock and this is how we started our “Weekly zoom meetings”. The reason why I selected this source is because I want to show historians of the future how families use to communicate in a group without getting together. We used this tool to so much that we had an schedule, every Friday we had a zoom meeting to just talk about our week. To talk about our different point of view of the pandemic and not only that but all of the events that happened last year, like the protest that started shortly after George Floyd was killed, and the election in November but most importantly those zoom meetings was just to make sure that everybody was good and to support each other since some of my family members were still working outside. Crazy how everything started last year and now we have a vaccine and hopefully everything will go back to normal in no time but for now we need to live with the memory of what started in the year 2020 that affected the whole world. -
2020-09-18
Grandpa's 80th Zoom Birthday
This is near the beginning of the school year. I am still settling into 8th grade and am yet used to life during coronavirus. This is the first birthday I have had to celebrate over zoom which was really weird. This is still the stage of Coronavirus Journals where I say what I ate for lunch. Tyler 9/18/20 New Orleans, LA Coronavirus Journal Today is Friday, and Rosh Hashanah. I don’t think my family will celebrate though. I know we will be celebrating my grandpa’s birthday tonight over a zoom dinner. I am really excited to talk to my grandparents because I haven’t spoken to them for a long time because of covid. Today I woke up at 7:48 am and I am really lucky that we have til 8:15 to get to school because I would have definitely been late. Yesterday I had a baseball scrimmage and did pretty well. Today for lunch I had a turkey and swiss cheese sandwich and some barbecue chips. I am pretty lucky to have no homework today since I had Science, History, and Band. -
2020-09-01
First Day of Covid School 2020
This was the first day of school of 8th grade and the whole mask thing and all of the precautions were new to me as we just got out of quarantine. I didn’t know what to expect as the outcome of the year and was just taking it all in. Tyler 9/1/20 New Orleans, LA Coronavirus Journal Today I ate a turkey and swiss cheese sandwich for lunch. I ate with my advisory. I had drama today and we played “Greetings Your Majesty”, which is basically where you come behind somebody and say “greetings your majesty” with a weird voice. If they guess who said that to them they get to stay as majesty, but If they don't then the person who spoke gets to be majesty. There is a jester who chooses who gets to go. After school today I am going to Coach Luke for pitching lessons instead of travel baseball practice because we already said we would go to pitching. Of course before that I will do my homework and if I don't finish before I leave for practice I will finish it after school. Today wasn't very special in any sort, but last Saturday was my Bar Mitzvah which was on zoom and my Bar Mitzvah party which only had like 6 kids. Last Thursday I turned 13 years old. In Docs class today we watched him do an experiment from 2 years ago and answered questions about it. On a sadder note - the actor who played Balck Panther - Chadwick Boseman died last Friday at the age of 43. I had recess in the Valmont Courtyard today and I played taps, wallball, and four square. Because of the pandemic we played foursquare using only our feet and heads. I didn't play taps and wall ball for long because a lot of people joined. Today was a pretty normal day, but a crazy week. -
2020-06Some Graduation Memes and Photos During the Coronavirus Time
Graduations during 2020 were conducted remotely. This meant that the students missed out on an important and memorable ceremony to mark this milestone in their lives. All ages were affected. The students were mostly home, and some had videos either as a live feed or prerecorded. Families tried their best to make the occassion memorable for their kids. Some schoolz had car parades for their graduates to "march" in front of their school or neighbors. -
2021-04-06
MN State Fair during the Pandemic
The Minnesota State Fair was canceled last summer due to the pandemic. These food stands are a lot of peoples primary source of income but due to the pandemic they were forced to shut down operations. As a result, they started to expand out to random parking lots throughout the twin cities. These stands are important to many people as the state fair is a tradition for so many people here in Minnesota. The fact that these stand owners figured out a way to get us the food we deserve is an example of how us Minnesotans have persevered through the pandemic. -
2021-04-06MN State Fair during the Pandemic
The Minnesota State Fair was canceled last summer due to the pandemic. These food stands are a lot of peoples primary source of income but due to the pandemic they were forced to shut down operations. As a result, they started to expand out to random parking lots throughout the twin cities. These stands are important to many people as the state fair is a tradition for so many people here in Minnesota. The fact that these stand owners figured out a way to get us the food we deserve is an example of how us Minnesotans have persevered through the pandemic. -
