Items

• 
  0031-03-22

  Pandemic songs - modern classics reworded

  For about 18 months during the main phase of the pandemic, I sent a daily covid (numbers and rates) tracker to a large number of colleagues in the Health and Social Care community in Plymouth. From October 2021 to March 2022, on each Friday I also included, with the covid tracker, a reworked pop song with Covid-related lyrics. It was a bit of fun, but people loved it and some Teams actually had a sing along to the new release each Friday. Depending on your age, you may know some of them. If nothing else, it made people look at the tracker.
• 2020-05-03

  Belly Buttons & Makeba

  Most people probably don’t think of belly buttons when they think of a pandemic. They likely also don’t think of the South African Activist Miriam Makeba. However, when I consider the earliest days of covid, those days before I realized I would be teaching online for an extended time, or that my Varsity Lacrosse players whom I had coached through their careers would never step on a field for our 2020 season, my life was all about belly buttons and a song called Makeba by a French Singer-Songwriter. In April of 2020, schools in Michigan closed, sending me home with every other educator to figure out online teaching. Also at this time, my daughter, Edie, was just over one year old. She was very fond of her “Beluh-but’n” (bellybutton) and ran around the house proudly showing hers off, thinking she was hilarious. To her credit, it was hilarious, and also adorable. She had recently heard the song Makeba by Jain on a BMX video featuring my husband from when he used to ride professionally, and it became her anthem. Even at three years old, she still requests Makeba in the car, though today it is second to David Bowie or Vampire Weekend these days. She would dance to it on repeat, her little feet on her ABC play mat making a sticky pitter-patter, her arms swinging wildly, and her diapered baby butt dropping low like she was in a nightclub. She was, and still is, one of the funniest little humans I have encountered. The attached sound clips are recorded from a video of Edie, my daughter, strumming my guitar on its stand, while singing her version of Makeba. These videos are some of my favorites, her head bobbing and bum wiggling with her music. These are the sounds that filled my house and my heart throughout those first weeks of quarantine, and they still bring me nothing but immense joy and thankfulness. Covid for me meant more time at home with her. I was there when she woke up, we spent much of our days outside in the warming spring weather, and I nursed her and tucked her in for naps and at bedtime. We were lucky, we did not face financial crisis or unemployment, nor did we or our loved ones fall seriously ill. The result was time at home together as a family. While the restrictions and isolations of covid did mount over time, and stress of restrictions were certainly felt during my second pregnancy for my baby boy born in May of 2021, by and large, our lives just kept moving. We adjusted, we kept a small circle of trusted friends and family, and we were cautious. But when it came down to it, covid to me will always be marked by extra time with my daughter, time that I would not have had if the pandemic did not change everything about our lives. I wouldn’t trade the extra moments of her laughter, dancing, snuggles, or silliness for the world.
• 2022-05-13

  Non-profits celebrate return of LoveLoud music festival

  This is a news story from KUTV by Hayley Crombleholme. After a two year break, LoveLoud will return, and will feature acts like Neon Tress and Imagine Dragons. This event is to help raise funds for LGBTQ charities. COVID has been hard on non-profit organizations. While this festival is meant to raise money for LGBTQ youth, some are excited to be back for in-person events.
• 
  2022-05-13

  How the Pandemic Affected Me

  It's about the Pandemic disrupting my plans for graduating from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance. Being a clarinet player, I took a year off since the pandemic prevented us, musicians, from collaborating live with each other in person.
• 
  2022-01-14

  My First Pandemic Concert

  Since the pandemic has commence, I haven't done many public outings or attended big events. This January, I had finally got enough of the courage to go to a concert for the first time in three years. Overall, I would argue that the outing was fun and safe, but I could not help but still feel anxious and scared of what was yet to come despite it being a good time. Part of this was because the concert did not require anyone to wear a mask, nor did that enforce social distancing with the seats like I thought they would. Most of this was because COVID-19 cases had started to climb down despite the onset of the new variant OMICRON at the time. I wore my mask regardless since we were sitting so close to people and still enjoyed myself despite these bypasses. I feel that this concert represents how I and other people felt confident enough to do big social outings again despite the pandemic still going on. I also feel like this concert illuminates how people still seek entertainment and enjoyment in their lives and how the pandemic impacted the way people use to be able to go out and enjoy themselves. Now that things are starting to slow down with the pandemic, people like myself are starting to use this opportunity to go enjoy ourselves, which honestly brings me much hope and optimism about the future now.
• 
  04/16/2020

  Ozzy!

