Items

• 
  2020-12-08

  Distillers scrambled to make hand sanitizer for free. Then the federal government moved on

  Article discussing hand sanitizer production during the COVID-19 pandemic
• 
  2020-03

  Healthcare workers who support Wuhan

  These are some of the healthcare workers who went to Wuhan in February as volunteers to help out. The Dalian city government posted their pictures as a way of praising and appreciation. These healthcare workers are treated as hero’s, they can enjoy free transportations, restaurants invited them to have meals for free with identifications, etc.
• 
  2020-10-28

  First Day Free

  HIST30060. The first day out of the second lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, I got invited to a picnic with friends from high school. We went to a park that was local to everyone and no one at the same time, having been going there for parties and gatherings for the past six years. This photo is of a café local to Yarraville in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Alfa Bakehouse backs right out onto the train station where I get off and the only reason I went passed it was to check if a froyo place I loved had yet reopened with other retail and hospitality businesses. To see this many people together was both exhilarating and uncomfortable at the same time. Knowing that freedom was finally in our grasp but the overlying fear that we could easily return to lockdown if we are not careful. I made my way to my friends shortly after this picture was taken and talked and ate for hours, even getting a sun burn, and it reminded me how all that time in lockdown was worth it if people can see one another again and enjoy their time together.
• 2020-04

  Celiac Disease and Quarantine

  In April of 2020 I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and had to immediately stop eating anything that contained gluten, so no wheat, barley or rye. Gluten is in EVERYTHING. Bread of course, but sauces, candy, condiments, cheese dips, frozen foods, you name it. It is even in beauty products and lotions. Learning to live with CD meant learning how to change the recipes to some of my favorite dishes. I started with a Gluten-Free loaf of bread, which ended up being a disaster. Unlike a regular loaf, GF flour is not sticky or elastic, but acts more like a batter. The “dough” was ultra soft and wet, and especially hard to form. I followed the instructions, but the bread came out hard on the outside and dense and wet on the inside, like an old 50s cake recipe. Quarantine and baking hasn’t been the greatest combo.
• 
  2020-09-21

  Loss in a COVID World

  I believe this is a point of interest to talk about, since it’s likely that many will wonder, out of innocent curiosity, what it’s like to lose someone in a time of crisis. I should describe it as transcendental. May your soul be touched. My beloved mother didn’t die from COVID-19. She had been unknowingly battling cancer for several years, and had it diagnosed at its most lethal stage. I still shake my hands at the doctors who had ignored her concerns for all this time, because maybe she would still have been here if it weren’t for them. But how would that affect me? Would things remain the same at home? I have to say, I shudder at this thought, too. Colon cancer, which metastasized in the liver. She passed from liver failure in the later part of this year, 2020. I, the foolish child, was so preoccupied that I couldn’t understand why my uncle woke me at 4 am in the morning that day. With a classic sleepy rub of the eye, I told him, “I have a math test today.” And if it hadn’t been for the pain in his eyes, I wouldn’t have gotten up at all. There she was, lying eerily still in her bed, but she was also gone. As the people around me sobbed and turned away, all I could do was stand and stare. It felt like something was out of place. I felt out of place. If you could try to imagine it, remain perfectly still as you are and think of yourself exiting your body. Look around you without looking. That’s how it felt, everything slightly blurry by the darkness, lightness in my feet as if I were floating, a static, metal taste in my mouth, the sounds of sobbing flooding my ears, I couldn't handle it. I started to cry, and buried myself in the crook of my brother’s chest for support. To be in the unknown, and lose what you have, is the most frightening experience I wish for nobody else to have gone through. The pain is truly insufferable… but the healing process counts for so much of who I define myself as now, that I couldn’t imagine the year going any other way. The funeral was held the following sunday. It too was such a different experience. We took many long, empty roads to reach the cemetery. Seeing few cars on the road is commonplace for such a road, but to see none at all was creepy. I relinquished my thoughts to sleep. Upon our arrival, I put my mask on and stood before 50 some odd people who had come to see my mother off. That’s right, I thought comfortably, Mom was very well loved. The notion was reassuring. We exchanged hugs and hellos and sorrys, all the usual pleasantries you would expect at an event not so pleasant, and made our way to the casket for the gathering to take place. I’ll leave the eulogy I wrote here, in case you were curious and thought, I wonder what this stranger said at their mother’s funeral, because this is expected when you are here to read about losing a loved one. Finally, when all was said and done, condolences were given again. This time, though, I hardly recognized anyone. It must’ve been the masks that obstructed our faces, because I saw the attendees, and they saw me, but it was still so unfamiliar. The later part of that day I spent confused. I suppose that’s how we start when we learn to adjust, which I did. Presently I am still healing, but it’s not so bittersweet when I think of her, moreso sweet than bitter. The metal taste in my mouth begins to wear off, and I am feeling free. I hope she also feels free. And I hope this provided the insight you were looking for when you came across this page. We all love and lose in the end. Focus your energy towards healing, and you will learn to grow with the changes.
• 
  2020-10-17

