Items

• 
  2020-05

  Images from George Floyd Protests and BLM Demonstrations in New York City

  Images taken of signs held while listening to speeches from BLM activists. Another image shows a cluster of police during a demonstration in Midtown Manhattan.
• 
  2021-10-07

  Exposing Systemic Racism in all Areas

  While some believed the pandemic aid solved food insecurity, that couldn't be further from the truth in black neighborhoods.
• 
  2020-08-06

  Native American / Navajo Elders

  I live relatively close to the Navajo reservation and my elderly father lived with me during the pandemic. The experiences of suffering of Navajo elders so close by is heartbreaking but tells the story of deep divides in resources and experiences.
• 
  2020-10

  Liberation School: the Mobilization of Back and Brown Parents, Healers and Educators

  Liberation School was a free, virtual online school that offered academic support courses, social-emotional support, healing centered practices, and political education courses to NYC public school families throughout the 2020-21 school year. Created by the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice, the city's largest parent organizing group, Liberation school was designed as a response to the failings of the Department of Education to adequately provide the resources and support needed for marginalized students. While many principals, teachers and school staff put their hearts and souls into supporting NYC children during this global pandemic, it was clear that families could not solely rely on City Hall and the Department of Education to deliver a safe, quality education to children finishing out the 2020 school year and going into the 2020-21 school year. Black and brown students and families in New York City have faced the harshest, most devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism. Previous inequities in the school system have revealed themselves and worsened. The Department of Education (DOE) and City Hall did not provide the necessary resources and support for parents and youth navigating remote and blended learning for the first time in a timely fashion or accessible to non-English monolingual families. While many white affluent families were hiring teachers to create learning pods, CEJ designed Liberation School for Black, Brown, Immigrant, and low-income families, who don’t have the financial resources to hire personal teachers or tutors. An important value that shaped the creation of Liberation Schools is the idea of what it truly means to be an ‘inclusive school’. Language Justice is also Educational Justice. CEJ created sessions accessible to the public in multiple languages. Through both multilingual instructors and simultaneous interpretations of English workshops, LS also offered sessions using commonly-used online platforms, outdoor spaces, and live streaming on social media. All courses that were culturally responsive in content and pedagogy and many were conducted in English and Spanish, and some workshops in, Bangla and Mandarin. CEJ was inspired by the tradition of Black Freedom Schools in the 1960s. After Brown v. Board, many schools were still segregated and led to many student movements organizing and fighting for true integration in Northern Cities like Chicago, Boston, and NYC. The first examples of Freedom Schooling were created in the North as an alternative space for students to go to during boycotts in 1963 and 1964. One of most prime examples of Freedom Schooling were the Freedom Schools created by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Mississippi. Freedom Schools provided an educational experience for young Black Mississippians to challenge the myths of society, find alternatives to the segregated and racist white supremacists society, to understand the conditions of their oppression, and to create directions for actions in the name of Freedom. There were three general areas for the curriculum of Freedom Schools. One was academic work, which centered around the needs/or interests of the students that incorporated their real life experiences and learning about Black History or understanding the structural institutions. There were also creative activities such as writing, journaling, or arts. The last area was on developing leadership skills and helping students be a part of the change in society.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-06

  Pandemic Protests

  These images from June 2020 were captured during Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in New York City following the killing of George Floyd. The first image shows City Hall the morning after BLM protests. In this image of a landmark building covered in spray painted cries for change, graffiti depicts the frustrations over the cruel injustices institutions place on people of color. The second image depicts one of many protests during summer in quarantine when New Yorkers came together on avenues, bridges, and squares. Citizens marched and chanted as police followed alongside to ensure protests remained peaceful. These images capture uniquely complex dynamics when people were forced to pursue creative avenues, reinventing social justice movements to come. My time in quarantine was not solely spent on COVID related activities, I also educated myself on how and why many US institutions remain racist, discovering ways that structural change can address unjust attitudes. I read articles written by advocates for the BLM movement and also by conservatives opposing it. In exposing myself to differing mindsets, I was better prepared to engage in conversations with others opposed to change in the hope of educating them on the pressing need for progress. Furthermore, my high school friends and I frequently Zoomed to discuss how our alma mater contributes to racism in both subtle and overt ways. These conversations allowed us to work with fellow alumni, as well as current students, to create a document clearly listing racial inequities within the student body, the faculty, and the curriculum. For each issue that we highlighted, we provided multiple alternatives for how the school could fix the matter in question. While these conversations were unexpected before the BLM protests occurred, they became productive and fulfilling conversations that in and of themselves began to address long held biases, racist representations and undercurrents of injustice within our alma mater’s community and programs.
• 
  2021-09-15