2021-04-25Padraic Cohen Internship Portfolio
This is my portfolio for my internship experience with the JOTPY, thank you so much for this; I really enjoyed working with each and every one of you - thank you for everything. -
2021-04-23
COVID 19, Religious Gatherings, and the Question of Freedom
Religious Expression vs. Freedom My faith had been deconstructed long before COVID-19 hit United States soil and the first (of many) lockdowns began. Where as many decided to lean heavily on their beliefs during a time of fear, confusion, and loneliness, I had ample time to reflect upon my own moral code, belief system, and lofty open-ended ideas regarding human origins, the afterlife, and my mortality. And while I am certain many of these concepts will never be answered, the pandemic has certainly shed a light onto the beliefs, values, and behavior of the religious USA. Certainly not all, but a large portion of Evangelical Americans and the non-religious have collided on freedom as a concept as well as how to exercise it. The arguments were especially heated in terms of gathering, which was banned in most areas for months in order to protect general wellbeing. As someone who found comfort and solace in my Sunday morning worship sessions, I understand the importance of such community gatherings. When faced with an unknown time without the habit and release of worship, there is bound to be friction. While friction was certainly there, most Americans followed CDC regulations and recommendations at the start. However it took very little time for discourse, blatant disregard, and conspiracy to settle into communities across not only the USA, but the world. Was the government really able to tell people how to exercise their freedom of religion, even if it meant health was at risk? It seems many Americans value their freedom over health choices. While I found it difficult to wrap my mind around, as I have followed CDC guidelines from the start and since received the Pfizer vaccine, I also understand the individualistic spirit of America as a whole. Patriotism seems to be synonymous with the religious right of America- and our country’s political polarization is nothing new under the sun. Most churches I am aware of meet weekly or more, masks are scoffed at, and doctors are seen as agents of the state keen on stripping freedoms away from every man, woman, and child. Freedom is clearly more important than both individual health and the health of others around them. I have heard that god will protect those who he chooses to (not the millions who have died, just those he sees fit to protect), that COVID is simply a conspiracy, and that I am a sheep for listening to recommendations of specialists. As COVID regulations and vaccine rollouts continue, there are more questions that will occur. For example, what is the legality of vaccine regulations to enter places of business? There are already areas in which vaccines are nearly mandated (save for certain religious stated opt-outs) such as schools and universities. I feel only more questions regarding freedom and government-orientated safety will continue to occur as this discussion regarding covid gathering has just scratched the surface. -
2020-11-11Pandemic Street Art: I VOTE
On November 11, 2020, my middle child and I went for an art walk in midtown Sacramento to celebrate her birthday. Amongst the murals, many of which were put up during Wide Open Walls events of the past few years, we came across a new collection on the WEAVE building. The mural collection commemorates 100 years of the 19th amendment. WEAVE (Women Escaping a Violent Environment) is "the primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County." The artist of these murals is Maren Conrad, a Sacramento artist. She put these up during the pandemic, in October 2020. -
2021-04-21COVID-19, Religion, and Public Life Reflection
Throughout this past year, COVID-19 has affected each and every person, whether emotionally or physically, but I believe that it also has taught us so much about ourselves and allowed us to empathize with those around us who may be struggling in similar ways. The object I submitted is a photograph of my best friend and myself at a Black Lives Matter protest in Downtown Phoenix on June 3rd, 2020. As the pandemic has forced us to remain at home, it has given me the time to not only focus on personal growth, but also learn more about groups of people that are being oppressed around the world. I have become a more active member in society this past year listening to Black voices by furthering my knowledge on the discriminations they continue to face, and how their experiences of COVID-19 are different from white Americans. This has really opened my eyes to see how many different races are being oppressed, either by being blamed for the occurrence of the pandemic, or by how decisions are made surrounding who deserves priority