  A comic strip about Covid-19
• 
  2020-03

  When the Outdoors Became Quiet and the Indoors Became Loud

  My aural experience changed greatly when Nevada all but shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic, mid-March 2020. For me, the indoors then became louder, and the outdoors became much quieter. School was canceled for my four children, so naturally my home had far fewer quiet moments than it had prior—a challenge since my son and I were taking college courses. A Just Dance song called “Diggy,” instantly reminds me of the COVID shutdown whenever I hear it, because my kids frequently danced to it (amongst others) in the first few weeks. Because my husband’s hearing aids amplify indoor sounds to the point of discomfort at times, there were also a lot of spoken (and yes, even yelled) reminders in our home for the kids to bring down their voices—another auditory memory. The outdoors were a particularly quiet place at that time, which was unusual since Las Vegas is quite lovely in the Spring. Birds and silence and the occasional barking dog, replaced the sounds of planes and traffic that normally accompany nature’s noises in my area. On still days, I could hear the school-bells chime at one of the three nearby schools, reminding me of what we were collectively experiencing. Additionally, when my kids went to distance-education several months later (August 2020), versions of the refrain “Quiet! I’m un-muting!” were daily—often multiple times a day—auditory experiences in our home.
• 
  12/08/2020

  Anonymous Oral History, 2020/12/08 [PRIVATE-REVIEW]

  C19OH
• 
  2020-05-20

  Debbie Woodall Oral History, 2020/04/29

  Retired nurse, Debbie Woodall reflects on how she felt and handled the COVID 19 virus. She discusses her desire to return to work to help her former colleagues and the moment she realized she just couldn't. She also discusses other ways in which she aided the effort to stop the spread.
• 
  2021-11-19

  Zack Davis and Cece Chavez Oral History, 2021/11/19

  This is an audio interview with two members of the St Marys wind ensemble. It goes into how they were feeling when the university shut down, and their potential fears for the band program. It also goes into their experiences during online rehearsals and outdoor rehearsals.
• 
  2021-11-03

  #Coveryourfangs Interview with Dr. Mireles

  This is an audio interview with Dr. Matthew Mireles, the St Marys Music Department Chair. It goes into the challenges he faced managing the music department, what he was feeling throughout COVID. It also goes into what his priorities were after the initial lockdowns and what his main goals were when it came to getting the band program back to normal.
• 
  2021-03-17

  Spring 2021 St Marys Jazz Clinic

  This is an email getting the approval from the university to hold the St. Mary’s spring jazz clinic. It details the protocols the music department was planning to enact to ensure a safe environment for all of the bands coming to perform at the university. This email is significant in that even a full year after the start of COVID there were still certain restrictions on what the band could or couldn’t do, and the band required confirmation from the university that their protocols were sufficient.
• 
  2021-11-04

  St. Mary's Wind Ensemble Dia De Los Muertos Poster

  This is a poster put up by the university to advertise the upcoming Dia De Los Muertos performance by the band. This would the first real performance by the band since the beginning of COVID. While it would be outdoors, it represents the beginning of the return to normal for the Rattler band.
• 
  2020-09-04

  The St. Mary's Wind Ensemble and Instrument Coverings

  This is a set of emails containing information regarding the ordering of instrument coverings for the band in the late Fall 2020 semester. These instrument coverings were intended to be used to minimize the risk of COVID transmissions during outdoor in-person rehearsals that were to begin shortly after their arrival. They represent some of the steps taken by the band to protect students as they worked to facilitate a more normal style of band rehearsal.
• 
  2020-08-11

  The St. Mary's Wind Ensemble and Online Rehearsal

  This is a series of emails between the music department head and St. Mary’s residence life discussing a way for band members living on campus to practice their instruments without disturbing other residents. These emails are significant as it demonstrates the lengths the music department was working to find ways for band members to continue regularly practicing their instrument even in the midst of COVID.
• 
  2020-03-02

  The St. Mary's Wind Ensemble returning for the Fall 2020 Semester

  A series of emails from the university president explaining university policies for the upcoming fall 2020 semester. What is significant about these emails is how it demonstrates the university and the music department’s steps to try and maintain the ability to hold in-person events on campus when COVID was at its height in 2020.
• 
  2020-03-12