  A Story From A Chinese Immigrant In The US

  I will share my story that is about racism because of Covid-19
• 
  2020-12-14

  Recommendations for Tribal Ceremonies and Gatherings During the COVID-19 Outbreak

  These are COVID-19 recommendations from the CDC specifically addressing tribal ceremonies such as sweat lodge, social gatherings and seasonal ceremonies.
• 
  2020-12-22

  How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men

  This is a fascinating and heartbreaking article about the struggles of young black men and health inequity brought to light by COVID-19. The difficulties of systemic racism are costing young black men their lives.
• 
  2021-03-07

  The COVID Racial Data Tracker

  This data tracker showed how Covid-19 disproportionately affected black, Latinx, and indigenous communities.
• 
  2021-07-21

  Latest Data on COVID-19 Vaccinations by Race/Ethnicity

  This is an analysis of equity in vaccine distribution. The data shows a disparity between whites and Asians (whose vaccination rates were equal to or higher than their case counts) and black, Latino, Native American, and Native Hawaiians (whose vaccination rates were generally lower than their case counts). In recent weeks, however, these numbers seem to be improving.
• 
  2021-07-06

  COVID-19 Cases by Race/Ethnicity

  This is an interactive chart and map that allows the user to look at covid rates by race and state.
• 
  2021-07-21

  Coronavirus and Latino Health Equity

  With the rise of COVID-19, the team at Salud America! is digitally curating content about what the coronavirus pandemic means for Latino health equity.
• 
  2020-04-16

  Infographic: 8 Big Ways Coronavirus Impacts Latinos

  This infographic and the accompanying articles discuss the disproportionate impact that coronavirus has on Latino communities.
• 
  2021-04-19

  Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

  The pandemic has brought the issue of health inequity in the United States, based on factors such as race and ethnicity, to the forefront. Racial and ethnic minority populations make up a disproportionate essential workers. Poverty restricts access to health care for many individuals. The country must address these issues of health equity and social justice now and continue to address it t ensure the health and safety of all those living in the United States. The website provides references, information, and data on the link between ethnicity and race and COVID-19.
• 
  2021-07-21

  Coronavirus, Climate Change, and the Environment

  In this article, Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE, answers questions about how climate change and COVID-19 are related. He discusses the problems that animal agriculture causes for both the environment and human health. Hopefully, more people will hear the words of a world-renowned scientist and make the change to veganism like I did 4 years ago.
• 
  2020-12-01

  Five Experts Reflect on the Health Equity Implications of the Pandemic

  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Blog published this article which contains the words of 5 different experts on health inequity during the pandemic.
• 
  2021-07-10

  Manzanar

  As a historian, US History teacher, and mother of two Asian-American children, I make a point to expose my children to all aspects of America’s history: good, bad, and ugly. Thanks to COVID, we had the opportunity to show the kids one of the country’s ugliest moments - Japanese internment. The desolate desert in the middle of our home state is an area I had never driven through before COVID, despite having lived in CA my entire life and being (supposedly) 8th or 9th generation Californian on my dad’s side. However, there is no way I’m putting my family on an airplane during a pandemic, which limits vacation options. So into the car for an eight hour drive to Tahoe. A drive that goes right past Manzanar, the Japanese American World War II concentration camp. Unlike last year, when we made the same drive for the first time in my life, the exhibits, buildings, and visitor center were open with masks and social distancing. As we stood in the barrack in the 106 degree temperature, I told my kids to never forget how uncomfortable they felt and to consider the fact that they were feeling awful from the heat as tourists. I told them to imagine living in this heat as a prisoner though you committed no crime except having ancestors from Japan. They may be young, but they are old enough to understand human rights. Visiting Manzanar was overwhelming. I am not a very emotional person, but I was taken aback by the fact that this history is so recent. My best friend’s dad was born in Tule Lake, where Japanese-Americans who refused to take the forced loyalty oath were sent. That is only one generation before mine. Seeing and experiencing second hand through family and friends the hatred directed toward Asian-Americans during this pandemic made the experience in Manzanar extra raw. Though I refuse to thank COVID for anything because I think that’s a bit tone deaf for all who have lost and suffered during this pandemic, I am grateful that the circumstances that led us to drive to Tahoe instead of fly led us also to a place of reflection on prejudice and race, especially in the climate of today.
• 
  2021-07-10

