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Shanna Gagnon
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2020-10-24
Sensory History & COVID-19, Lesson Plan
This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. First, students learn about sensory history through the study of a historical event. Then, students are asked to submit a COVID-19 sensory memory to the JOTPY archive. The curriculum and student work are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide insight into the sensory history of COVID-19. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences. -
2020-09-09
I Stood Beneath An Orange Sky
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2020 brought devastating wildfires to the state of California. Many of the Northern California fires were started as a result of the lightning produced during a massive - and rare - summer thunderstorm. The week leading up to the storm, I questioned the reliability of weather information as I had never experienced a severe summer storm in California. The night of the storm, I lay awake in my bed in awe of the sound of the storm. The combination of wind, rain, thunder and lighting produced incredibly loud sounds that lasted throughout the night. My family stayed snug in our beds. But when the storm continued into the morning hours, we decided to sit on our porch to take in the moment. The smell of rain in the summer was oddly refreshing. My kids were jumpy as none of them remember ever hearing thunder before. During a pause in the rain, we were walking between our home and my in-law’s home about 500 yards away from ours. The thunder hit at that very moment. I turned to look at my son and he was completely jumping out of his skin from fear of the thunder. Following each bout of thunder, silent lighting bolts shot across the sky. In the moment, we soaked in the beauty of nature. Little did we know that these beautiful bolts of lightning would cause some of the largest fires in California history. Immediately following the storm, fires spread across the state of California. While COVID-19 has completely changed life as we know it, we have found joy in being able to enjoy the outdoors. At the onset of the fires, even that reprieve was taken from us. I live directly between the SCU Lightning Complex and the LNU Lighting Complex fires, two of the first fires that erupted following the storm. The days immediately following the start of the fires brought record breaking days of heat well over 100 degrees. The hottest I have ever experienced in the San Francisco Bay Area. The region experienced rolling blackouts and even functioning air conditioners were so taxed that they struggled to keep the insides of homes cool. In addition to the heat, the skies were filled with ash. The air was so thick with ash it was difficult to even take a breath when outside. The outdoors, our place of solace, quiet and escape during this pandemic, was no longer an option for us. On September 9, 2020, I woke up and opened my curtains to face a brilliant orange sky. The color of the sky was unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. It truly felt apocalyptic. The air smelled of an extinguished campfire. And the overall feeling was eerie. The weight of the COVID-19 pandemic hit me the day that I stood beneath an orange sky, breathing in the smell of the fires ravaging my beloved state. How did we get here? Will life ever feel normal again? It just can’t get worse, can it? While I stood frozen in place, I heard the sound of birds chirping in the distance. This simple sound gave me the reassurance that I needed. We can do hard things. This too shall pass. I just hope it passes quickly. -
2020-10-06
The Media & COVID-19, Lesson Plan
This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. Students are asked to identify a news article that highlights an important aspect of the COVID-19 experience. Students are also asked to write a summary of the article that includes an overview of the article, why they selected the article, the importance of the article, what the article reveals about life during COVID-19, identification of any noticeable bias in the article, and a statement about the responsibility of the media during the pandemic. The curriculum and student work are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide insight into the topics that are important to teenagers, as well as the expectations and reality of the media during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences. -
2020-09-07
American Values Essay, Lesson Plan
This curriculum was designed for a junior level US History course. Students are asked to identify core American values and to formulate a claim in response to the essential question, "Is America currently living up to its core values?" The curriculum and student essays are being submitted to the JOTPY archive to provide a picture of how teenagers view America as a whole in 2020. They also give insight into the vast array of perspectives teenagers living during the COVID-19 pandemic have based on the diversity of their current life experiences. -
2020-09-06
Crowded Crissy Field on Labor Day