  St. Mary's Wind Ensemble and St Marys university policies at the start of COVID

  This is a collection of emails between the music department chair, other members of the music department, the University President, and members of the band program. These emails represent the initial steps taken by both the university and the music department during the first few weeks of covid. It gives us insight into where their priorities were and exactly how they intended to protect members of the band.
• 
  2020-09-01

  St. Mary's Wind Ensemble & In-Person Rehearsals

  These are a series of emails sent out by the band director at St. Mary’s University regarding whether or not members of the band wanted to try to begin in-person rehearsals again. COVID-19 was slowing down at the time and virtual band practice left much to be desired so there were hopes that if enough people were in favor of in-person rehearsal that something could be worked out.
• 
  2021-04-07

  St. Marys Spring Wind Ensemble Concert Poster

  This image is advertising the spring 2021 wind ensemble concert at St. Marys University. The location of the performance was in the Pecan Grove, one of the outdoor areas at the university. This is a sign that the band is trying to return to normal. However, there are several indicators that precautions are still being taken. The outdoor location tells us that the band is trying to protect both members of the band and those in the audience. The included zoom link also tells us that the band is considering those who might be uncomfortable with attending in person. So the band is clearly in a transitionary period, where they are trying to move back to normal but haven’t quite reached it yet.
• 
  2020-02-05

  Supalonely- A Lonely Hit

  Supalonley by BENEE is a song that rose to prominence on social media platform Tik Tok. In 2020 when millions of people were in lockdown with little to do, sites like Tok Tok saw their userbases skyrocket. This had a colossal effect on the music industry, as songs that became trends on Tik Tok could easily transfer that success to the charts. This was the experience of Supalonley. The song's snarky self-depreciation appealed to the young generation on Tik Tok who used it as a catharsis for the youth they were losing, and this popularity propelled it to mainstream success. The music video, set mostly in a suburban house, was also a familiar setting for people in lockdown. HIST30060
• 
  2020-09-03

  Performing in a Pandemic- the 2020 VMAs

  In a year that saw tens of thousands of live performances cancelled across the world, the music industry grappled with how to adapt to the covid cimate. The 2020 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) showcased the innovations undertaken by performers in order to continue their work. Masks were a particularly big theme, used not only for protection but also as part of costuming in Lady Gaga and Doja Cat's performances. The lack of a designated stage also allowed for creative set pieces, such as The Weeknd performing on a rooftop filmed by helicopter, the ultimate social distance filming. Watching the VMAs and these live performances was incredibly uplifting for music fans who had missed out on concerts, and although the pandemic was far from over when this was recorded, it was a needed semblance of hope for the arts community. HIST30060
• 
  2020-01-22

  Blinding Lights, The Song of 2020

  If there is one song that defined the 2020 experience, it was Blinding Lights by the Weeknd. It was the most-streamed song of the year and achieved widespread commercial and critical success. Despite being released at the end of January before Covid had shut down North America, the imagery of empty Las Vegas streets and abandoned roads in the music video became an iconic part of lockdown life- the feeling of being alone and disoriented in a place that feels almost familiar. The frantic pace general insanity of the video was also a key part of this song's success as the world spiralled into the pandemic at a breakneck speed.
• 2020-11-25

  Taylor Swift's Pandemic Ballad

  Taylor Swift was a defining artist in the 2010s. As her following grew, she ventured further into pop and spectacle, but with the sudden onset of Covid and its subsequent lockdowns, Swift changed her music style to a minimalist folk aesthetic. The song "exile" featuring Bon Iver captured the melancholic and rundown emotions of the general public by the end of 2020 and was a cathartic experience. "Exile" and its accompanying album "Folklore" were widely praised and "Folklore" went on to become the best-selling album of 2020. The music video for "exile" shows how music production changed during the pandemic. In the video, Swift and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon are seen sitting in separate home studios, as they never met in person to record the song due to travel restrictions. All the musicians featured are socially distanced and Vernon is wearing a face covering. There are also no special effects, a small budget, and a simple editing style, which stands in contrast to Swift's pre-pandemic music videos. HIST30060
• 
  2021-08-30