  Together, But Alone: Quarantine Life at Andover

  My name is Maya Watt, I am 17 and I am from Memphis, TN. I am currently attending Phillips Academy Andover during their Andover Summer program before senior year. I have met many people, learned new things, and worked on my worth ethic. This is the story of my quarantine during my first week and a half at the camp. There are some highs and lows, but throughout my slightly rough quarantine/transition into the camp, I realized the purpose of my attendance at this school.
• 
  2021-07-10

  The Pandemic

  My story talks about the pandemic and how being a teenager in the time of the pandemic has been extremely difficult considering I am a women of color going through a pandemic.
• 
  2021-07-10

  Going the Social Distance

  Over the course of about a week and a half I share my thoughts and feelings about the restrictions and rules we had while being placed on a modified quarantine. I discuss how it was to survive in the heat of summer, play volleyball, go to classes, and many other things while being masked up all the time. I tell readers about the testing I had to do so that everyone should know that I was negative for covid even. My story shows the different stages I've gone through throughout this modified quarantine. The stages being homesick to becoming comfortable embracing this experience of a lifetime. It is important to me because I'm using my real feelings and letting the readers know how I truly felt during the experience.
• 
  2020-03-18

  OCHS Alumni Provides COVID-19 Information In Mayan Mam and Spanish Video

  Oakland Charter High School alumni, Gerardo Jeronimo Lorenzo, creates crucial COVID-19 informational video for the community. Gerardo Jeronimo Lorenzo, OCHS alum and Medical Translator II at Alameda Health System, enlists the help of Dr. Kate Kasberger and Amalia Pablo Pablo, Mam interpreter at the San Antonio Neighborhood Health Center, to provide vital COVID-19 information in Mam, an indigenous Gautemalan [sic] langauge [sic]. AMPS is so proud of our alum, who despite these tough times, is reaching across the divide to support his community. Go Matadors!
• 
  2021-03-10

  #KeepOurLanguagesStrong: Indigenous Language Revitalization on Social Media during the Early COVID-19 Pandemic

  This is a paper by Kari A. B. Chew at the University of Oklahoma that reviews language revitalization efforts during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper focuses on revitalization efforts among Indigenous groups in the United States and Canada.
• 
  2021-06-27

  virALLanguages

  virALLanguages is a volunteer-led project that creates COVID safety content in different endangered languages. The project runs a YouTube channel and Facebook page where they post videos with information about COVID in rare languages, and their website also has a collection of downloadable materials in those languages. Beyond translating material, the project also seeks to tailor awareness materials to members of a community to be in touch with the speakers of those languages by using culturally-aware vocabulary and figures of speech. The attached URIs contain, in order: 1: The main page of the website 2: All of the videos the project has made, including YouTube links and downloadable videos, on the project website 3: An Internet Archive page with the videos the project has made
• 
  2021-03-21

  Section 11004 of H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

  Section 11004 of H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 reads: SEC. 11004. COVID–19 RESPONSE RESOURCES FOR THE PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES. (a) Section 816 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992d) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(f) In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated for fiscal year 2021, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $20,000,000 to remain available until expended, to carry out section 803C(g) of this Act.”. (b) Section 803C of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991b–3) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(g) Emergency Grants For Native American Language Preservation And Maintenance.—Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this subsection, the Secretary shall award grants to entities eligible to receive assistance under subsection (a)(1) to ensure the survival and continuing vitality of Native American languages during and after the public health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) with respect to the COVID–19 pandemic.”.
• 
  2020-06-01

  June 1st 2020 Chicago Lincoln Park Protest

  This was during the middle of the pandemic and I took a picture showing how not even a pandemic could stop people from uniting to protest against injustices. People can be seen wearing masks and keeping a bit of distance from one another considering.
• 
  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.
• 
  2021-05-24

  HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 115

  MISINFORMATION REIGNS
• 
  2021-05-19

  I am Dylann Roof

  It's a personal essay about race in America and the need for white ownership.
• 
  2020-07-15