A friend that lives in San Francisco posted this video on his Instagram stories. It is a video of Crissy Field, the park and beach area near Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It is a spot beloved by locals because of the open space and picturesque backdrop of the Bridge. The San Francisco Bay Area is experiencing an intense heat wave over Labor Day weekend. The heat, and the smoke from surrounding wildfires, has pushed residents from around the Bay Area to locations with cooler climates and cleaner air. While a number of local beaches are closed, it appears as if Crissy Field was not one of them. This video captures the crowds of people that flocked to Crissy Field over the Labor Day weekend. -
2020-04-08
Garage Art: Thank You Essential Workers
A family in Walnut Creek is using their garage door to send various messages during the COVID-19 pandemic. This message reads "Thank You Essential Workers." The art has been a source of community, inspiration and hope for Walnut Creek residents. -
2020-09-01
Greetings From...San Francisco
A wonderful group of students from my first year of teaching (2011-12) has stayed in touch since they graduated in 2015. They have an annual tradition of coming back to the Bay Area at least once per year and spending the day in San Francisco. They take a photograph in front of the Golden Gate Bridge - even if it is completely covered in fog - to mark their time together. The COVID-19 pandemic made their tradition impossible this year. They still decided to mark the year by creating this "Greeting from...San Francisco" postcard style photoshopped image. It is such a sign of the times! I am grateful that the group is finding a way to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-09-02
San Francisco Hair Stylists Operate Outdoors
As California moved from the "watch list" system to a "color-coded tiered" system, San Francisco Bay Area businesses are still navigating re-opening plans. Only 2 counties in the Bay Area are currently in the "red" zone which allows for some non-essential businesses to re-open. All others are currently in the "purple" zone. While the time frame and requirements to re-open continue to create confusion across the region, San Francisco hair saloons were able to operate outdoors for the first time since March shelter-in-place orders. Aside from the important re-opening information in this article, the image of hair stylists operating outside of their establishment in San Francisco, with Pride flags displayed proudly in the salon's windows, caught my attention. While life as we knew it has completely changed in the San Francisco Bay Area, this image feels very "San Francisco" to me. I am curious what aspects of the COVID-19 world will stick with us long after the pandemic is over. Will some businesses, like hair salons, continue to offer outdoor services? -
2020-08-29
Halloween in August
After 5.5 months in quarantine, we are bored. Like really bored. My kids starting asking if we could put up Halloween decorations around August 10th. We love Halloween. My birthday is even on Halloween. But Halloween decorations in August is a bit much - even for me! After a few weeks, asking turned into begging. By August 29th I decided "What the heck?! Let's do it. Halloween in August it is!" The kids, in their matching candy corn pajamas, had a blast decorating the house and trying on old Halloween costumes. Now let's hope we can keep the excitement up for 2 months until Halloween actually arrives! -
2020-08-30
COVID Camping
Our family loves the outdoors. Since the birth of our first child, we have made it a priority to camp at least once each summer. We all look forward to this tradition as a time of togetherness as we disconnect from our busy lives, if even for just a few days. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, camping looks a bit different. But we decided to roll with it and continue our family tradition. Our first camping "trip" was in our backyard. And it was magical. We played and slept outside for 3 straight days. Our second camping "trip" was in our living room. Due the wildfires ravaging Northern California, we have been unable to even go outside for over a week. The kids were thrilled for this new camping experience. Despite the many challenges that 2020 continues to throw our way, the resiliency and positivity of my children remind me that everything will (eventually) be okay. And, yes, we did enjoy s'mores during our camping "trips." -
2020-08-02
'Catastrophe': How Nation's Worst Outbreak Exploded at San Quentin
In less than two months, 19 San Quentin inmates have died, including at least eight on Death Row, more than half the number of condemned killers executed here in four decades. The official number of prisoners infected has reached 2,181 — about two-thirds of the prison population — but many refused to be tested. And alongside the prisoners plagued by a pandemic in a poorly ventilated germ-ridden lockup are the 258 prison guards and other staff who got sick too — and ultimately brought it home. -
2020-06-09
Oakland Artists Create Murals in Solidarity with Blacks Live Matter