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 70

  Antibodies- not free- not widely available
• 
  2020-03-26

  Medical Student's Experience with COVID-19

  This is a blog post from a fourth year medical student at Indiana University’s School of Medicine. According to the article, he had taken the precautions he thought were necessary in order to remain COVID free, but it really isn’t certain that no matter all the precautions you take that you won’t get it. It addresses the thoughts that younger citizens are less likely to contract the virus, and don’t expect it to happen to them. It pleads for people to be vigilant in their measures to remain COVID-free and to understand that it is a very real possibility. The author also discusses the dangers of the virus also presenting no symptoms in some who have contracted it. (Arizona State University, HST485)
• 
  2020-10-12

  HERMIT HERALD VOL 1 ISSUE 69

  World's a stage
• 
  2020-10-08

  LitCovid- open access database to new and peer reviewed literature

  LitCovid is a website created by the NIH to provide free access to all academic papers and studies published to PubMed about COVID-19. The database makes it easy to search for specific types of studies, and is broken down into different categories (such as mechanism, transmission, prevention, and forecasting). It is quite jargon-heavy since it is a collection of academic papers, but can be really useful for learning more about the disease.
• 
  2020-03-19

  Prospering through a pandemic

  Covid-19 was an eye opening experience as to how fast life moves and all that plays a part in it.We're taught from young about germs,proper hygienic practices but this disease still seemed to emerge that continues to spread day by day.During these unprecedented times, it is important to be in control of your emotional health,financial and intellectual wellness.Self quarantining was the first and at a point in time was the only thing I, as a New Yorker could do.Being locked in your home everyday,all day due to fear of catching a disease that you have no idea where it came from,no cures, just a mask and anti-bacterial soap/hand sanitizers,or cleaning agents hoping to whisk it all away.As a young woman,growing up in New York,it is indeed true that you are a product of your environment.The city is fast-paced,everyday there is something to do,places to be.My life was made up of work,school,groceries,laundry.I enjoyed the rush, the constant rotation of responsibilities I had.March 19, 2020 It all came to a halt.My job was closed,going to class was now a thing of the past,can't see friends or anyone outside of immediate family,honestly.What type of life was this? All that was left was you,your mind,and time.To ensure that Covid-19 had not taken complete control of my life or my well-being,I kept the mind wandering.The reminder to consistently self-assess and keep the mind free of stress but also alert to not be oblivious to the seriousness of this pandemic.To learn the importance of finances and creating balance now that its uncertain when another check may arrive.Developing new interests,researching various topics,looking for new hobbies ;painting,coloring as a way to keep sane.With all this time spent in the house,its important to keep the mind active and alert and my emotions in check.
• 2020-05-05

  Finally Taking a Step Back

  As a college student who treasures every bit of time he can with friends at school, getting sent home two months early sounded like the worst thing in the world. Not only would I not be able to see any of my friends as often due to being far apart, we had a global pandemic preventing us and everyone else from feeling a sense of companionship for the better part of 2020. School work kept me busy for the first couple months and that was very clearly my number one focus until May. Once finals were done though, I had absolutely no plans for the next three months of my life. With work being near impossible to find and no school to worry about, I contemplated what I should do with this newfound free time. The solution was a lot simpler than I thought it was, with three months of time on my hands, why worry about what you can do and instead focus on doing things you enjoy? And that was my mindset throughout the summer, which actually helped pass the time incredibly well. I spent a lot of my time making improvements in my various hobbies and eventually, this mind set landed me two jobs for the summer. I got back into running, started learning how to arrange music, and had a large list of projects around the house that I wanted to do. I had a lot of passion projects that I was working on and by the time I was ready to go back to school, I had accomplished the vast majority of these goals. By having this free flowing mind set and no pressure on me to do things I didn't want to do, it kept me happy throughout my time at home, but at the same time I was feeling productive and like I was doing things that were making me a better version of me. At the beginning of the year, I told myself that 2020 was going to be my year and initially, the pandemic scared me away from accomplishing many of the goals I wanted to accomplish. What I found instead is that with the right mindset, your goals are still achievable and while the circumstances may not be ideal, I’m still doing everything I set out to do.
• 
  07/24/2020

