Items
Subject is exactly
Rural
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2020-05-21
Covid Morning Routine
“Morning Routine” is an ad I created about Covid-19. The reason I chose this medium is that many advertisements on the internet and TV are related to the virus. “Morning Routine” is about my brother's routine and how he gets ready in the morning. It seems like a normal routine like everyone else which is to wake up, brush your teeth, put on clothes, put your shoes on and go out to the rest of their day. In the end, it shows a close of him putting on a mask. In the news, there is a lot of talk about when normal is coming back. Countries all over the world were under lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In Minnesota, the confirmed cases are not as extreme other states like New York. My personal experience with Covid-19 is doing my part of trying to make things better. In my family, many are nurses so are making sacrifices and working hard. I am still in college trying to become a nurse so staying home is doing my part to make their job easier. On social media, many of my peers and others are complaining about when all of this will be over. People are going out acting like life is normal by hanging with friends without social distancing and not wearing masks. As time goes by, many countries are now easing lockdown trying to bring up the economy against, but the consequences are increasing the chance of the virus spreading more. Although I try to stay home as much as possible, I have uncles and aunts that are getting older and are at a higher risk by the coronavirus so I grocery shop for them every week and deliver them. When I go to grocery stores, I get very anxious because many people are not wearing masks. I don’t want to be the one responsible for getting corona and getting my family sick. The coronavirus is going to stay and be here for a while until a vaccine is found and produced on a large scale. This in my opinion is the new normal because I don’t think we will ever go back to normal. This pandemic has and will keep changing the way we live in the future. -
2020-05-07
Quarantine Cross-Stitch
In Spring 2020, after the pandemic closed the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire campus, UWEC history major Katie Boucher handmade this cross stitch during quarantine. -
2020-04-29
Social Distancing Wisconsin Style
The image is of a yard sign using a dairy cow as a measuring device for social distancing. Wisconsin’s dairy industry is a major contributor to its agrarian culture. This yard sign makes a funny reference to both the dairy industry and COVID-19. -
2020-09-25
Business as Usual
COVID has sent the planet for a loop. In general, we are all reeling from the changes and policies that have been implemented. However, in some areas where life moves a little slower, there are some things that continue on, business as usual. -
2020-08-20
Get Out!
Even in a global pandemic when everything is shut down, there are still a million things to do and see. This was our family’s trip up Kennebec Pass, which is only an hour from our hose. Covid is the perfect opportunity to explore your own back yard, provided you do so safely! -
2020-10-27
COVID in Rural Wisconsin
This submission goes into detail from a front line worker on why rural Wisconsin is hit so hard when it comes to COVID, it is important because there are so few voices coming out of this part of the United States. -
2020-10-01
No New Cases
A recent photo from the Burnett County Sheriff's Office that shows the county had no new cases. It shows the pandemic is not worsening at the moment in a very rural area in Wisconsin -
2020-07-20
Rural Rainbow
My aunt's photo of a rainbow on her dairy farm in rural Wisconsin. It shows how a lonely and quiet area in rural Wisconsin during the midst of a pandemic can have beautiful parts to it. -
2020-10-09
Socially distanced Military STEP promotion
CCMSgt Langston and other members of leadership surprised SSgt. Kasten with a STEP promotion to TSgt. outside of his hotel room, where he was being quarantined. Minot AFB in Minot, ND has been battling the pandemic and its effects on morale among the Airmen. This story represents the comradery associated with military members and keeping traditions alive. -
2020-10-27
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe: Executive Order
On October 27, 2020, Chairman Faith of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe issued an Executive Order mandating the wearing of face masks within the boundaries of the Standing Rock Reservation. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the hardest among minorities, including Native American tribes. With COVID numbers increasing in the Dakotas, it is no surprise that the local tribes are cracking down on safety measures. The protection of their people and culture will always be their number one concern. -
2020-10-29
Governor Bergum adjusts COVID-19 risk level for North Dakota counties