Oakland residents find community and hope as they create street art across the city in the days following the death of George Floyd. Local artists and community members created murals on boarded up storefronts to express their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Store fronts were boarded up as a result of shelter-in-place orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a protective measure during the protests that flooding Oakland's streets following George Floyd's murder. -
2020-08-29
San Francisco Public Library COVID-19 Community Time Capsule
The San Francisco History Center of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) is actively archiving all types of materials, in multiple formats, to build a collection that documents and preserves the collective experiences of San Francisco residents during the COVID-19 public health emergency. They are interested in what is happening to San Francisco residents, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. They are asking local residents to put on their archives hats and help capture what is different in our world today, what we miss, what we’ve created to reflect our new reality, and how we are communicating and living now. With your help, SFPL will build a collection that reflects the many ways San Franciscans were impacted by, and responded to, this public health crisis. All submissions will be preserved in the COVID-19 Community Time Capsule at SFPL and be shared with the public, as well as remain in the City and County Archives of San Francisco (part of the San Francisco History Center), for long term preservation. If you are interested in sharing digital content, please use our online submission form below. Digital content will ultimately be available through our online collection platforms and social media accounts. Submissions may include: photographs, blog posts or social media posts, video or audio, notices, signs or posters, including government notices or signs from private businesses, letters, emails, postcards, community newspapers, personal journal and diary entries, creative work - such as drawings, paintings, graffiti, poetry, recipes and games. This collection could be paired with the San Francisco Bay Area JOTPY Collection for a more robust picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the region. -
2020-07-29
Paint The Void: Health Care Workers & Art
Health Care workers partnered with the Paint the Void project to bring community, life, hope, art and culture to the San Francisco Bay Area. The goal of this partnership was to create a project to say "thank you for sheltering in place" and "thank you for supporting us" to the community on behalf of San Francisco's essential workers. Paint the Void has created over 91 murals across San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. This specific mural tells the story of how interconnected people are and how an act of kindness has the ability to improve life conditions for the entire community. The title of the mural is "How we care shapes who we are." The spirit of community is represented through this specific mural and the Paint the Void initiative. -
2020-07-08
Sound and Street Art in San Francisco
A regional street art movement is bringing life and culture to San Francisco's empty streets during the COVID-19 pandemic. SF Symphony Associate Principal Bass, Dan Smith, is contributing to the movement by adding sound. In this video, Smith plays Adam Ben Ezra's "Can't Stop Running" in front of a variety of street art installments in San Francisco's Hayes Valley. As a former San Francisco resident, the sound produced by Smith, coupled with the art, feels exactly like the "City by the Bay." Art and culture are the heartbeat of San Francisco. And they remain alive and well during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-07-24
A Map of San Francisco's New Street Art
Street art has proliferated across the San Francisco Bay Area in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. News outlet, Broke-Ass Stuart, featured a map of the street art that is popping up in San Francisco's public spaces. As the article states, the art is "turning many of [San Francisco's] empty, commercial corridors into actual art walks." The specific map highlights art created by artists involved in the Paint the Void initiative. -
2020-08-27
The Good Stuff
The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked our world. We face new and unprecedented challenges daily. Amidst the chaos, I am doing my best to remind myself to lean into little moments of joy. I am a teacher with 2 elementary school aged children and a baby. Teaching my own classes, while facilitating remote learning for my children, and caring for a baby is difficult to say the least. Did I mentioned that I'm in graduate school? This past week, just when I felt that it was all more than I could handle, I captured the sweetest moment between sisters. While I can't wait to get back to life and school in actual classrooms, I know there are parts of this experience that I will miss. Moments like this are definitely one of them. -
2020-08-22
Shanna Gagnon Internship Portfolio