  PSC-CUNY Protest at BCC

  For my primary source, I selected a photograph I took at a protest held in front of the Bronx Community College campus on July 15, 2021. The Professional Staff Union of CUNY (PSC-CUNY), the union for the faculty and much of the staff throughout CUNY, organized the event to protest the BCC administration June 26 decision to lay off 36 experienced adjunct professors at the end of their 3-year contracts, even though that their departments recommended that they be rehired. People in the picture include BCC Faculty, staff, and students, as well as those from as well as people from Hostos Community College, who came to support the BCC community and were facing similar cuts. The day was very hot, but I was nervous to the subway because of COVID, so I rode my bike from my home (about 24 miles roundtrip). I was pretty sweaty and probably stinky when I arrived. It was the first time I had been to campus since March 10, when, on my way home from school on the subway, I learned CUNY was moving online. (The campus itself was locked, but we stood in front of the gate on University.) It was also the first time I people from school in person since March; I was so happy to talk to them. It was weird to be with a group people, after months of isolation, but we all wore masks and stood six feet apart. Cars honked their support as they drove by. I selected this source because I want historians of the future to understand how the pandemic hit higher education and the connections among the COVID crisis, social justice movements, and education. Although I went to larger marches after the murder of George Floyd, I believe funding for CUNY is a form of social justice. I was angry that politicians and school administrators were giving lip-service to the phrase Black Live Manners, while cutting funding and jobs from CUNY. BCC’s students are overwhelmingly Black and Latinx, and many studies show that a CUNY education is one of the best schools for supporting social mobility, helping people support themselves and their families. Firing the adjuncts not only meant the teachers lost their income, and, sometimes, their health insurance, but that BCC students would be in larger classes; larger classes mean faculty have less time to devote to each student, which can make it harder to for students to succeed. While I understood enrollment was down and the budget from the city and state would likely be smaller because of the economic toll of the pandemic, I thought there were other places the administration could cut costs. (Such as their own salaries). I want historians to see that the faculty and staff of CUNY fought for what their students deserved and the connections among CUNY, social justice, and New York’s economic recovery. I also want them to see how people approached protests, which require gathering together with other people and often chanting or shouting, while in the middle of a pandemic that required people to stay apart and cover their mouths.
• 
  2021-03-03

  Bodies Needed

  This is an image of a protest blockade in support of a jailed Indigenous elder, who was arrested for protesting at the Trans Mountain pipeline construction sites in Burnaby, BC. The elder, Stacy Gallagher was arrested while preforming a smudging ceremony. This blockade was organized by the Braided Warriors, calls on their social media platforms brought more bodies to help maintain the barracade against the agents of the Canadian state and the Crown. The post's description stated, "BODIES NEEDED AT CLARK AND HASTINGS: 6:22AM, MARCH 3RD. Bodies needed ASAP to protect our Indigenous youth, elders, mothers, and children. We saw what happens when youth put a call out for support and nobody showed up - Indigenous youth, mothers, and elders were violently attacked - left with concussions and lasting injuries we are still recovering from. Numbers are low and early morning is typically when police move in. People have been holding it down here all night, and need bodies down here immediately. When our numbers dwindle, we are in danger. The Crown will not hesitate to criminalize Indigenous peoples. Your inaction is complacency, and complacency is violence. Put your body on the line. PROTECT OUR INDIGENOUS CHILDREN, YOUTH, MOTHERS, AND ELDERS. PROTECT THE SACRED FIRE." The comments of this post have messages of solidarity, people organizing for food and water, and those stating they would be arriving on the scene to help.
• 
  2021-04-12

  Solidarity with Tiny House Warriors

  An image of land defenders and their blockade on Secwepemc territory. These land defenders are calling for a cessation of the construction on the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which runs through unceded Secwepemculecw and Wet'suwet'en territories. While these piplines represent a threat to the ecology of the region, the construction represents the continuation of Canada's colonial reality into the years of pandemic. Furthermore, the construction of this pipeline has resulted in the creation of several work camps for transient labourers which have been called 'man camps.' These camps have been identified as a threat to indigenous communities, with particular threat of violence against First Nations women in the areas surrounding these camps, they have also been linked to the perpetuation of one of Canada's greatest crimes, MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women). As identified by the supplementary report on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in 2019, the perpetuation of this crisis and the lack of action on behalf of the Canadian state is a genocide, according to the U.N.'s definition of genocide. In truth, it is continuation of the genocidal campaigns against First Nations peoples across North America, the pursuit and extraction of capital by exploiting the land and the peoples who walked upon it first. These Tiny House Warriors in the comments call for land back, and a general campaign to shut down Canada. As of now, construction on the TMX continues unabated, the government of Canada shows no sign of upholding the call to Truth and Reconciliation.
• 
  2021-04-24