In the early stages of the pandemic, North Dakota shut down like every other state. However, during reopening over the summer, safety protocols, such as masks, were not state mandated, only recommended. This has led us to being the state with the highest cases of COVID in the U.S. right now. During Governor Burgum’s press briefing on October 29, 2020 he adjusted the COVID-19 risk levels for various counties in North Dakota, bumping nearly half of the counties in the state into high risk categories and a quarter of the rest into moderate risk. Governor Bergum is still not pushing for a mandate on wearing masks in public areas, only recommending it. -
2020-10-03
Feminism during Covid
Unfortunately, gender violence has been increased due to Covid. The lockdown can have several psychological and social consequences. According to Mittal and Sighn, the "surge of gender-based violence (it is due to) economic insecurity and alcohol consumption." Also, their research concludes that "gender-based violence has been one of the most neglected outcomes of pandemics." Particularly in Mexico, gender-based violence has been a constant problem, from the "muertas de Juárez" in the 90s to the lack of interest of the Mexican government to deal with the femicide in 2020. Even with the pandemic, the feminist movement has been very active. The photo I chose is from a member of "el bloque negro", a feminist group during the takeover of the CNDH (Human Rights National Commission) on October 3rd. Now, the CNDH is controlled by several feminist groups and works as a shelter for victims of gender-based violence. In Mexico, ten women are killed every day. Even with these statistics, last year president AMLO has eliminated the government’s subsidies for women's shelters. The pandemic demands isolation but the high gender-based violence in our country and the rise of this problem due to the lockdown can't be ignored, even if lives are at health risk. -
2020-10-13
Real, Rural Concerns
My husband, son and I moved (back) to Durango, Colorado from Monument at the end of February. We closed on our house, started back at school and reconnected with the friends we missed while we were away. Then the news stories started popping up here and there about a new and unidentified virus that is showing up in cities. "Good thing we live here!" I thought to myself. We live in the mountains, in a scattered neighborhood outside a small town in a sparsely-populated area of the country. We'll be fine. My husband's job went to 100% telework. Since he works for the Federal Government, I figured it was just very precautionary and we settled into the convenience of having him home! My son's school went on spring break, more time for playing and friends! I saw on the news that all the schools in Wisconsin (my home state) closed for the rest of the year! Holy cow! I still figured we would not see anything real from this now-named Coronavirus. Then my son's school closed for the year. Suddenly, the entire nation, even our little rural hamlet, came to a shuddering halt. By now, it is into March, nearly April. Tourists still show up to get their last ski runs in, and first hikes and rafting trips of the year in. I suppose that is good. Our entire area relies on tourism so if we can keep things moving, that is a positive, right? Well it turns out there is a pretty huge downside of living in a remote area during a pandemic. Yes, we do not come into contact with many people, we don't have a freeway anywhere nearby, and we do not have a large airport. However, we also lack the resources to have a mass of patients at our hospital. There is one main medical facility that serves a very large area. If this virus shows up here, we could be doomed. With my husband and son home, we hunkered in to see what was going to happen. Fast forward to October, and we have had a handful of cases in our county and neighboring ones, despite the rush of Texas and California tourists this summer. We lost a couple cherished restaurants and establishments, and were not immune to this pandemic. But taking an assessment at the moment, I'm pretty proud of our area. There were arguments on masks, social distancing, sports, and restaurants, that shadowed the nation as a whole, but I saw communities band together like never before. Out of this crisis, there blossomed a new understanding and grace lent to our neighbors that we maybe did not express before. New programs popped up to help those who were struggling, because in reality, we were ALL struggling. This area historically struggles with suicide, and there has been an enormous push to reach out to everyone possible and offer all kinds of hands, or ears as the case may be. All in all, I am proud of my community and I am proud of how we are weathering this storm, among so much other commotion battling for our focus. -
2020-03-20
Fresh Air, But For Only So Long