I first heard about the A Journal of the Plague Year: An Archive of COVID-19 (JOTPY) internship opportunity through Arizona State University's History Master's Student's Facebook page. I decided to pursue my M.A. in history degree for a variety of reasons: I love learning, I love history, and I hoped to gain exposure to potential career opportunities. I chose to attend ASU because it was clear to me that the faculty prioritize community. When I saw Dr. Kole's Facebook post, I was instantly captivated. It was precisely the type of experience I was looking for without even knowing it. And it was an opportunity to work in real-time with ASU faculty and with other M.A. students, which created additional avenues to build community. I contacted my faculty advisor and decided to drop my upcoming courses to open up my schedule for this once in a lifetime experience. Before JOTPY, I had very little knowledge of public history. As a high school educator, I have always believed in the importance and power of public history. Outside of teaching, however, I had no experience working in public history. My experience with JOTPY taught me that public history requires professionals to simultaneously use high-level critical thinking skills (i.e., how can we fill silences within the archive) and pay attention to details and minutiae (i.e., make sure that curator’s folksonomy terms are lowercase). One's ability to think "big picture" while not losing sight of the building blocks is crucial to the success of projects such as JOTPY. I have developed the ability to easily transition my thinking depending on the type of archival work that I am engaged in. Additionally, I have developed my ability to write in various modalities (i.e., blog posts, collection plans, press releases). I have fine-tuned working remotely, sharpened my problem-solving skills through innovative thinking, and learned a variety of new software – from Omeka to Slack to otter.ai. I have also developed an understanding of ethics and best practices in public history. Although I am not sure in what capacity, I would like to continue to work within the field of public history. As expected, the JOTPY internship was indeed a once in a lifetime experience. It felt good to do something for the very first time again. I felt challenged by the different types of writing we were asked to produce. Having never written a collection plan, a press release, or a blog post, each of those assignments pushed me outside of my comfort zone. As a result, I learned that I indeed do still love learning new things. Perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of this experience for me was working within my internship cohort. Our team's ability to directly communicate with each other, to offer constructive feedback, to step in to help others when needed, and to adapt to ever-constant changes characteristic of working in a rapid response live archive, was simply incredible. I also really enjoyed engaging with ASU faculty. Dr. Kole was an incredible leader whose guidance and support truly brought out the best in every single intern. She cultivated our strengths and presented opportunities for us to further develop our interests and passions while supporting the overall mission and work of JOTPY. I am not sure where I am headed next. However, I do know that by leaning into unique opportunities is something that I enjoy. I plan to continue to look for various ways to further develop myself academically, professionally, and personally. I developed the San Francisco Bay Area Collection as a way to ensure the diversity of the region was captured within the archive. One of the Collection's strengths is its ability to intersect with other major collections within JOTPY. While I do not have an official role within JOPTY, I plan to further develop the San Francisco Bay Area Collection through the curriculum I develop for my own students. -
2020-08-11
Relax. Think COVID-free thoughts.
San Francisco Bay Area artists, Mark Harris, created a stunning mural on the boarded up windows of local business, Rose Gold Piercing and Tattoo. Rose Gold shut its doors at the start of California's COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders and has yet to reopen. Harris's message to "Relax, think COVID-free thoughts" is a reminder of how much our world has changed and is being dictated by the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic continues to wreck havoc on the San Francisco Bay Area, Harris's art brings hope and beauty to local residents. Harris's mural is a part of the larger San Francisco Bay Area art initiative, Paint the Void. Over 100 murals have been created in public spaces throughout the San Francisco Bay Area as a result of Paint the Void. -
2020-04-17
Coronavirus Kindness: Bay Area Artists Create Murals on Boarded Storefronts to Uplift Local Communities
Businesses across the San Francisco Bay Area have closed, some temporary and some permanently, as a result of California's COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. Those that hope to re-open have boarded up their windows to try to protect their stores and inventory. As a result of the crushing economic blow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vibrancy of San Francisco streets has vanished. In response, local arts are turning boarded storefronts into beautiful murals with messages of hope. Local artists are "bringing life and beauty to our streets, sending messages of love to people in their community." Two local art agencies, Building 180 and Art for Civil Discourse, have teamed up and created Paint the Void. Paint the Void pairs local artists with boarded up businesses in an attempt to beautify the city and "to bring hope into the community and inspire people." Artists hope to eventually auction their murals and donate the funds raised to those in need. -