treatment over another patient on the bias of race, ethnicity, or wealth status. I am grateful to have learned so much about these topics and for being able to attend numerous Black Lives Matter protests, and wish to continue to stand up for what I believe in as an active member in my community. Throughout the pandemic, I believe that relationships within religious communities have strengthened because individuals are looking for even more hope that their loved ones will survive and that everything will be over soon. Religion has played an important role in helping many throughout this difficult time by letting people know they are not alone and have an entire community to support them. Upon working hard to become the best version of myself and really see the world in a more positive manner, I have learned so much about the need for spreading positive energy and support especially to those whose voices were particularly oppressed during this time, or to those who were directly affected by COVID-19. In the midst of this, we must look past our differences and help each other out, because violence and disagreement will not further our progress. -
2020-06-19Pandemic Street Art: collab by Menace and Resa
These are screenshots of the Instagram account that represents collaborative artwork by muralists Menace and Resa. The "UNITY" mural is in South Central Los Angeles, California and was done "in response to pandemic fueled anti-Asian hate crimes." The "More Justice, More Peace" mural is in Brooklyn, New York and memorializes Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. in celebration of Juneteenth. -
2021-03-17#JOTPYPhoto from Kat Bezaire
Finished my BA, between myself and two pals we got a cap, gown and sashes so we staged our own graduation ceremony complete with photos (socially distanced of course) -
2021-03-17#JOTPYPhoto from Peter Van Cleave
Our pandemic baby -
2020-08-06Pagan Communities in the Time of Pandemic
One group that is often overlooked when discussing faith and religion is paganism. Partly, this is because, as the article references, paganism is not uniformly defined like other religious groups and faiths. As a result, it is much more difficult to understand and see how various pagans are reacting to the pandemic. Nonetheless, this article briefly surveys various sects of paganism in many different countries. One common element for many who consider themselves pagan has been celebrating and practicing privately, while also meeting virtually. -
2021-04-14
I Thought It Was Safe
It's been over a year since my daughter has gone to a birthday party. She got invited to one at an indoor kid's place and I had plans on taking her. She's gone to school online and only had playdates with one child ever since the pandemic began. She is not more likely to catch the virus than any other child, but, if she were to contract it, her symptoms would likely be severe and it would be very difficult for her to recover from it. My family has been very worried and take tons of precautions to protect her. We got an invitation to a private 2 hour party at an indoor amusement facility for kids. I got a text two hours before the party was set to begin saying that the party was cancelled because the family had just been notified by the school that there was an exposure to COVID-19 in the birthday boy's classroom. I am so glad the family was notified before the start of the party, but it just really hit me how dangerous it is to go to a simple kid birthday party. I immediately began to beat myself up... I had a thousand "what-ifs" go through my mind. I don't know when we will be able to go to indoor play facilities and I don't know when we will get to go to another birthday party. It's still just too scary and risky. -
2021-04-09A Year of Viertual Sharing
Our Sunday morning coffee/hiking group, professional women 60 or over, took to Zoom to stay connected. We started in April 2020 wearing Easter hats; we upgraded our haberdashery on Easter April 2021. Wishing to escape daily Covid fears, we chose a topic each week. One individual shared and then we moved on to the next. Topics were seasonal, from Mother's Day, Father's Day, Veteran's Day, Christmas, New Year's. We learned more about each other than we ever knew. Women out-of-state who were part of our circle could join us from D.C., Portland, and Wisconsin. As a former teacher and oral historian, I began to take notes on the conversations and realized these stories were too important to lose. I wrote them up weekly, edited them with the ladies, added photos or clip art, and provided a printed notebook to each friend for her birthday or Christmas. Some of us who are fully vaccinated can now meet in person, but we have decided to meet once a month online to continue telling the stories we might not share in person. -
2021-02-07Jazmine Sullivan & Eric Church Sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl LV, Interpreted by "Wawa" in ASL
Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church sing the National Anthem for the Super Bowl LV Pregame Show. Warren “Wawa” Snipe performed the song in ASL. The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay. -