  Claire Cunliffe Oral History, 2020/07/24

  Claire Cunliffe, a high school mathematics teacher from Baltimore, Maryland, compares the early implementation of distance learning procedures among public and private school districts. While Claire reflects on the positive response to distance learning among students at private schools, including the increased ability for students to self-pace, she expresses concern over the lack of funding and limited resources available for students attending public schools. Claire makes the argument that technological unavailability among minority populations is exacerbating the opportunity gap among urban students. Reflecting on the conflicting responses of city and state leaders, including Governor Larry Hogan, Claire offers suggestions for reopening schools that ultimately place the decision in the hands of parents and healthcare professionals, instead of politicians. Claire conveys optimism that distance learning practices during the COVID-19 pandemic will permanently reshape the educational sector by encouraging interactive approaches to teaching, promoting community building among students, and displaying the benefits of incorporating digital elements into the classroom curriculum.
• 
  2020-08-10

  A Tale of Two Masks

  Working During a Pandemic is Fun In late March both of my part time jobs closed down. I have two contrasting occupations. One is at a Worldwide cooperation. The other is a small, locally owned business. I’ve felt the effects of the pandemic most forcefully while at work. Before the pandemic, I was working 60 hours weeks to support myself and go to school. I did not go anywhere else but work and home. The bars, salons, and other recreational areas shutting down had little to no effect on my day to day life. This is a cross correlation of the similarities and differences of the issues I have run into while working through the pandemic. At the beginning of the shutdown, my corporate job surprised me with increased wages and benefits to help aid through the initial closings. At my corporate job I was considered an essential employee, but my particular store did not have a drive through. I was able to stay safe at home for four weeks while the company shipped in barriers and masks and other COVID equipment. My other occupation at the small business, as a swim instructor for children shut down immediately and opted to put their employees on furlough until we were allowed to open back up. Because I already worked one part time job, I did not receive much unemployment benefit. Through no fault of my own, my income was cut in half and my savings are, to this day, empty. Even with the temporary pay raise given to me by the corporate job, rent and my 3,000 dollar tuition made my expenditure even to my income. When I went back to work at my essential job, which was making coffee, there were a lot of new rules to keep up with and enforce on customers. On my first day back a lady threw a handful of rocks at our window because we did not allow her to sit down at the facility. Many, many more occasions like this happened on a daily basis. People were frustrated with the new rules and unclear on their necessity. Customers were not required to wear a mask in the facility until very recently. This was very frustrating. If only one part of the party is wearing a mask no one is protected. It felt useless to be wearing something that was only designated to make customers feel better without risking their own comfort. The pandemic started affecting Butte county at a dangerous level in May, but people were not required to wear masks in public until four months later. Around mid July is when the Governor issued a State wide mask regulation and we were finally allowed by the company to ask customers to comply. Even with the statewide mask regulation, and every single business requiring it, customers continue to yell, demean me and blatantly not follow the rule. Every time a customer comes in without a mask I get extremely anxious at how they are going to respond to me politely asking if they have one. My company is even allowing me to give our mask supply to customers without one, for free! Even when offered a free mask, I am turned down and shamed. On this occasion I have to politely reply that I can walk their beverage to them and they can wait outside the store without a mask. If even one person is not wearing a mask, they are spreading their germs and infecting the entire room. If they are contagious or asymptomatic, COVID droplets can live on clothes, and services for up to three hours. It can reach your eyes and infect you that way. If you go to the Doctors office you will see them wearing a mask and face shield for this very reason. My finance, whom I live with, is immunocompromised. He has had bronchitis twelve times in his 21 year lifetime. This is due to being exposed to mildew and mold in his formative years creating a deadly combination of asthma and a severe dust allergy. If he was to catch COVID-19, he would become fatally ill and possibly die. This thought is on the forefront of my mind everyday at work. I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of knowledge and leadership in the Trump Administration during the Pandemic. It is now 5 months since we first started practicing half hearted health regulations. We are at 1,500 American deaths a day. Our death to population ratio is shameful compared to other countries. We have mass graves being dug on an island in New York for the unnamed victims of COVID-19. This is affecting our prison populations, our urban and rural communities. No one is safe. We have very simple precautions to follow but the constant negation of the validity of these practices from our president has left most of the population under a false sense of security. I have begun to resent customers I once enjoyed chatting with, due to their constant apprehension of wearing a mask. My other job, as a swim instructor, opened up June 17, about three months after my job as a barista did. This came with the forced opening of the economy. Within the first two weeks of being open, three teachers had to be tested and put into a two week quarantine.However, due to constant sanitation and all employees wearing masks, the spread stopped there. At this job, masks are required or no service is given. All staff and teachers wear masks at all times, and the building and equipment is decontaminated every night. Even with this constant sanitation, you can’t control people’s personal lives. As time goes on people are becoming more restless. When the president claims he does not believe in masks, and holds rally not servicing personal distance or masks, the populace feels safe to socially fraternize. Many of my coworkers are holding small gatherings, drinking with acquaintances and risking contamination through ignorance. The customers of this job are a lot more understanding. We make it abundantly clear what is required of them and we will not give them service otherwise. These clear boundaries, ultimately, are what ensure proper cooperation. We called every single client personally before we reopened and confirmed the new rules. We sent out emails, we have signs posted and every employee is specially trained on how to facilitate the new rules. I believe these regulations reflect how the populace responds to strong leadership. If we had clear rules from the beginning, with strict boundaries, would this second wave of infection have spread?
• 
  2020-08-08