During the pandemic, specifically between March and June, there wasn't much for me to do with work. I would help my Dad with his now unfamiliar school work. I did play games and watched the entirety of Parks and Recreation, but couldn't stave off the boredom. I needed to do something. So, I would go on walks. Sometimes I would go by myself and sometimes I would take my dog Carolina. She loves taking walks and it was something new for her with every walk. I lived in a rural part of town and the air was fresh. The smell of flowers drifting in the air, while also smelling cow manure as well. All I could hear was the sound of the birds, neighbor dogs and the farm animals. Carolina would stare at those dogs or animals, but never approach them. It was wonderful to breathe in the warm air. Cars were a rare sight and sound when I would walk along the asphalt with no issues. It was so quiet. It was nice to have the road to ourselves. Prior to COVID, people would be driving along our road frequently and we could hear them even from the end of our driveway. There seemed to be less garbage in the ditches too. Sometimes, I would see whole families walking along the road, probably wanting to inhale that fresh air that I was enjoying. Mid to late summer though, the air became thick with smoke. The fires around Washington, especially from nearby Selah, were suffocating and my walks stopped. There was even a fire on the ridge behind our house and I was worried that we would have to evacuate. The sky was muggy and the area was too warm, thankfully, since we all started wearing masks, we could cope with the fires. Mostly, I was disappointed that the fresh air I breathed towards the beginning of summer was gone. The picture I chose to share was a picture I took of the fire that started on the ridge behind our house. It's not the best quality, but that smoke was what closed out the summer. There was a lot to deal with this summer; COVID and fires mostly, but somehow, we made it. *Photograph, this is something that I took myself. -
2020-10-03
India’s Covid-19 Death Toll Passes 100,000
The U.S. and Brazil have more reported cases, but India is going to lift more restrictions. In India there are more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths and they are trying to have more restrictions so they can slow down these cases. They are ranked the second highest caseload in the world with approximately 6.4 million cases. It is important because people need to see how serious this virus is and start doing restrictions even if the state says it’s not necessary. -
2020-10-03
Smalltown COVID-19
My experience during COVID -
2020
COVID-19 Emergency Toolkit and Coloring Book by New Mexico Native Cartoonist Ricardo Cate and Dose of Reality NM
New Mexico Native cartoonist Ricardo Cate teamed up with Dose of Reality New Mexico to address the COVID-19 virus in Native communities. The website promotes proper COVID-19 practices and is targeted for the Native American population. The webpage includes short videos, articles, resources, and podcasts that focus on combating COVID-19. For this project Cate created a coloring book based off his cartoon Without Reservations. The cartoon-based coloring book looks at the pandemic in a humorous and cultural manner. The coloring book is printable, and a printed version has also been distributed throughout Native communities. HST580, ASU, humor, Ricardo Cate, Dose of Reality New Mexico, New Mexico Narratives, cartoonist, protect Native communities, coloring book, resource -
2020-09-24
Watching the Plants Grow
I spent the summer working on a farm and tending to a little garden with my mom at home (to be fair it was her garden...I just helped out a bit)! It was a privilege to get to escape into the outdoors and work until I was tired on things that I thought were meaningful. -
09/18/2020
Lauren Murray Oral History, 2020/09/18
Lauren discusses how the pandemic has affected her university studies -
09/19/2020
John Riley Oral History, 2020/09/19
An account of one person's experience through the COVID 19 pandemic. -
2020-04-16
Zoom Book Club
The last time my book club met in person, March 2020, we talked about what we would read next. I noted that I had a few books about pandemics already on my shelves and we should read one of those. Camus' "The Plague", "Pale Horse, Pale Rider" by Katherine Anne Porter, "Journal of the Plague Year" by Daniel Defoe, "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez... why did I have so many books about plagues...? We decided on Defoe and I said "Well, maybe we will be meeting by Zoom next time." The group was incredulous (I live in a small rural town in South Dakota) that we wouldn't be able to meet in person in April. If I had read this book in non-plaugue times it certainly would have been good read but it took on a lot of added meaning when I read it at the beginning of the quarantine. Thermometers may change but people never change. -
2020-08-30
South Dakota Restaurants Battle for Survival Amid Pandemic
This article focuses on the pandemic and how it has affected the mom and pop restaurants in rural America, South Dakota. It is important to note that all communities, large and small are dealing with this pandemic and restaurants are struggling for survival, but especially in rural areas. -