  Jewish Melbourne - Yiddish Choir on Zoom

  The 'Mir Kumen On' Yiddish Choir, affiliated with the Jewish Labour Bund Melbourne, migrated to Zoom at the beginning of the pandemic and returned there at each lockdown and, depending on the how restrictions affected singing indoors, during non-lockdown periods. Holding choir sessions over the internet isn't easy, for example, participants are required to be on mute during songs so that there isn't lag, overlap, and interruption issues. Therefore while singing, one can only hear the pianist, Tomi Kalinski, who runs the sessions. But it's still an absolutely enjoyable time, seeing everyone and singing the soulful Yiddish songs, even if it's only to yourself. There have been some benefits too: with the online platform, Yiddish lovers from around the world have been able to join our little Melbourne choir, including from France and Scotland. The weekly zoom choir sessions have definitely lightened some of the darkest periods of my lockdown experience.
• 
  2021-06-01

  HIST30060: SYNTH PIANO JAM TIME

  During the lockdowns in Naarm/Melbourne I was lucky enough to have access to a lot of musical instruments through my partner, who is a musician. I channelled a lot of my fear and worry into learning to play piano again, I had learnt as a child. I found this incredibly rewarding. It carried me through. Here’s me masked up with my portable synthesiser.
• 
  2021-03-29T10

  Lars Wolfshield Oral History, 2021/03/21

  Self-Description: “I am a pansexual and gender fluid artist and artist manager and I work primarily with Black and queer musicians and bands.” Record label: https://www.instagram.com/wolfshieldrecords/ Some of the things we spoke about included: Representations of pandemics prior to 2020 and associations with an extinction event and coming to see it as an experience of trauma and isolation. Purchasing health insurance and life insurance for the first time in response to the pandemic, especially as the primary earner of the household. Vegetable gardening during the pandemic, veganism, and the importance of healthy food access as an equity issue, and sobriety. The government’s failure to impress the severity of the pandemic on citizens. How having had Swine Flu impacted early reactions to this pandemic. Getting the first vaccine shot. That failures in federal policy meant individuals had to make their own decisions Anti-racism is not optional. Homelessness in Austin TX and the importance of welfare programs. Safety procedures for music recording during the pandemic. How the “obliteration” of the music industry as it was opens possibilities for new and more equitable systems for artists. Cultural references: South By Southwest
• 
  2021-09-24

  Power of 100 Vaxx Fest poster

  Shared in Facebook by Tsuutina Comm. The poster is directed at indigenous people in the Canadian Province of Alberta. It advertises three days of events (24-26 September 2021) that those who get vaccinated at the event will also receive a swag bag; that there will be draws for gift cards, Macbooks, and iPads; social media influencers present; live music; drive-in-movies; and food.
• 
  2021-03-31T16:14

  Gyre Oral History, 2021/03/31

  Self-Description: “My name is Gyre. I am a multidisciplinary artist based in South Africa with global ambitions. I specialize in music, but I also work as a freelance writer as well as in dance. I’m a dancer learning to choreograph. Political commentator, particularity with regard to the LBGTQA+ community. I identify as queer. I am homoromatic and homosexual at this point in my life. You never know honey, it’s a spectrum. I had my first venture into artistic expression that is rooted in queer rights and queer understanding and queer theory, was my debut album, titled Queernomics, which was a documented audio-visual book about the contemporary experiences of a Black queer South African male, and that has gotten me into the positions that I express myself in, both out of passion and out of profession. Inkosi Yenkonkoni, which means “The Gay King”, in my native language which is Zulu.” Other details available here: Works produced during the pandemic: Kithi, International LGBTQ+ Rights Festival, writing on football. Some of the things we spoke about included: “What happens at the top is just politics, what happens at the bottom is real life.” Thinking about the term “pandemic” Listening to the body The pandemic exposing state corruption Having written a song called “Quarantine” in 2018 The inadequacies and privileges of Medical Aid in South Africa, having aged out of Medical Aid before COVID, the personal impact of worse-health insurance during pandemic, the importance of demonetizing health care Pre-COVID keeping busy: organizing, walking, collaborating Transit during COVID, sub/urban and outskirt disparities Canceling shows and taking dance classes and rethinking what it means to be productive Global Americanization and the impact of Trump’s pandemic denialism on South African health Moving out of disbelief about the severity of COVID after losing a loved one in the first wave Gratitude for the global influence of the Black Lives Matter movement, and sadness that tragedy in the diaspora brings neocolonialism to the fore The importance of social media for queer counter-violence and activist fractures among LGBTQA+ Feeling allyship with the #metoo movement How homophobia intersects with everyday altercations about social distancing The anxieties of hooking up during the pandemic The importance that scientists learn to speak in lay terms about climate change and vaccines Existence as resistance and creating art “Spread love not tolerance” Other cultural references include: Trans Day of Visibility, astrology, and the TV series Pose.
• 
  2021-09-20