  Protest your faith.

  If you were to take a stroll down Main St. of Huntington Beach, you might be surprised by what you see. I work in downtown Huntington Beach. Protests around these three topics has been quite regular. With a vast mixture of people wearing and not wearing facial coverings as mandated by the state. On this particular day there was a "black lives matter" protest, which was accompanied and/or countered by Christian evangelists as well as a single individual protesting for the re-opening of California businesses. In overhearing a conversation amongst the Christian group, it seems they feel that Covid-19 has been brought on as a punishment to those who have not repented for their sins. Here God is used as an authority figure to insight fear and shame to outgroup members or non-Christians. The pandemic seems to have had an impact on the effect of community in religion in that members that choose to gather in person must view the pandemic in a light that cannot effect them.
• 
  07/25/2020

  Olivia Pecora Oral History, 2020/07/25

  Olivia Pecora was born in Santa Monica, California, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, when she was eight. She graduated from Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City in 2014. After high school she attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania. While at Villanova, Olivia was active in her sorority, spent a semester studying abroad, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2018. Upon graduation, Olivia became a member of Teach For America, where she began working towards her teaching license. This journey placed her in Nampa, Idaho, and she became a teacher at Lone Star Middle School in 2018. She is a special education teacher with a focus on English Language Arts. In her job, she co-teaches classes, holds a resource class that is specific to her special education population, and manages the individual education plans (IEPs) of roughly 25 students. In her free time, Olivia loves to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with her friends and family, and explore the Boise, Idaho area. Throughout this interview, Olivia examines the impact of COVID-19 on the school system, her own life, and how she believes things will change going forward.
• 
  April 5, 2020

  Middle Aged Man has an Egg-dentity Crisis During Quarantine

  The video description is “We as a species, are losing our minds.” This short video opens to four eggs in cups, with the audio “I Want To Break Free” by Queen. When the line “I want to break free” plays, a man pops his head up to sing along, revealing that there were only three eggs in cups, and the fourth egg was actually the man's bald head. I feel this video in my soul, it resonates with me so deeply. It shows the fragility of the human mind and the tendency of our species to use human as a coping mechanism when facing down trauma.
• 
  2020-07-13

  "Love Our Neighbor Free Food Distribution"

  "LifePoint Church will be providing another Farm to Family food distribution. No verification needed."
• 
  07/24/2020

  Philip Melendez Oral History, 2020/07/24

  Philip Melendez was born and raised in Sacramento, California. His interactions with the police began in high school. He later committed a crime and served almost twenty years in prison. He was released from prison a few years ago and now works for Restore Justice, a California based non-profit, focused on criminal justice reform. Now married, with three grown children, he discusses his thoughts on the criminal justice system, reform, and the impact of COVID-19 on the incarcerated population within the United States, specifically California. (Note there is about two minutes of empty recording at the beginning of the Mp4 file.)
• 
  05/13/2020