2020-06-23
Cows Graze on a High School's Baseball Field While Students Stay Away
While students continue to practice social distancing and campus won't fully reopen until October 5th, Summerville High in Tuolumne, California received some bovine visitors. In an article filled with puns, the author describes the situation and the corralling of the cows to the baseball field where they could be more easily retrieved and cool themselves with the sprinkler system while they waited. While the students are away, the cows will play! -
2020-08-26
Reflection on contributing to the Archive
After working on stories that would appear on this archive, I reflected what it was like report during this pandemic. -
2020-08-05
Many Navajos face pandemic without running water, tribal members urged to ‘lift each other up’
By McKenzie Allen-Charmley/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship -
2020-08-22
COVID 19 and its impact on a small town in Hawaii
The COVID 19 pandemic is devastating to even to a small community like my own. People continue to live in fear of the virus and it is only worsening for my own small community. This picture helps to show one of the positives of this devastating disease which is being able to get closer to my family members. During isolation I ended up spending a lot of time with my grandparents and we were actually able to get closer. I feel this says a lot about the pandemic. It shows that times are tough to people and this disease has got everyone concerned. During these harsh times it is now more important than ever before to have a good support system. The support from families and friends I feel is what kept me going and a lot of my other colleagues felt the same way. Through COVID 19 then I was able to get closer to my own family and I think this one positive despite these difficult times helps to make my time during this pandemic a little more manageable. I think both this picture and story helps to document both the effects of COVID 19 on a small town and one way that people have adjusted to the new environment. -
2020-08-23
Cody Brown Portfolio
When I first began the Journal of the Plague Year internship, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. I wanted to be part of something impactful and important during the pandemic and was hoping to learn some new skills that could be applied in furthering my academic studies or in future job pursuits. What I discovered as the internship went on is that I was going to get to do all of that and so much more. What I thought was going to be a “standard” internship was instead a fast-paced, jump in with both feet without looking, rollercoaster ride. I had no previous experience doing public history work beyond conducting an oral history interview with my great-grandmother for an “Aging in Rural America” course during my undergraduate studies. What I discovered was the entire behind the scenes effort that makes these pieces of information readily accessible to the public. As the internship progressed, not only was I adjusting to constantly changing best practice regarding curation, but I was also learning new skills that I would have likely not learned anywhere else in my academic career. What started, in my mind, as a simple internship turned into one of the greatest learning experiences of my academic career, to date. Never had I imagined that I would learn, let alone use, some of the skills that were cultivated during this internship. While I am not a fan of the redaction portion of public history, likely because I don’t feel very adept at it, many of the other skills introduced and learned during this internship appealed to me greatly. During the blog post writing assignment, I discovered the challenge of attempting to write an attention-grabbing piece that was interesting to read to a general audience yet informational enough to convey the necessary information while maintaining a condensed length so as not to lose a reader’s interest. This was extremely challenging for me as I tend to be long-winded and include to much “fluff” in much of my writing. I, however, found the challenge enjoying and plan to continue to hone my blogging skills; maybe even someday start my own history related blog. One of the most enjoyable skills that I learned was the entire range of conducting and polishing an oral history. The development of questions, the interview itself, the transcription (the first few attempts were very rough), and even the cataloging and archiving of the history were a joy once I understood and was comfortable with the process. Finding new tools to use as part of the oral history portion of the internship such as otter.ai was also an extremely rewarding aspect of the process. This skill will likely prove itself especially useful in my further academic and professional pursuits. Finally, the experience of interaction between the interns was unique in my experiences working with others. Never have I participated in an entirely digital project or team experience before the JOTPY internship. The experience was unique and very rewarding, and the interaction between the interns was exceptional. Not only did we conduct weekly meetings regarding the archive and internship and work remotely within groups using digital tools within the internship group, but we connected, interacted, and worked with other groups and individuals associated with the archive using the same tools (Zoom, Slack, etc.) I have had some of my fellow interns in other classes during my program, but being able to actively see, speak, and work with my colleagues was a wonderful experience and I was lucky to be part of such a great group of historians. -