  "Despite COVID and mask mandate, The Big E had its largest Sunday attendance for an opening weekend in a decade"

  This article reports on the crowds on the third day of the Eastern States Exposition. Commonly referred to as the Big E, the Eastern States Exposition is a New England fair held at the end of September in West Springfield, Massachusetts. It was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and town residents have concerns about the Big E in 2021.
• 2021-08

  2 Years

  We just got back from a concert in central California. Suddenly, we realized our last concert and last trip out of town was to the same winery, for the same band, with the same friends, on the same weekend in August 2019. How much has changed since then! Felt like yesterday, but also a lifetime ago. Hopefully it won't be another two years before we can see a concert, go to a play or movie theater, sporting event, travel, get back to work, or even leave the house without a mask. Hopefully...
• 
  2020-08-26

  The ED Musos

  The ED Musos are a group of health care workers from Emergency Departments in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, the UK and the USA. We came together for connection and wellbeing during the pandemic. We made this and other videos in our own time. We send love and support to everyone impacted by COVID-19.
• 
  2021-05-25

  Being 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.
• 
  2020-09-01

  COVID - In The "Eyes" of March

  Well, say hello to my first official entry into my Coronavirus Notebook! Today I’m doing pretty good. I have been very excited to be back in school, and I can’t wait to log some of my daily activities in this notebook throughout the school year. It seems so foreign returning to a classroom environment since, because of lockdowns and other COVID-19 effected incidents, we have done online school for the last quarter of the semester. As of now, I’m almost halfway through my school day, which is good. In class today, I have worked on making my class playlist. I think it was a great idea to introduce music to the classroom, and it's something no other teachers have done before, at least in my experience. After school today, I am going to a football workout with a bunch of my other classmates at Avenger Field in Audubon Park. I’m glad that we’re starting up a new activity, since our school said we were not allowed to play contact football this year, which I understand, but I’ll definitely miss it. It has been a crazy summer and starting school is awesome and I’m grateful to be back in-person learning. Things like wearing masks are totally new and seeing friends in school and not just at the park is odd. I also, of course, have a lot less free time to myself, since I actually have to wake up for school and not just sit around all day. I am very excited for this month and what we will do in history. It is also the start of a brand new month, which I hope brings better fortune than the last. I’m excited for this year while also nervous, and I can’t wait to see how and if we survive our first ever COVID year!
• 
  2021-05-19

  New Dawn, New Day

  Nina Simone’s iconic version of "Feeling Good" plays as I put the last touches on my final painting for the We Rise L.A. project. Nina sings: “It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good I'm feeling good” My gouache (opaque watercolor) and ink artworks on paper, explore morning light, morning life, and the hope engendered by the dawn of a new day. Sourced from my memories of travel, these paintings reflect morning journeys, rituals, and routines. This series was created in partnership with We Rise LA for Mental Health Awareness and 18th Street Arts. My 41 works of art were created as messages of hope, beauty, wellbeing, and self-compassion. Nina sings: “Oh, freedom is mine And I know how I feel It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life”
• 
  2021-01-04

  Old Hobbies, New Beginnings

  This is my first day back from the new year and I am making my resolutions. I had recently found out that Stefan and Hudson play tennis which is a sport I used to play. I also just finished music class where we played the piano and I thought it was really fun so I wanted to get into it. Tyler 1/4/21 New Orleans, LA Coronavirus Journal I am going to start playing tennis again. I used to play it, but because of covid I stopped taking lessons and never really got back into it. I am also getting into piano, so my mom said she could get me some lessons for that. I don't know if I will have time to do these both considering the fact that I have baseball 3 days a week and workouts 2 days a week, but I will try and make it work. Piano is also an old habit as I played it a couple years ago. I didn't really know much, but now I understand the piano and not just memorize the notes, so I think I could be successful in getting much better at piano by taking lessons. I also hope that I will improve more than I did at tennis the first time. But of course this will all take a lot of hard work and practice. Stefan and Hudson also play tennis and they play each other sometimes, so I hope that once I am good enough I will be able to beat them. I will need to remind my mom that I want to begin practicing these things though as I think she forgot to sign me up for piano lessons and about me playing tennis in general. I am excited to start practicing these things and improve. Especially tennis because I haven't played in a long time and I really enjoy it.
• 
  2021-05-15