2021-02-03Interview with Wawa, Super Bowl 55 Signer
Interview with Warren "Wawa" Snipe about his gig with Super Bowl 55 this Sunday. We also discuss his new album, “Wamilton,” and his genre of Dip Hop. -
2021-02-07National Anthem in ASL at the Superbowl
What a performance! Warren "Wawa" Snipe performed two songs during the Super Bowl. The National Anthem and America the Beautiful. He really stole the show! Kissfist! Muah! The performers were socially distanced. I wanted to add this to the archive so everyone can see Wawa's performance. He interpreted for artist H.E.R. Do you see the end? He knew he nailed it. Representation and inclusivity matter. -
2021-02-07ASL performer steals the show during Super Bowl national anthem
Warren “Wawa” Snipe, who is deaf, performed the song in American Sign Language, and won over fans in the process. He also performed during H.E.R.'s rendition of "America the Beautiful." -
2021-03-10At Home COVID Easter Egg Hunt Supplies from the City of Pflugerville Texas
This photograph shows an advertisement from the City of Pflugerville in the State of Texas. It announces that in lieu of its annual Easter Egg Hunt, the City of Pflugerville is offering families $5 at home egg hunt kits containing 20 eggs prefilled with "candy and toys" for children. Although this advertisement is for the 2021 Easter season, one year after COVID became a problem in the United States, many cities, towns, business, individuals, and other groups still wished to avoid in-person gatherings because they believed doing so would prevent additional hospitalizations and deaths (despite precautions such as masks, social distancing, and increased vaccinations). The advertisement communicates the sense of "cautious caution", in other words hesitation and apprehension, that many people still have about large gatherings, yet it also shows the strong desire to continue age-old traditions. This is also an excellent example of modifying public activities and events for at home enjoyment and performance. This became a mainstay during the spring and summer 2020 lockdowns and continued, for the most part, throughout spring 2021. -
2020-05-27Community Solidarity Creates Resiliency
Community solidarity creates resiliency. Fed up and want to get involved? Follow these local orgs for updates and latest actions: @blackvisionscollective, @reclaimtheblock, @mpd_150, @mnfreedomfund -
2021-01-20Inclusivity at the Inauguration
Georgia Fire Captain Andrea M. Hall recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday morning. She also signed in American Sign Language as she spoke. -
2021-03-20Deb Haaland Sworn in as the First Native American Cabinet Head
Photos of Deb Haaland proudly wearing the ribbon skirt I designed for her brings me so many emotions that are difficult to describe.It is such an honor to see an Indigenous woman be sworn in as the first Native American Cabinet head. Deb Haaland is such a gracious, humble, and compassionate leader who exemplifies all the teachings that are pretty universal for Indigenous Peoples. The teachings of love, kindness, humility, honesty, truthfulness and courage can be felt every time someone meets Deb or each time we see her speak. Today not just as a ribbon skirt maker but as an Indigenous woman….I feel SO SEEN. I know that feeling echoes tremendously with relatives all across Turtle Island. I am so proud to have been a part of this historic moment in some way. Thank you and shoutout to my friends Margaret Gonzalez and Shane Balkowitsch for asking me to make her a ribbonskirt. ✨✨✨✨✨✨ The ribbon skirt reminds us of the matriarchal power we carry as Indigenous women. They carry stories of survival, resilience, adaption, and sacredness. As survivors of genocide we wear our ribbon skirts to stay grounded in our teachings, to stay connected to the earth and our ancestors. ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽 Wearing it in this day and age is an act of self empowerment and reclamation of who we are and that gives us the opportunity to proudly make bold statements in front of others who sometimes refuse to see us. It allows us to be our authentic selves unapologetically. This is extremely important to me because when I was a little girl, the hate and racism I experienced as a First Nations person left me feeling shame. As the daughter of a Residential school survivor and a Sixties scoop survivor, sewing ribbon skirts has brought so much healing to my life. Expressing myself in a cultural and creative way that allows me to feel the strength of my ancestors has given me the space I needed to shed that shame I carried. Sewing is my love language. Extremely honored ~ Agnes Woodward @agneswoodward #ribbonskirts #ribbonskirt #IndigenouswomenEmpowered #DebHaaland #MatriarchalPower -
2021-03-18
With Hope