  Sam Hauke Oral History, 2020/05/13

  Sam Hauke, a high school senior, initially learned about covid 19 from online memes and jokes, then saw it come to the US and started to take it more seriously. Sam then talks about online school experience and how there is almost no live interaction with the teachers and that they just watch videos and this isn’t the best way to learn. Sam stays connected with friends via online games and zoom meetups. He also describes the challenge of having to seek another job as his usual summer jobs were pool related and the pools are all closed. Sam describes that a positive of the pandemic for him has been that it has brought his family closer and that other people have been spending more time in nature. Sam then talks about how he gets most of his information about covid from one of his friends and from advertisements and commercials on social media. Lastly, Sam describes how he feels he took for granted hanging out with friends and will spend lots of time with them when the pandemic is over.
• 
  05/14/2020

  Marin Munos Oral History, 2020/05/14

  Marian Munos is a junior studying journalism and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Marian participates in track and field and is originally from Illinois. She is working for the university while in Wisconsin. Marian’s mother is a principal and said that she didn’t want her to come home to avoid spreading Covid-19. Marian misses her teammates and family but is thankful that she can FaceTime her grandmother. Marian details that strangers have been kind during the pandemic and that she thinks we will come out of it closer than ever before Marian got very sick sometime in March with her roommate, but was unable to get tested because only those who had traveled abroad or come into contact with someone who had could get tested at the time.
• 
  05/11/2020

  Charles Redbird Oral History, 2020/05/11

  Charles Redbird, a chef from Osseo, Wisconsin, reflects on his experience being laid off and filing for unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a single father to a two-year-old boy, Charles shares his frustrations with delayed processing times and bureaucratic red tape as his financial savings dwindled during the initial months of Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order. Charles describes the steps taken by the Ho-Chunk Nation to ensure economic stability and longevity among tribal members and employees. Citing increased time spent with his child and the opportunity for personal growth, Charles shares positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that are often overlooked. Additionally, Charles notes the positive impact of internet celebrities and charitable giving, specifically mentioning the work of David Dobrik and h3h3. Comparing the experience of working as a chef before and during the pandemic, Charles provides insight into the changes that restaurants have implemented to ensure health and safety. Looking ahead, Charles expresses a belief that the social isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic will improve his familial relationships in the future.
• 
  05/02/2020

  Charles Johnson Oral History, 2020/05/02

  This is an oral history interview conducted with a RN during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
• 
  07/11/2020

  Morgan Keena Oral History, 2020/07/11

  Morgan Keena, a seventh-grade social studies teacher from Meridian, Idaho, reflects on her personal experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing several topics, ranging from politics to parking lots, Morgan discusses distance learning, life in quarantine, and the response of the local officials. Suddenly bound to the confines of her apartment, Morgan vividly describes the difficulties associated with teaching students virtually and provides insight into at-home entertainment, including running, puzzles, and video conferencing with friends and family. Morgan examines the response of government officials in both Idaho and her home state of North Dakota, including Mayor Robert E. Simison, Mayor Lauren McLean, Governor Brad Little, and Governor Doug Burgum. Morgan also reflects on the experience of finding out her sister tested negative for COVID-19 after possible exposure at a bar in Scottsdale, Arizona. Looking ahead, Morgan expresses concern about members of the public not wearing masks and the prolonged process of developing a vaccine.
• 
  2020-07-09

  As pandemic rages, farmworkers say employers are 'prioritizing production over...lives’

  by Jessica Myers| Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship
• 
  05/08/2020

  Robert Brunschon Oral History, 2020/05/08

• 
  2020

  "Free Food Boxes"

  "The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes in cooperation with GoFreshUSA will be issuing food boxes to the public..."
• 
  2020-05-15

  "The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes to Provide Tax-Free Emergency Relief to Tribal Members in Response to the COVID-19 pandemic."

  "The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes intends to provide some much needed emergency relief to tribal members in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tribe's Executive Committee adopted a series of laws establishing new oversight infrastructure for its various benefits programs and approving emergency relief payments for tribal members and their families devastated by the COVID-19 crisis."
• 
  2020-06-05