  Racist attack in Edmonton

  On April 16th 2020, a 14 year old 8th grade student named Pazo was brutally attacked by seven white students. This attack was entirely racially motivated, they screamed slurs at him, beat him mercilessly, taunted him. They dragged him, choked him, and recorded their actions which they posted on social media. They attacked Pazo because of the colour of his skin, Pazo has stated after the attack that this assault has "made me afraid to wear my own skin." This is more than unacceptable, this is disgusting. As the post stated, these 'kids' gave Pazo a concussion, memory loss and a blood clot in his chest; he could of easily have been killed. What's worse, is there was no action taken by the school, which called this brutal hate crime a "altercation" by the school board. Ontop of this, the post states that the Edmonton Police also refused to investigate this assault, turning away the boy's family twice. This assault would of likely been swept under the rug if it were not for the pushback of the community, and the outrage generated by the presence of the video online. With the growing pressure from the public, the Edmonton police service are being demanded to investigate this assault, which again is only made possible through the pressure of the people. Furthermore, the lack of action and attempts to nullify the significance of this assault by the principal and the school board has resulted in students and teachers pushing for the forced resignation of those accountable, such as the principal and superintendent. Other social media platforms have stated that this is not the first time the principal of the school has played down similar incidents; which has left students feeling vulnerable. This cannot continue, these students must be held accountable - Albertans need to understand that white supremacism is a very real problem, and it is not going anywhere by ignoring it. As we have seen throughout the pandemic, events such as this are a rarity - we only know of the severity of the attack and the response of our education institutions because this attack was recorded and circulated online.
• 
  2021-04-07

  Indigenous Peoples and Vaccines

  “The coronavirus  (COVID-19)  pandemic  poses  a grave  health threat to Indigenous peoples around the world. Indigenous communities already experience poor access to healthcare, significantly higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, lack of access to essential services, sanitation,  and  other key  preventive measures, such as  clean water, soap, disinfectant, etc.”
• 
  2020-05-22

  Anishinaabe Aadizokaanan : Our Teachings - Marie Eshkibok-Trudeau

  In this video, Anishinaabe elder Marie Eshkibok-Trudeau shares the teachings she learned from her Elders. Eshkibok-Trudeau states that the COVID-19 virus is a strong negative spirit. It is vital to take care of your spirit and physical needs while connecting with the Earth. These practices will help combat any COVID-19 fears that try to take our minds.
• 
  2021-03-27

  Stop Asian Hate!

  The rise in Asian hate crimes has gone hand in hand with COVID. This certainly was not helped by the previous administration continually referring to COVID as “China Flu” or “Kung Flu.” One of the more horrifying things is how close to home these incidents are happening. Just this month, there were two attacks at a local park on Asian Americans. One was on a Japanese-American Olympian, who was in training. The other was on an elderly Korean-American couple. I live in Southern CA, which has the third highest proportion of the population identifying as Asian, yet even here, racism and racially motivated violent crimes are happening. If there is any positive that is coming out of this, it is the honest conversations we’re having with our children about race. In light of George Floyd and similar situations, the immigrant population at the border, and anti-Asian crimes, our kids are engaged in an active dialogue about equity, prejudice, racism and our response to it. My children are proud to be Asian-American and seeing that pride and them use their voices, even in a small way, makes me hopeful for positive change. Like their signs say, they are proud to be Asian AND American, and to love them like people love Asian food! Oh yeah, and in this pandemic year, a reminder that they are not a virus.
• 
  2021-04-21