2020-08-16
Paint the Void
Artists around the world have faced insurmountable challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. San Francisco Bay Area artists are turning public spaces into canvases to inspire hope. In the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paint the Void emerged. This organization's mission is "to match local artists with boarded up businesses to create murals as a response to the void left behind in the wake of COVID-19." The group is raising money to grant artists stipends "for their hard work as guardians of hope and beauty in these unprecedented times." To date, the organization has helped 91 local artists create 100 murals across 84 storefront in the San Francisco Bay Area. -
2020-06-26
Honey Bear Hunt Map
San Francisco street artist, fnnch, launched a "Honey Bear Hunt" at the start of the pandemic. 3500 people ordered honey bear hunt kits across the nation and 2000 opted to have their location included on a map. According the fnnch, "The idea of the hunt is to provide a safe way to get out of your house and enjoy art during COVID times. There’s no 'winning' or 'losing' — this is just for fun. If you feel so inclined, take photos of bears at tag them #HoneyBearHunt so I and others can see!" Happy Honey Bear Hunting! -
2020-03-13
My Last Hair Cut
It has been 19 weeks, 133 days and 3,192 minutes since my last hair appointment. I know this because my last visit to the salon was the day that the county I live in announced shelter-in-place orders. I dropped my kids off at school and had a 9:30 a.m. appointment. I had a feeling it would be my last appointment for a while so I snapped a photo. In denial about what was to come, I confirmed my next appointment and was on my way. By 3 p.m. that day, only essential businesses were allowed to remain open in our county. I am not a vain person. But I definitely miss my hair appointment! Yes, it's because my hair looks awesome afterward. But it's more than that. I miss my stylist. We have known each other for more than a decade. He did my hair for my wedding. I was in the process of setting up a meal train for him as he was supposed to donate a kidney in June (this has been postponed). We are close and I miss him. I'm sad for his loss of business over these past 19 weeks. I am confused why some business have been allowed to re-open, with safety protocols, but his business has not been offered the same opportunity. I am worried about what the upcoming months look like for his business and for him personally. I hope that someday soon they will be allowed to safely resume business. And when they do, I'll be more than ready to see my dear friend. -
2020-07-22
Bay Area Hospitals Say Remdesivir is in Short Supply
According to Bay Area health officials, the only drug that is currently effective in treating COVID-19, Remdesivir, is short supply. This is incredibly concerning. While Bay Area counties are on the California state watch list, health dashboards do not indicate an outbreak. If there is already a shortage of this drug, what happens if there is indeed an outbreak? Concerns from ICU headroom and staffing have been highly publicized. But even without an outbreak, we may run out of the drug needed to effectively treat this virus. As restrictions ease up across the state, I hope people are mindful of the horrific realities that await us all if people are not abiding by the social distancing and mask mandates. -
2020-07-24
5 New Reasons to Remain Hopeful
Life has felt very overwhelming lately. While reading the news today, I ran across an article titled "Five new reasons to remain hopeful, from Bay Area health experts." In need of some hope, I gave it a read. The article reminded me that while life remains challenging, there has been progress. The five new reasons to remain hopeful are: 1-we are getting closer to a vaccine, 2-treatments look more promising, 3-testing is getting easier, 4-masks are working, 5-we know more about the virus now. I am choosing to stay safe during this pandemic. And because of that choice comes a lot of personal sacrifice for our family. I hope that I can continue to stay strong and positive as I navigate this new life and world. This article was a good reminder to have faith in progress. -
2020-06-17
Numb
As I gear up to teach high school remotely this fall, many members of my community are demanding "robust" and "rigorous" curriculum with a live daily bell schedule. We have received the opportunity to train on a host of technologies. Conversations are centered around ensuring that students do not fall behind academically. For me, these topics are misguided. How can we teach students rigorous academics without first addressing their emotional well being and the state of their mental health? If we truly want students to learn this year, we need to first focus on who they are and what they need as humans. Only then can true learning occur. Numb, created by Liv McNeil - a 9th grade student in Canada, captures what many of our students are likely experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that global education systems can prioritize the mental well being of our students over "rigorous" and "robust" curriculum. -