2020-08-23
Alex Hinely Internship Portfolio
As a second-year graduate student in the History MA program at Arizona State University, I found myself enrolling in the HST 580: Professional Experience course after viewing an online announcement outlining the unique experience of a remote internship. With prior experience as a digital archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration, the Smithsonian Institute, and the California Digital Newspaper Collection, in addition to years spent as an undergraduate research assistant at the UCLA Center for Korean Studies digitizing reels of microfilm, I initially believed this internship to be hours of busywork without much substance. I was quickly proven wrong, however. Unlike the previous archives mentioned, A Journal of the Plague Year is a living and breathing archive, recording stories as they occur. This constant fluctuation resulting from live submissions created a dynamic, and sometimes turbulent, workspace that required interns to possess flexibility, problem-solving, and innovation skills. Far from my initial understanding of the internship, the archive provided curatorial interns with a wide-ranging set of skills applicable in any professional environment. Using Omeka-S, Otter.ai, and Slack, interns learned to enhance accessibility to historical documents by curating and transcribing crowdsourced items into a searchable resource. Curatorial interns carefully handled thousands of photographs, articles, and recordings, while assisting with branding, legal compliance, and writing for diverse platforms. Through archival collaborations with international universities and institutions, interns were able to advance their communication skills to convey necessary, time-sensitive, and fluctuating information concerning the live curation of items. This interactive and innovative internship challenged my understanding of public history and pushed me to appreciate the archival process in a new light. As calls for submissions urged individuals to share their everyday experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, I recognized the importance of documenting daily happenings and confronting historical silences. As a result, A Journal of the Plague Year reignited my determination to support rural K-12 students and ensure that their stories are documented alongside their urban and suburban counterparts. While I have no immediate plans to become a public historian, I have learned an innumerable amount of skills that will surely advance my career in the educational sector. -
2020-08-19
Clinton P. Roberts Internship Portfolio
The Journal of the Plague Year will become a lasting memory and not just because it is preserved inside of an archive. One of the most memorable aspects will be the way our internship class grew to become a team. As we all look back to our first weeks, little did we know the scope of pedagogy we would need to experience before arriving upon these final days. Dr. Kole gave us the support we needed, but wasn’t afraid to introduce us to the “rapid” nature of a rapid response archive. The conversations of “wearing hats” became common terminology to describe all of the evolving jobs this internship would entail. Some days we were scholars thinking deeply about the concerns of silences. Other days we felt more like roving reporters gathering stories as they were developing. Our “marketing hats” were often in use as we promoted our Calls for Submissions. Undoubtedly, there were days we were required to stack our hats four high. As fledgling public historians, we accomplished all of these things and we did it together as a team. The word “team” seems the most obvious description, but for our group the most fitting term is “family.” This moment has already come and gone, yet it’s preserved for those that look toward it. I felt the need to devote my individual time to preserving those things that were at propinquity. That being said, the “Rural Voices” collection is something near and dear to me. Near because I live in the community that inspired this collection. Dear because it’s so much more; it’s home. I created it because of this familiarity, a familiarity that was disrupted by COVID-19 and I experienced firsthand. Moving forward, future interns will have the opportunity to continue what I have started. This collection was never meant to have only one voice and is only a reflection of its first voice. Every rural community has a wealth of history occurring and with each passing moment those voices fade. The “Rural Voices” collection was, and should always remain, a direct response to that silence. -