  Coping With Quarantine

  During the pandemic, I was had more free time. When quarantine started, I was just using my phone all day since I couldn't go out, however, I became tired of just using my phone all day. At first, I didn't know how I could cope with my boredom, but then I remembered the instruments I had my ukulele and guitar. I started playing my ukulele first since I already had some experience doing so, and I improved, learning new strumming patterns and songs every week. However, I ran out of songs to learn, so I went to my guitar, which was a struggle to learn at first. I started out with some basic chords that allowed me to play plenty of songs, and I built up from there trying new complex chords. Playing these instruments gave me something to look forward to when I started quarantine since I had more time I knew what to do with, but now playing instruments has become a regular hobby. Quarantine was tough for people worldwide as we were separated from friends and loved ones, but I believe with the extra free time people are able to work and improve themselves, making them more interesting individuals.
• 
  2021-02-14

  When Will The DJ Of Luv Grant Me My 1 Request

  In February 2021, Victoria based musician Future Star released their debut album called "When Will The DJ Of Luv Grant Me My 1 Request". The song "Duck Song" explores intimacy during a pandemic with lines like "i wanna be comforted, you can't hold my hand", "throw a blanket over me from across the room", and "we stay six feet away".
• 
  2021-04-18

  The Beginning of the End!? Corona Culture Spring 2021

  These items are a sampling of documents and links to news articles and public event dates that chronicle the reopening of some parts of the United States in spring 2021. One year after the start of the pandemic (the anniversary itself celebrated in various media), Texas and other parts of the U.S. were trying to return their businesses and services to more normal conditions. A community college's plan for reopening its main campus, a news article about a baseball park increasing its capacity (and having a sold out game), a listing of 2021 tour dates for popular musicians, and a town's decision to end its mask mandate all tell the story of people wanting to return to normal living. However, both government leaders and ordinary people could disagree about whether it was good to relax COVID restrictions as the announcement by a local mayor and the decision of a local school board suggests. These items reflect the challenges of returning to Pre-COVID lifestyles because not everyone was united in the belief that it was safe to live normal lives. This illustrates the interesting conflict between holding on to what makes people be or feels safe and those who believe such restrictions are unnecessary now.
• 
  2021-02-07

  Jazmine 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.
• 
  2021-02-03

  Interview 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.
• 
  2021-02-07

  National 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.
• 
  2021-02-07

  ASL 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."
• 
  2021-04-05

  The Holderness Family's Corona Culture Parodies

  The following music videos cover different aspects of the 2020 COVID-19 experience through a family's hilarious parodies of popular songs. In "Wash or Dang Hands" (March 2020), "End of the Roll" (April 8 2020), and "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" (May 4 2020) the Holderness family uses humor to lift the spirits of people affected by increased sanitization, toilet paper shortages, and a longing for the pandemic to end. The videos take the everyday pandemic experiences of millions of people to produce funny lyrics that resonate with listeners because of their light-heartiness, and truthfulness. While all fun and games, these songs also help people to begin to crystalize their thoughts about Corona Culture and develop a better understanding of their experiences and the experiences of the world they live in. "Quarantine (is Not Quiet Over)" in particular serves as both a much shared expression of hope and a sort of prophecy for the future. It expresses the fatigue the world is experiencing due to the demands of COVID-19 and also expresses wishful hope (and doubt) that 2021 will see the end of the pandemic. These songs merit more study because of their immense cultural value during the Corona era.
• 
  2021-04-03

  COVID through a healthcare worker [PRIVATE Anonymous]