2020-07-25
Break the Union
Recently my school district announced that we will begin the school year with remote learning. While many members of the community were in favor of remote learning, many were also incredibly vocal about their wish for a return to full in-person learning. This does not surprise me. There will always be multiple perspectives and positions on any major decisions that need to be made that impact large groups of people. Some individuals in support of full in-person learning have taken to social media and have begun attacking district teachers blaming them and their union for the district's decision to start the school year with remote learning. There is an aggressive tone to many of these posts. As a parent of children that attend school within the district, as well as teacher within the district, I worry about the environment that teacher's are going to be educating children in this year. With remote learning, we will literally be teaching in the homes of parents that are openly demonstrating hostility toward teachers. This brings a great deal of worry and anxiety as I prepare for the upcoming school year. -
2020-07-03
Kid's Masks
In the case that schools return in person this fall, I decided to stock up on face masks for the kids. I realized that we'd likely need as many face masks as the kids have socks or underwear and worried that kid's masks would sell out as the school year neared. I found these super cute animal masks for the kids and they love them. I was really worried that my kids have trouble wearing masks. To my surprise, they have yet to complain about them. Although they are young, their ability to grasp the seriousness of this pandemic is truly amazing. -
2020-07-25
Danville School Lunch Delivery Service "ChoiceLunch" Helping Serve The Community
An East Bay school lunch delivery company is switching gears to help serve the community during the coronavirus pandemic. KCBS Radio's Carrie Hodousek has details of the partnership between ChoiceLunch in Danville and the Alameda County Food Book. -
2020-05-10
Cookies Wearing Masks
Local San Ramon baker, KrisPetites, features cookies that reflect the reality of masks in our COVID-19 world. The cookies are round sugar cookies with yellow royal icing emoji faces wearing masks. The cookies expression is sweet - as if the cookie is actually smiling - and the masks are vibrant with unique detailing. -
2020-07-11
Honey Bear Hunt in San Francisco
Across San Francisco, honey bears wearing masks - created by the artist fnnch - are popping up on storefronts and in resident's windows. The message is clear, "Please wear a mask. It's simple." The featured bears are masked versions of the Bowie Bear, the Bowtie Bear, the Classic Bear, the Pizza Bear holding a BLM sign, the Love Bear near a sign that reads "Hey Honey! Let's stick together." and the Avocado Bear. The originator of this post is also wearing a Honey Bear mask created by fnnch and included a photo of his mask collection that sits near his front door. -
2020-07-16
Remote Learning Co-Op Sign-Ups
In response to California's decision to require schools to begin the school year with remote learning, and to only allow schools to reopen if they have been off of the state "watch list" for 14 consecutive days, local San Ramon Valley Unified School District parents are forming co-op groups. These groups are designed to allow small cohorts of students to learn together during the remote learning phase. California's decision to require remote learning is due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the state. -
2020-04-13
Music Lifts Neighborhood Spirits
A month into shelter-in-place orders, the streets of San Francisco's Marina District were filled with the sound of a local resident playing an accordion outside. People came out to share in the joy of music during this difficult time. -
2020-07-16
New Desks!
Our local school district announced that we will begin the 2020-2021 school year with remote learning for all students. When schools shut down at the end of the last school year, we made due with what we had because we believed it to be a short term situation. Knowing that we are heading into a new school year and we are still remote warrants some major workflow changes in our household. My husband will be working from home. I am returning to teaching as my maternity leave has come to an end. And 2 of my kids will be going to school remotely. In order to make it work, we will all need our own workspaces. Target to the rescue! The morning after the district's remote learning plans were announced, I ordered desks for the kids. I sure hope this keeps us all sane and on track this school year! -
2020-07-01
What should the school year of 2020-2021 mean for Cal High’s students?