2020-04-11
During Pandemic, Community Adapts "Reverse" Parade to Honor 90th Birthday in Memorable Way
Local resident Genelle Richey retired in 2012, dedicating 62 years of her life to teaching the youth of Blanchard, Oklahoma. Since then, Mrs. Richey's status of being a local educator and mentor as only grown in appreciation. On April 11, 2020 during the peak of COVID-19 shutdowns, the community of Blanchard expressed its gratitude to Mrs. Richey by organizing hundreds of participants to drive past her in a "reverse" parade celebrating her 90th birthday. She and her family gathered on North Main Street to greet the cheerful crowd as they passed. The event was organized by her family and mostly through Facebook to preserve the surprise to Mrs. Richey herself. The event took place between 3:00 and 4:00 PM on that Saturday, April 11. The parade featured vehicles displaying signs and decorated "float" style trailers. The line of vehicles were led by Blanchard Police and Fire Departments. Parade vehicles dropped off birthday gifts and took photographs to preserve the special event. During an otherwise quiet and uneventful month of pandemic closures, the community of Blanchard resiliently came together to adapt a memorable day for a very special woman. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. -
2020-06-28
COVID-19 Cancels the Oklahoma State Fair, Rural Attendee Tells Her Personal Story of Breaking Tradition.
Sharon Annesley of Blanchard, Oklahoma tells the story of how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditions of the Oklahoma State Fair. Her text document story chronicles how the State Fair changed over the years, but had never been canceled. She details how this will affect the local economy of vendors, agriculture, and local tourism. She also describes what a typical day for her and her husband would be at the fair and the long-standing tradition it has become to them. Text document authored by Sharon Annesley. The story is titled under the heading “COVID-19 CANCELS THE OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR” (June 28, 2020) The story features personally gathered information and accounts by Sharon Annesley. This document was hand-submitted in a physical form for submission to Clinton P. Roberts for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. -
2020-08-09
Oklahoma School Reopening Requires Teachers to Be Creative with Their Precautions
With the reopening of Oklahoma schools, teachers are doing their best to create preventive measures in their classrooms. Dibble, Oklahoma third grade teacher Ms. McDaniel was inspired by online plans for creating class dividers out of PVC pipe and transparent shower curtains. The dividers allow the students to interact with one another, see the classroom board, and see the teacher without being able to breathe directing on other students. Oklahoma schools have not instituted a regulation for masks or other protective measures and only have offered recommendations. This has left individual school districts to provide their own rules. In this particular school some students wear mask, some do not, and others have opted for virtual learning. These desk dividers become a way for teachers to have structural PPE where individual PPE may not exist. Ms. McDaniel made five large cross section dividers that can protect up to twenty children. Ms. McDaniel researched, purchased, and fabricated all of these on her own. Her ingenuity is an example of how rural schools and rural teachers have had to be more creative with their methods of precaution. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. -
2020-08-13
Distance Learning Parent Conferences
Unable to resume in-person instruction, for the time being, the first day of school for students at Princeton Joint Unified School District in Princeton, California looked quite different this year. Instead of having students on campus, parents were asked to attend a scheduled conference to pick up supplies, technology, and information. The white papers hanging around the perimeter of the gym list every student in attendance, and the items placed below each sign were left for students to use at home. Parents attending the meetings felt overwhelmed and frustrated by the inability to return in-person but recognized that the local school district did not make this decision. Over the summer months, distance learning strategies were completely overhauled to improve on the lackluster results of last spring. Teachers at Princeton Joint Unified School District will be offering live instruction throughout the day using several new platforms. Parent conferences will continue into next week before daily live instruction begins on August 20, 2020. -
2020-08-14