  Working through a pandemic as a healthcare worker was terrifying. At the very beginning there were a lot of unknowns, and I felt lost, and alone. As I would go through my shifts as a CNA I had to be strong for my patients. I realized I would be going home to my family, but they were not. I was their "visitor" for the day. Patients could not just go outside for fresh air or wonder the halls to stretch their legs, they were confined to their room. Working in the hospital during this pandemic gave me a different perspective. While there were really hard days, there were also really great days. One of the best days was seeing a COVID recovered patient walk for the first time in months. It was times like this that made me realize that you are not granted tomorrow, and to enjoy each day to the fullest. I am so grateful for all the nurses, doctors, environmental services, secretaries, physical therapists, occupational therapists, case managers, and social workers who all came together to help our patients get through a challenging time. The song "Better Days" gives people hope that change and "better days" are near. The music video shows clips of people from all over the world and the impact this pandemic has on them.
• 
  2021-03

  My experiences working and living in the Covid 19 Pandemic

  When the covid pandemic started, I don't think anyone really knew the extent this virus would take on everyone's life and how it will potentially change the world as we know it. I have worked in healthcare during this pandemic and have seen and heard of many people dying from this virus. I work in an acute rehabilitation hospital where people come after having a stroke or major surgery and they learn how to use their bodies and adapt to their new lifestyles. My hospital is not a place where people die, it is a place where people go to get stronger to go home to their families. there had been countless numbers of people who had contracted the virus when at the hospital and eventually had died from it even though they were on the tract to getting stronger, physically. Not only have I seen how this impacts the individuals who contract the virus, but it is important to note how this virus is effecting people mentally. I have heard of many people's friends dying of suicide from being in isolation during their quarantining. I have also learned that many children who are learning how to talk are having a hard time learning how to communicate with others because they are missing the important aspect of facial structures and non-verbal language which is impeding their ability to communicate and understand others.
• 
  2021-03-02

  A Song in Honor of the End of the Texas Mask Mandate

  These lyrics were composed by an anonymous individual to celebrate Governor Gregg Abbott's March 2 2021 announcement that he was ending the Texas state-wide mask mandate on March 10th. The person who created this song composed it in a state of happy exhilaration and surprise. The song communicates a couple of things about people who do not like wearing masks everywhere they go when they are outside their homes. First, it captures a deep sense of longing to return to prior days when people did not wear masks and the comforting sense of normalcy that experience will bring again to the individual. Secondly, the last two verses express vigilant expectation and a sense of celebration for a day that the person was not sure would ever come again. The song as a whole is meant to be a positive statement of hope and a celebratory goodbye to a long-distained, yet new, custom.
• 
  2020-04-15

  That fleeting moment of Solidarity

  In those first few weeks of lockdown I just remember a feeling of solidarity with my neighbors. We were all separate, all isolated, but all working toward the same goal. Throughout our neighborhood people had written with chalk on the sidewalk, we took walks every day and saw painted rocks, teddy bears sitting in windows, art and signs of hope and comfort. For a homeschool art lesson I had my sons do chalk splatter painting on our driveway and then taught them about Jackson Pollock. I wrote lyrics to Bob Marley songs and drew pictures of rainbows on the sidewalk. We baked bread, cinnamon rolls, all things warm and cozy. Our family was together in a special way, we appreciated the time together. We went on hikes and fished in the backyard pond and although there were zoom appointments and conference calls, life was moving at a slower more relaxing pace. We were hopeful and confident that by doing the right thing we were saving lives.
• 
  2020-06-22

  Aztec dance group, is a mainstay in Twin Cities' activism

  Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, an Aztec dance group, is a mainstay in Twin Cities' activism. I've been lucky to see this incredible group sharing dances and songs along city streets, highways, and public spaces.
• 
  2020-03-14

  Last show before Quarantine

  This photo was taken at the last show I went to before the my university, school, and the world all shut down seemingly within around a week. It was in the middle of ASU spring break. It had around 100 people there, all outside. At that point, people were aware of Covid-19 and I expressed concerns going with my friends but we still went. The only protocols that people there were taking was hand sanitizer but at that point there were no established protocols with Covid-19 beyond hand hygiene (at least to the general public). I at that point had wore disposable face masks to my classes as the ASU health services were giving them out for free in the lobby and ASU seemed to be downplaying the threat.
• 
  02/21/2021

  Annika Lauer Oral History, 2021/02/21

  I recorded a mini oral history with my friend about her pandemic experiences