The Californian, a student run newspaper at California High School in San Ramon, recently ran the story "What should the school year of 2020-2021 mean for Cal High's students?" The story features three student articles, each advocating for a different scenario. The first discusses returning to school full time, the second champions a hybrid learning model, and the third article evaluates fully remote online learning. All of the articles address the challenges and realities of education during the COVID-19 pandemic for students. Interestingly, none of the articles discuss the impact of these models on teachers. -
2020-07-12
Work Reality
My mother has been a healthcare employee for over 20 years. She loves her job and her patients. She is also immunodeficient. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was placed on medical leave. After 3 months in isolation, she returned to work to face her new reality. Thankfully, in the time she was at home, her employer acquired ppe and has implemented strict social distancing policies, including teleappoinments. Her employer has been understanding and supportive of her medical needs. And she feels as safe as she can feel when she is at work. But this doesn't mean it is easy. She wears two masks (an N95 mask covered by a secondary mask) and goggles the entire time she works. She has deep seemingly permanent indentations from the ppe on her face. Even with the protection, she still worries about her level of exposure as she comes into contact with 20-30 different patients per day. I have only seen her once since the shelter-in-place orders began in California. And I'm not sure when I'll see her again. I miss her. Her grandkids miss her. When people question why my family is taking the COVID-19 pandemic so seriously, I tell them about my mom. She does not have a choice to stay home or to avoid exposure to the virus. With her condition, she is high risk and could likely die. If I can help her, and many others like her, stay safe during this pandemic, I will do it. Even if it means a great deal of personal sacrifice. -
2020-07-06
Socially Distanced Homeless Encampments, San Francisco City Hall
The San Francisco Chronicle profiled social distanced homeless encampments in front of the cities City Hall. These encampments were designed in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 amongst San Francisco's vulnerable homeless population. The caption for the photo on Instagram reads: "In May, a city-sanctioned homeless encampment was set up using social distancing rectangles at S.F.’s Civic Center. The Bay Area’s homeless crisis was severe before the coronavirus, and the pandemic seems certain to make things worse. Now the fight is urgent to keep those on the street from dying, and from seeing the homeless population proliferate to unimaginable numbers. But could there be a silver lining? Optimistic experts and program managers say a ravaged economy might actually be good for helping the homeless. A struggling real estate market could free up distressed properties that governments could buy or lease to use as homeless shelters and housing. The shock of millions of Americans losing jobs, homes and health insurance could trigger a wave of New Deal-style government programs to lift the poor." -
2020-06-22
Masks at Blackhawk Plaza
A whimsical statue of a child and adult reading a storybook with geese emerging from the pages is adorned with masks. The presence of COVID-19 is evident in many local public spaces, even when the public spaces are devoid from crowds of people. This photograph was taken in Danville, California at Blackhawk Plaza. -
2020-07-04
Oakland Fireworks
Fireworks are illegal in Alameda County. But that did not stop Oakland, a city within Alameda County, from celebrating with fireworks on the 4th of July. While all official firework shows across the Bay Area were cancelled this year, this video shows the private firework shows that lit up the sky of Oakland this 4th of July. -
2020-07-10
Religious Worship on Golden Gate Bridge
Shannon Grove, the CA State Senator for the 16th Senate District and the Senate Republican Leader, posted a religious group of over 500 people who gathered to worship on the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of the worshipers wore masks but many did not. One image shows signs that read "Let Us Worship" and "Hold the Line! Worship." -
2020-07-03
Another Day, Another Puzzle - Day 112
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. Another puzzle complete on Day 2 of our get away. A puzzle to match his shirt! -
2020-07-02
Another Day, Another Puzzle - Day 111
With calendars cleared as a result of shelter-in-place orders we have had more time to enjoy some of our family's favorite past-times. Cards and board games that were collecting dust have made their way out of cabinets. But what we've spent more time on than anything is puzzling. While each member of our family will puzzle here and there, our 5 year old son is a constant at the puzzle board. His attention and focus to puzzling is way beyond his years. Puzzling has given us the gifts of togetherness, joy, and consistency during these uncertain times. A family member that lives nearby was out of town so we decided to pack up for a little get away. The change of scenery was incredible on so many levels. We also scored access to a new collection of puzzles. We started with a small 200 piece puzzle within 30 minutes of arriving! -
2020-04-15
Honey Bear in a Mask
Stores across San Francisco closed their doors during the city's shelter-in-place orders that begin mid-March. Many chose to board up their storefronts to protect their businesses. Local street artist, fnnch, began painting Honey Bears wearing masks on boarded up storefronts. The response was so positive that he began sending Honey Bear kits to various San Francisco businesses. The street artist is now selling Honey Bear kits for those who wish to participate in the Honey Bear scavenger hunt, alongside other Honey Bear merchandise, such as masks. -
2020-05-12
We Are Brave. We Are Hopeful. We Are Resilient. We Are San Francisco.