Today is Thursday, March 18, 2021. Saturday, March 13, was the first anniversary of the Friday the 13th that essentially broke the world, and that was our last day of normal. Or at least that’s how we all remember it now. On Monday, March 15, 2021, the students at my high school returned in “full swing” for the fourth quarter of the school year. I mean by full swing that we have no A and B days, and we are not all virtual. We still have an asynchronous day on Wednesday, but we all know that will soon go away. Many kids are staying virtual, and I don’t know how long that will be an option. So, we have had three days of students back on campus, and I think I would be much more concerned if I myself were not vaccinated, but I am fully vaccinated, and my husband completed his two-week waiting period a couple of days ago, so my house is “safe.” (Though I don’t totally feel that way yet) I don’t work on Wednesday right now, so we celebrated being fully vaccinated by going to an outdoor brunch, which was totally socially distanced, and I appreciated it a lot. I digress, though… school feels like school again. Sure, we limit the number of students who come into the library at lunch, but they are here, the halls bustle, and kids' noise in the hallway trails through our open library doors between periods again. Unfortunately, we are jumping back into things right in time for state testing, so we got this week of “bliss” before things become chaos of finding computers to test, getting students to make sure their computers are updated, and the general panic of finding space and making schedules that comes with any year of state testing. I want things to continue to trend in a direction where I don’t have to rescind all this hope a couple of months from now. -
2020-10-01It's like getting to wear a costume all 31 days of October
It’s like getting to wear a costume all 31 days of October. Honestly, just keep wearing that spooky mask all year long. • • • • #womentypewed #ladieswhodesign #girlsmakingmagic #creativewomen #womenwhodraw #creativeasswomen #typingfeminism #letteringcommunity #letteringlove #femaleartist #womenofdesign #typetopia #womenofillustration #goodtype #typeyeah #editorialillustration #beautyillustration #fashionillustration #feministjazzy #womenoftype #typeoftheday -
2021-01-21You Got This
There were many moments that took my breath away during yesterday’s Inauguration ceremony. When @michelleobama and @kamalaharris fist-bumped was definitely one of them. These two women are bonafide American royalty. The sisterhood, the beauty, the style, the grace, the elegance, the brilliance, the charisma, the ground-breaking careers, the determination, the dedication to creating change. I felt like this was a moment where Michelle was passing the torch to Kamala and saying “Take it away, you got this”. What were some of your favourite moments? [Image description: Title: Michelle and Kamala, on yellow bubble, Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2021, on dark purple bubble. Michelle is on the left, Kamala is on the right. They are both wearing crowns. Michelle is saying “You got this”.] #inauguration2021 #michelleandkamala #kamalaandmichelle #americanroyalty #bidenharris2020 #sisterhood #feminism #celebrateblackwomen #inaugurationday #bidenharrisinauguration #bidenharrisinauguration2021 #thankblackwomen -
2020-03-11Meet Generation C, the Covid generation
"Natalie Sanchez heard it in her children's voice when their birthday parties were canceled and saw it on their faces when they couldn't play with friends. It was more than just simple disappointment. It was fear that the world they once knew might have changed forever. "I think that it's something that's going to kind of scar them. I don't think that they'll forget," says the mom of three. Now, a year into a worldwide disaster it's no longer a question of if this pandemic will shape an entire generation, But how." -
2020-12-25
The Holidays with COVID
Holidays in America means at least for me have always been a time to gather with family and friends to celebrate. Big parties and gatherings have been a staple of the holidays for years. But this past year has been much different than the years before it. With the global pandemic happening the norm of these parties and gathering became inexistent. This year for the holidays I celebrated over what has become the new norm and that is Zoom. Eating and attempting to celebrate with your family on a Zoom call is one of the weirdest things I have experienced. Well it was nice getting to see everyone's faces doing it over a video call is not the way I enjoy. Hopefully things will turn soon as I am growing increasingly annoying by Zoom and video calls. -
2020-12-04Kamala Harris is Elected First Woman of Color to Become Vice President
Kamala Harris will become the first woman and first woman of color to become Vice President. She is also the first graduate of a historically Black university in the White House. Kamala graduated from Howard University with a political science and economics degree in 1986. Her sorority sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha celebrated her victory in Philadelphia after her Presidential ticket won the state. -
2020-12-05Police Violence