Rural Arizonans gain more access to mental health resources, but only if they have an internet connection
Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship -
2020-08-14
Amador County Report Major Coronavirus Surge
An article reporting on the surge of COVID-19 cases in a rural California county close to Sacramento, Amador County. -
2020-07-29
Arizona dairy farms pivot from restaurants to food banks as COVID-19 shifts demand
By Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship -
2020-08-11
Mayors in rural Arizona debate the pros and cons of mandating masks in their communities
Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship -
2020-04-26
Volunteer Emergency Responders Face a Dilemma: Save Lives or Stay Safe
Across the country, volunteer fire and EMS services are facing a dangerous choice during the COVID-19 pandemic, save the lives of others or stay safe. With a lack of funding for many of these departments, proper PPE is a luxury many do not have access to. Among workers in the healthcare field, volunteer members are seeing the highest rates of infection. -
2020-06-01
"PACIFIC ISLANDERS UNITE TO FIGHT COVID AMIDST EXTREME CLIMATE CHANGE EVENTS"
"COVID-19, measles, and dengue fever are not the only risks the Pacific islands face. These island nations collectively emit less than one percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet they disproportionately experience the impacts of the climate crisis. There are 20 sovereign island nations in the Pacific, with between 20,000-30,000 islands covering more than 16 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean. The region possesses one of the world’s richest biodiversities and unique cultures, with more than 1,500 Indigenous spoken languages. Papua New Guinea alone is home to well over 800 Indigenous languages, more than most other countries in the world. The remoteness of this constellation of islands within the southern hemisphere puts the region at a distinct advantage over COVID-19. However, relatively small land masses with growing populations heighten the region’s susceptibility to the multiplicative effects of the measles and dengue fever epidemics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the brutal impacts of climate change." -
2020-08-03
Non-Profit "Local First Arizona" provides necessary financial support to rural small businesses in need
Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship The COVID-19 Pandemic has hit rural small businesses especially hard. Owners are struggling to pay their bills, and even survive. These owners don't necessarily get the same financial support from the federal government as owners in metropolitan areas. The non-profit "Local First Arizona" started providing financial grants to small businesses, especially focusing on those in rural areas of Arizona. These grants have been the saving grace of some rural small business owners. Reporter Sarandon Raboin spoke with some of the owners who were helped by "Local First Arizona". -
08/01/2020
Carrie Brown Oral History, 2020/08/01
Carrie Brown is currently a flight nurse employed with Mercy One- North Iowa in Mason City, Iowa. Carrie has worked a Mercy One- North Iowa since getting her degree in nursing (then called Mercy Medical Center- North Iowa) and has worked as a flight nurse since 2012. Carrie’s day to day life is currently outside the normal as she is living with her husband, Don, and their dog in a camper for the summer while they build a new house. In this interview, Carrie reflects on her interactions with friends and family and how her routines at her job have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Carrie offers a unique insight as to the current state of the pandemic by providing firsthand knowledge and perspective as a medical care provider. Carrie also addresses her personal stance on the pandemic as seen through the eyes of a medical professional and through conversations with other medical professionals. -
07/25/2020
Phillip Hoile Oral History, 2020/07/25
This is an interview of Phillip Hoile about the impacts that COVID-19 pandemic has on his job. He also speaks about questioning the information and why there's so much conflicting information in the media about COVID-19. Phillip offers his thoughts on why he and his family chose to take preventive measures such as masks and social distancing during COVID-19. He also talks about what it's like to live in a small community like Blanchard, Oklahoma instead of a larger city and the benefits it provides during a pandemic. He also explains the ways COVID-19 has altered his family plans and what he has done to create new activities to spend time with his granddaughter. Phillip offers advice about living through other crises, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his optimism that these things will eventually pass too. -
2020-07-25
Deborah Hoile Oral History, 2020/07/25