  James Rayroux's JOTPY Portfolio

  --Reflections on the Pandemic Archive-- Looking back over my experience with the “Journal of the Plague Year” COVID-19 archive, my prevailing emotion is gratitude. This opportunity granted me experience that few historians earn, and the remote, asynchronous work schedule allowed me to collaborate with my colleagues in ways that maximized our respective contributions. The breadth and depth of our individual experiences and perspectives tremendously improved our collective process and products. I spent enough time in the Arizona State Archives last year to recognize such collections as historical treasure chests, but I have now participated in processing an archive’s content and navigating the ethical dilemmas those submissions sometimes create. Archivists and curators are the history profession’s truly unsung heroes, and their work facilitates society’s perception of itself. My background in police work and public safety drew me to the archive’s existing Law Enforcement collection. In taking on that subset, I succeeded in reshaping the collection’s parameters to now include stories about police and law enforcement. I wanted to diversify the collection to encompass perspective of both the police and the public with whom they interact and serve. While some overlap exists between the Law Enforcement and Social Justice collections, each remains distinct. Through my contacts and writing, I promoted a Call for Submissions to an international audience of law enforcement professionals to reduce their relative silence within the archive. Within the archive’s content, I recognized that one’s location might shape their pandemic experience, and I created and designed an Arizona-based exhibit to explore that. Further research and discussion with my mentors and colleagues ensured the exhibit illustrated these differences without excluding visitors whose diverse experiences could further enrich the archived and exhibited content. I am proud of my “Arizona’s COVID-19 Pandemics” exhibit, particularly because of its compressed, one-month incubation period. Beyond displaying images, data, and stories representative of the diverse pandemic experiences within the state, the ACP exhibit offers visitors numerous levels of interaction and engagement to became active participants and create their own exhibit experience. Visitors can complete opinion surveys, add a story to the archive, explore additional content related to the displayed pieces, view ever-changing results from pre-defined archival content searches, conduct their own archival search, view collective visitor survey results, and apply to join the staff. The exhibit’s searches will include the archive’s future submissions, which reshapes both the exhibit and the experience visitors may have with it. A more detailed explanation of my ACP exhibit may be reviewed here: https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive/item/43037 Because of Dr. Kathleen Kole de Peralta and Dr. Mark Tebeau, I stand prepared to join research, curation, and exhibition teams and immediately contribute to their work products. Despite my gratitude for this experience and the opportunities it presented, I look forward to the day COVID-19 is no longer part of humanity’s daily vernacular. James Rayroux 22 April 2021
• 
  2021-04-20

  JOTPY Exhibit: "Arizona's COVID-19 Pandemics" by James Rayroux

  While working as a curatorial intern on ASU's 'A Journal of the Plague Year' COVID-19 archive, I created this exhibit on the pandemic experience within the state. In addition to obvious, overarching realities such as socioeconomic status and immediate access to healthcare systems, I initially believed one of the greatest deciding factors that determined one's experience in Arizona was an individual's residence in either predominantly urban or rural environments. The proposed exhibit had been originally titled "A Tale of Two Arizonas" to pay respect to Charles Dickens and the differing realities experienced here. To test my proposed hypothesis, I went about finding data, stories, and submissions that substantiated or disputed my premise. Within a short time, I had identified four distinct environmental drivers of personal pandemic experiences; to me, that indicated the existence of many more I hadn't yet found or had overlooked along the way. My evidence suggested a minimum of four pandemic locales: Urban, Rural, Border, and Tribal within the State of Arizona and its fifteen counties. The recorded health data and personal experiences demonstrated the naivete of my initial hypothesis, and I retitled the exhibit: "Arizona's COVID-19 Pandemics." The Exhibit Background section illustrates the vast dichotomies within Arizona in terms of population density and access to healthcare facilities. Given the virus's respiratory nature, these factors seemed especially relevant to driving diverse local experiences. I chose to include a flyer from the Coconino County Health and Human Services' "Face It! Masks Save Lives" campaign. The flyer included a specific line to "Stay Home When Sick" that seemed to illustrate a different public health paradigm than the broader "stay home" orders from Maricopa and Pima county. This section also features an image of Sedona's red rocks and a portion of The Wave to remind visitors of the wide-open rural areas accessible to all, as well as those with cultural significance to the Native American tribes and limited access to the general public. The next section asks a short, five-question survey in which visitors may participate. The Silver Linings piece features a short audio clip of a father and husband discussing some unexpected benefits of the pandemic. Visitors may explore additional Silver Linings stories and submit their own experience. The Tséhootsooí Medical Center piece seeks to illustrate the different pandemic experience on the state's tribal lands. I hoped to inspire some relevant emotional turmoil for the visitors through the piece's visual presentation. I wanted to create a series of waves with quotes from the medical center's healthcare workers. I hoped visitors' attention would be drawn to the large, bolded key words, and that they would first experience the segments out of sequence because of that. After potentially feeling a sense of chaos, they might settle themselves into a deliberate reading of the texts and find their own order within the experiences provided here. This piece allows further exploration of Native submissions and topics, a review of an additional related news article, and a submission prompt that invites visitors to offer guidance to hospital managers. The next piece illustrates the differences between mask mandates in communities across Arizona. In addition to hearing an audio clip of interviews with mayors and a public health official, visitors can explore additional submissions related to mask mandates and submit their thoughts on statewide mandates. The Arizona Department of Health Services provides zip-code specific infection data on its website, and the wide array of known case infections therein further illustrates potential dichotomies across the state. In working to include and represent this data in a consumable way, I encountered inconsistencies with tribal data. The nation's Indian tribes are overseen by Indian Health Services, a federal public health agency, and it does not collect or report data in the same manner as the State of Arizona or its counties. At first glance, the data would seem to suggest that tribal areas had less severe pandemic experiences than the rural and urban areas, which was not objectively true. I wanted to offer the unedited data to visitors, allow them to drawn their own conclusions, and invite them to offer their thoughts on what potential misunderstandings might emanate from these reporting differences. Visitors may also choose to review the foundational data from this piece, as well. I used the following two sections to offer submission prompts about the visitor's overall pandemic experience as a function of their location, as well as what they might have done if placed in charge of their city, county, or state during this pandemic. A diverse Search section allows visitors to explore additional topics of interest to them. 23 hyperlinks offer pre-defined search parameters. An Advanced Search link allows self-defined research, and a Join The Staff link connects visitors with opportunities to work within the JOTPY archive. A final section asks visitors to provide feedback on the exhibit, its content, and the pandemic in general. Both surveys within the exhibit will display overall results to visitors who participate in them. Through this process, I found incredible amounts and diversity of data outside the archive that spoke to these generally localized experiences, but not that much yet within the archive explained what Arizonans had experienced outside the state's urban environments. I created a call for submissions and delivered it to fifty rural entities that might help support the effort to collect and preserve more rural Arizona stories. Between all the local libraries, historical societies, museums, small-town mayors, and county health officials to whom I asked for help, I am optimistic the archive will better represent all Arizonans in the coming months and years. Despite the exhibit having been created, I ensured its internal search features would include future submissions and allow the exhibit to remain relevant long after its release.
• 
  2021-04-19