This is a photograph of a piece of street art in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley. Stores across San Francisco closed their doors during the city's shelter-in-place orders that begin mid-March. Many stores boarded up their windows in response to shelter-in-place orders and because of looting that took place across Bay Area cities. Artists responded by creating beautiful murals on boarded up storefronts. This art piece was created by an owner of the restaurant Dobbs Ferry Of San Francisco, Lee Ann Frahm. Taken from the restaurant's instagram account, "When she decided to paint this, it was about finding a message that would connect with someone as they walked by... words can heal, they can make us smile, they can make us feel, they can make us laugh or cry, and they are powerful enough to stop us in our tracks and make us take one extra minute to breathe and appreciate who and where we are." -
2020-04-15
Art Walk in San Francisco's Hayes Valley, Bear Making Mask
Stores across San Francisco closed their doors during the city's shelter-in-place orders that begin mid-March. Many stores boarded up their windows in response to shelter-in-place orders and because of looting that took place in across Bay Area cities. Artists responded by creating beautiful murals across many Bay Area cities. This piece of art features a bear sitting in front of what appear to be white birch trees, making a mask at a Singer style sewing machine. -
2020-04-15
Conservatory Of Flowers, Trumpeter
During California's shelter-in-place orders, a trumpeter serenades local residents on an empty lawn in front of San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Musicians throughout the city are gracing their communities with the sound of music during the challenging presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-06-28
We Are Being Controlled And Manipulated
This post on Facebook demonstrates the existence of pandemic skeptics in the San Francisco Bay Area. The creator of the post questions the validity of COVID-19 testing and claims that positive test results are falsified. -
2020-06-29
Community Rock Garden
Today I stopped by a community rock garden that popped up at the start of shelter-in-place orders in March. Over time, the rock garden has grown. The result is a beautiful myriad of rocks with diverse messaging. It is clear that some rocks were created by adults and others by children. Some rocks have cartoon characters, like Lilo and Stitch, painted on them. Others have a rainbow, the viral icon of hope during this pandemic. Many rocks contain uplifting and encouraging messages. There were 2 groups of rocks that really caught my eye. The first was a cluster of rocks that read "BLM" and "Defund the Police." There is so much more our community is experiencing in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second was a beautiful painting of a nurse. She is wearing a mask and half of her clothes are her nurses uniform while she is dressed as Wonder Woman on the other half. This simple rock is such a beautiful tribute to medical professionals who are on the front lines of this pandemic. -
2020-06-29
Heroes Work Here
The Reutlinger is a senior living community, specializing in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing, nearby my home. About a week into our shelter-in-place orders, this sign appeared near the main entrance to the facility. The sign reads "Heroes Work Here." Senior care facilities have been hit the hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic. When an outbreak of the virus occurs within these facilities, it spreads quickly and typically results in a large number of fatalities. Those working at the Reutlinger during this pandemic are working on the front lines and are heroes as they risk their safety to care for some of the most vulnerable members of our community. -
2020-03-20
A child plays at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts
A small child plays on an empty lawn in front of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts. A favorite place to relax for local residents, as well as a event and tourist hot spot, the Palace of Fine Arts is typically a spectacle. On any given day, groups gather for picnics, bridal parties pose for photographs, and tourists zoom by on Segways. The emptiness of the Palace of Fine Arts during the early days of California's shelter-in-place orders is definitely a moment in time.