This is an interview of Deborah Hoile about her day to day life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deborah is retired and speaks about spending time taking care of her granddaughter. She offers her thoughts on the effects of the pandemic upon her community of Blanchard and ways that it has responded to COVID-19. Deborah also talks about the ways COVID-19 has affected seeing some of her children and grandchildren, as well as her thoughts about how the community of Blanchard could benefit from its current desire to watch over its more vulnerable population. -
2020-07-24
Sonora Restaurants Take Over Alleyways to Allow Outside Dining Compliant with COVID-19 Restrictions
These photos from the Union Democrat show how some downtown businesses in Sonora, California are innovating to allow table service that complies with California safety standards regarding COVID-19. These pictures show the new outdoor dining spaces for the Diamondback Grill and Sonora Brewing Company. -
2020-07-23
Mother Lode coronavirus cases, hospitalizations continue to increase
This article reports on increasing cases in the Mother Lode and a the first death from the virus in Calaveras County. There had been 104 cases in Tuolumne County at the time this article was published and cases are continuing to rise. The county is now very close to being put on California's monitoring list for areas of the state with high COVID-19 cases. Doctor's interviewed urge people to get tested to help keep other members of the community safe. -
2020-07-27
Tuolumne County outpaces Calaveras County in new COVID-19 cases
The local newspaper reports on increasing COVID-19 cases in Tuolumne County as opposed to the neighboring Calaveras County. These communities are in rural California and Tuolumne County has a fairly large population of COVID-19 skeptics and deniers correlating with their largely republican voting habits. This article discusses how the county must remain under 53 cases over 2 weeks to not have more public spaces closed according to state standards. If trends remain as they are it could mean a return to a heavier lockdown for the county. -
04/22/2020
Stephanie Hebert Oral History, 2020/04/22
This is an interview about the Social Distance Powwow group that was started during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The interviewee, Stephanie Herbert, gives information about the Native Powwows and how the Native People are coping during the Coronavirus Pandemic. They cannot gather together and dance in Powwows, so Stephanie and her cohorts have tried to find a workaround for that. They started a Facebook group to help foster connection with others from around the world, which immediately gathered thousands of followers. -
07/11/2020
Alex Hinely Oral History, 2020/07/11
Alex Hinely was born and raised in Northern California. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. Following graduation, Alex lived in various parts of the United States, including Florida and Rhode Island, before returning to his hometown of Colusa in Northern California. He now works as an information manager for a Princeton Joint Unified School District. In the fall of 2019, he began his studies at Arizona State University (ASU), where he is currently working on a Master of Arts in history. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he split his hours working from home and campus and began an internship with “A Journal of the Plague Year” COVID-19 archive initiated by ASU. Alex shares a unique perspective as a school district employee, a student, and a curatorial intern. In this interview, he tackles the challenges of living in rural Northern California, where many seem to be disagreeing with California Governor Gavin Newsom, the challenges of social isolation, and how he believes the COVID-19 pandemic is progressing. -
07/11/2020
Clinton Roberts Oral History, 2020/07/11
Clinton Roberts grew up in the small town of Blanchard, Oklahoma. He has lived there the balance of his life and continues to work the family-owned Insurance business his grandmother started. In addition to working as an insurance agent, Clinton is also a graduate student of History at Arizona State University. In the interview, Clinton discusses what it means to live and run a business in Blanchard during the COVID-19 crisis. He discusses the challenges he has faced and the changes he has personally made. He further discusses the changes he has witnessed in his local community, within his family, and his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, Kelly McDaniel. He also reveals the toll these changes have taken on his mental health, relationships and livelihood; the fear of “not knowing” his diagnosis after falling ill in recent weeks, and the stresses of taking care of his grandmother during this illness. -
5/14/2020
Grace Neugebauer Oral History, 2020/05/14
This interview was completed for a class project at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. The project was to contribute to a COVID-19 database while also working on a university database to show the importance of rapid response collection. The class was a research methods course called History 486 taught by Dr. Cheryl Jimenez Frei.