Protestors and families members who have lost loved ones to police violence gathered yesterday to condemn the shooting of Joseph Washington last Saturday. A police body camera video shows Washington getting out of a dumpster running towards officers, naked, and unarmed. Officers then deployed tasers and released a K-9 dog in to stop him — one officer fired his gun hitting Washington twice. St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell fired the officer who shot Washington. His termination is pending a union grievance process. Washington was a suspect in a house break-in and earlier domestic incident. Protestors denounced his actions and declared this should not allow police to become "judge, jury, and executioner." -
2020-12-06Trump Rally
Yesterday, individuals opposing COVID-19 restrictions and the 2020 Presidential election results rallied for the third consecutive week. Around two hundred protestors countered the scheduled event calling out the relationship between Bikers for Trump MN and white supremacy groups attending like the Proud Boys, an all-male hate group that promotes and carries out political violence. -
2020-12-19Minnesota Election Day
I had the privilege of documenting what I saw in Minnesota for @aclumn on Election Day. Going into the day I was prepared to see voter intimidation and long lines of frustrated voters, instead was met with celebratory and upbeat voters hosting cookouts and energized to cast their ballot. -
2021-01-06Pro-Trump Rally
After a year where I've had more white men with semi-automatic weapons telling me to "fuck off" than I could predict for a lifetime. And witnessing the lenient policing of outright violent white supremacist groups in MN and DC. Today was not shocking, but it hurt and was disturbing. Throughout the afternoon, pro-Trump supporters rallied at the MN State Capital and Governor's Mansion cheering on the attempted coup in DC incited by Trump. -
2021-01-08Thank You
I want to thank all the organizers, activists, community leaders, lawyers, journalists, photographers, educators, event marshalls, and medics who against all odds and dangers have raised their hands to dig America out of its messes. We appreciate and see you. -
2021-03-09Oral History with a Rural Church Pastor
Abstract: Josh Colson grew up in Southern Illinois. He attended Welch College, earning a BS in Christian Ministry and an MA in Theology. Additionally, he is currently a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School, pursuing an MTS. Mr. Colson is currently the pastor of Brandon’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Bumpus Mills, TN. The church is part of a small rural community, being in one of the smallest counties in middle Tennessee. In addition, Mr. Colson is the Faith Representative for the community health board. In this interview, Mr. Colson recounts the effects COVID-19 has had on his duty as a member of the clergy, his congregation, and his community. -
2021-03-13University of Minnesota students rallied to demand community control of the UMPD
From the Instagram post: The city of Minneapolis on Friday agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit with George Floyd's family just weeks before opening statements were scheduled to begin for the former officer charged with his death. This payment marked the second multi-million-dollar payout for police actions in the past two years. According to MPR News, the settlement in Floyd’s death raises the total amount the city has paid to settle police officer misconduct cases to $71 million over the past two decades. Yesterday, University of Minnesota students rallied to demand community control of the UMPD, call out racism on campus, and stand in solidarity with the family of George Floyd. -
2021-03-14Ostara on a Budget
for Ostara this year, many of us will need to adjust our celebrations due to Covid-19. Many are feeling the loss of jobs, incomes, or stability this year. Lidia Pradas shares some inexpensive ideas to celebrate Ostara and welcome the new season. -
2021-02-14Coronaland
A coronavirus Mardi Gras throw -
2021-02-13Coronaland -- “Cast Away COVID Island”
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world.“Cast Away COVID Island” on Vallette St. in Algiers Point shows all the craziness we put up with this past year. -
2021-02-13Coronaland -- “Little Shop of 2020 Horrors”
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. “Little Shop of 2020 Horrors” on Bouny St. in Algiers Point paid tribute to a variety of things that made 2020 a crazy year including the coronavirus. -
2021-02-08Coronaland -- “2021 -- Here We Go Again!”
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. “2021 -- Here We Go Again!” on St. Charles used ABBA songs and a "Mamma Mia!" theme to send up a variety of things related to the pandemic. -
2021-02-08Coronaland -- “Life is a Crap-aret”
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. This House Float on S. Galvez, “Life is a Crap-aret”, celebrated what a shitty year 2020 was. -
2021-02-07Coronaland -- “Schitt$ Streets”
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. Tiffany Assaf Tandecki came up with the concept for “Schitt$ Streets” for in front of her Canal Blvd. home; Artist Lindsay DeBlieux realized it. -
2021-02-06Coronaland
With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. Here's “The Clinic” on N. Rampart St.