  News Article: Navajo Nation reports no COVID-19 deaths for 8th day

  By Associated Press, 19 April 2021 WINDOW ROCK (AP) — The Navajo Nation is finding no new COVID-19 related deaths for an eighth consecutive day. The tribe on Sunday afternoon reported seven new virus cases but no additional deaths on the vast reservation. The latest numbers bring the Navajo Nation's pandemic case total to 30,366 with the death toll remaining at 1,262. Tribal officials said 16,477 people have recovered from COVID-19 thus far. The tribe had been easing into reopening but that slowed somewhat after coronavirus variants were confirmed on the reservation, which stretches into New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Tribal officials urged residents to stay vigilant. Navajo President Jonathan Nez said the tribe recently had a cluster of COVID-19 cases as a result of a family gathering where people were not wearing masks. Tribal public health orders mandate that masks be worn on the reservation and a daily curfew is in effect. Restaurants cannot have dine-in services. Navajo Nation roads also are closed to visitors and tourists, which doesn’t affect travel on state highways that run through the reservation. Meanwhile, health care facilities across the reservation continue to offer the vaccine by appointment or at drive-thru events.
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  2021-04-12

  ‘I want to show the pride’: photo essay of the Two Spirit Indigenous people

  Two-Spirit, the term used to describe LGBTQ Indigenous, are fighting to be recognized amongst their own people. Although Indigenous, they claim their sacred circle was broken when colonizers landed on their soil and are now viewed upon with pity. Fighting to regain equal rights, the Two-Spirit community refuses to be marginalized. They work to convince other South Dakota tribes to legalize same-sex marriage and pass LGBTQ hate crime legislation. Two-Spirit member, Monique Mousseau stated, “Our younger generation needs to be acknowledged for who they are. It’s important for them to know that they are who they are and that it’s OK,” Mousseau says. “It’s time to acknowledge we have always been here, and we will always be here.”
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  2021-04-17

  Represent like Elvin Fourfeathers!

  This photo was posted on the Social Distance Powwow Facebook page. Fourfeathers’s face seems to hold a thought captive. Was he going to say something to the photographer? What is he thinking? Would I even understand as a non-Indigenous person? What do the different pieces of regalia represent? Did the photographer take this pre-pandemic but posted now lamenting the loss of tribal gatherings? So many questions to such a beautiful photograph. You keep on representing Elvin. Teach us all.
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  2021-04-18

  "Kimberly in Red" by Indigenous Artist Nayana Lafond

  Indigenous artist, Nayana Lafond, painted this piece as part of the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls (MMIWG) exhibition. The exhibit was designed to advocate for these missing women and to stop the violence against Indigenous women. On her website, Lafond features "Kimberly in Red" with the following description, "Kimberly LaRouge, Ojibwe from Lac Courte Oreilles Wisconsin. Mother, grand mother, motorcycle racer, traditional jingle dancer and badass." I would encourage everyone to visit Lafond's website and view her powerful and emotional art pieces.
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  2021-04-14

  Social Distance Powwow - Prayers for All Nations

  Social Distance Powwow is a Facebook page created so Indigenous Peoples can virtually powwow together. Bear Cadman, a member of Dine Nation, submitted this photo of him and wrote "Prayers for all nations. Prayers for peace and healing. Love will win. Prayers for all of you the 5 finger nation."
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  2021-04-15

  Daunte Wright's mom says she 'wants 100% accountability' in wake of officer's arrest

  The mother of Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man shot dead by a Minnesota police officer at a traffic stop, said she "wants 100% accountability" in the wake of the officer's arrest. "If that even happens, we're still going to bury our son," Wright's mother, Katie Wright, said at a Thursday news conference. "We're still never going to be able to see our baby boy."
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  2021-04-17

  Police clash With protesters during Adam Toledo demonstrations

  Police in Chicago, Illinois, clash with protesters during demonstrations for 13-year-old Adam Toledo following the release of the police body camera footage.
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  2021-04-17

  Police clash with Adam Toledo protesters in Logan Square following peaceful march

  The march was largely peaceful, but as it came to an end around 10 p.m., a small group of protesters still lingering in the streets began scuffling with police.
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  2021-04-18

  Feeding America in a Pandemic

  Feeding America released briefs in March of 2020, one for food insecurity locally and one nationally due to the pandemic. I have attached the national brief. This is relevant to my research on the consequences of the pandemic. The briefing looks back to 2019 and 2020 and compares notes on food insecurities. Feeding America reviews this and discusses the future of food insecurities. It also talks about how race effects food insecurity, which is something that needs to be talked about.
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  2021-04-18

  Child care services in Illinois are getting prioritized

  Northern Illinois University and an Early Childhood Transformation Team developed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will work together to make getting vaccinations more obtainable. The primary goal for this movement is to make the process simpler. Most of the article refers to those in the child care industry, though. Pritzker intends to make it more accessible. Child care services have been struggling throughout the pandemic, and Pritzker has been trying to turn things around. Federal aid of $1.6 billion was allocated "to expand access to high-quality early childhood education and childcare for children and families across the state." Every demographic is to be included — children of color, children with disabilities, among others.
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  2020-09-23

  The power of Gen Z

  Living in the pandemic, I have seen my generation grow stronger together as we stand for the injustices occurring in this country. We have spread our ideologies onto social media to spread the message of unity and social justice to prevent further innocent lives from being taken. No violent or oppressive remark goes unseen or unheard of given the word is quickly spread around with social media. Living in the pandemic has allowed the spread of such powerful messages of unity and standing up for what is right to reach every corner of the country. While eating at a local restaurant in Downtown Phoenix, a small yet powerfully loud crowd of BLM protesters passed the location. Watching in awe and feeling some sort of empowerment, it came to my realization of how much these young adults’ voices have spread across the country. Watching the traumatic stories regarding George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (among the thousands of black lives that have been taken by police and civilian brutality over the past couple of decades), I began to fear for the safety of the black communities living in areas that began to pose threats for them. Similarly, I have watched and supported the protests against Asian American violence becoming very recurrent lately and have seen young adults like me speak out against it. Although I am a minority myself, I cannot understand the pain these families go through, but I surely stand by and support these communities. Watching this protest before me made me realize how powerful the second-youngest generation (Gen Z) has grown to be and will continue to blossom as we continue to stand with unity against oppression let it be against race or religion. Although this pandemic has physically separated us, it has also brought many minority communities to come closer and support each other with the hope of one day ending these targeted tragedies.
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  2021-04-14

  CVS Changes Policy to be more LGBTQ Inclusive

  CVS changed COVID-19 vaccination registration form to be more trans/ LGBTQ friendly. Originally, the form asked people to mark their birth sex in order to get the vaccine however, now they have removed the question. The CDC has come out and said it is important to only ask about the gender identity not the gender on the birth certificate. CVS has issued a statement stating that sex, gender, race, or ethnicity does not hinder people from getting the vaccine.