  Waking Up to White Privilege

  As a white person I have struggled with how to express myself in this difficult, historic time. Ultimately what I say doesn't matter as much as any Person of Color in this moment, because when I think I understand, i can't possibly. The only thing I think I can contribute that is my place to say, is to express some thoughts to other white people in this moment about what this moment means. It's no longer enough to not be racist. A lot of us have hung our hats on "not seeing color" or treating people equally regardless of their race. Weve been making those steps for 60 years as a nation, and the slow March of forward progress has only made actual racists hide behind more obscure symbolism and made white people feel better about themselves. Every white person who wants to consider themselves "good" in this moment, now has a responsibility to attack and drive out racism. And every white person who tries to say racism isnt that bad or isnt the real problem now, needs to be confronted with the fact they are making it worse. You cant compare police killing statistics to black on black crime. Doing so ignores the fact that a deep distrust of the police born from centuries of abuse and persecution has made minority communities vulnerable to criminal influence as good people are afraid to call the cops because the cops might be worse than criminals they need protecting from. You cant say all lives matter. Because, 1) no shit. And 2) people are trying to lift up the most abused segment of our population, and doing so will raise the tide for all people. Sure there is that incident where a white person was beaten or killed by cops. That's why BLM and other movements are asking for things like independent review of all complaints and incidents not just those affecting minorities. There are a million reasons why AllLivesMatter is not appropriate and diminishes the moment. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss this, but that conversation distracts the conversation from constructive discourse to have to have in public. You can't say protesting is causing division in this country. Black people are asking to be seen and heard, they are asking you to better understand their experience, their fear and their pain. If you are refusing to acknowledge that experience, or somehow invalidate it because you have never seen it, you are the one causing division. Citing the looting or rioting as causing this "division" is a whole separate issue. For this point I will just say, you can't equate protesting with the looting and rioting, they are different things. You can condemn looting. But instead of just using it as a reason to dismiss or act against protestors, you have to look at what is actually going on. There are multiple different types of looting and rioting going on. Some is a response to police meeting peaceful protest with more violence and oppression. This is the anger and the burning. Like when one child hits another and the second child bites in response. Neither is ok, you don't excuse the first child hitting because the response may have been worse. Violence begets violence, and places where curfews have been rolled back and protestors have not been met with police, protests have remained peaceful and people have danced in the streets. The other type of looting is what happened in Fairfield and Vallejo, with looting without protest, the stealing. This is horrible, and criminal, but also a clear sign the system has been ineffective at improving or protecting our communities and has created safe spaces for criminal elements created by their community fearing Police brutality more than the criminal elements also terrorizing them. Protestors arent saying that looting is ok, and looting shouldn't in any way diminish their message. Looting should be condemned, but also think about what the looting means and how it serves as proof the protestors are right. People loot when teams and cities win or lose sports championships every year, there are unsavory elements that will take advantage every chance they get. If anything protestors want to improve their communities so looting doesnt happen again. Looting is horrible and absolutely should be condemned, but it a symptom of the underlying problem far more than a product of protests, and is being used as an excuse to set curfews in place to justify breaking up protests unlawfully. You cant joke about Covid. People protesting during a pandemic doesnt mean they dont take it seriously or it isnt a problem. It means the moment is so big, people are willing to take on another layer of danger in unrest because they dont know when they will have this moment again. You need to demand more of your police. A good cop is no longer one that doesnt beat or abuse people, it's one who reports or acts against the abuses by others. Sadly cops who do that are driven out of forces and departments. If we want to talk about places like Camden, NJ, where they disbanded their Police department and rebuilt it with all local officers, officer involvement in the community, and they are actually seeing reductions in crime as well as Public approval of the police department, thats a good conversation to have, and something worth praising and commending. Dont post pictures of officers kneeling, 2 days ago Buffalo, NY officers kneeled, and 24 hours later in the same location, the same officers nearly killed a peaceful 75 year old man. Officers kneeling with protestors has been compared to an abusive boyfriend apologizing before beating you again 2 weeks later. We need change not gestures. A reform of our police system benefits the good cops as much as the victims of the bad cops, as they will be able to protect and serve their community the way they wanted to when they became cops, instead of fearing reprisal for speaking up or stopping abusive officers. You need to educate yourself on what protestors are facing. The police brutality in these times in coming in overwhelming waves. This brutally is causing protests to escalate into panic or riots, which then creates the safe space for the criminal element to loot. I suggest if you can stomach unsettling images you check out the Twitter thread I'm going to link. It started with a lawyer documenting 10 instances of unjustified police brutality or abuses of rights in the first day and a half of protests, 6 days in it's over 300 videos. https://twitter.com/greg_doucette/status/1266751520055459847?s=19 You need to understand the basics of what is being asked for. There is so much hurt and anger,and a lot of people only see hashtags like #defundthepolice or #abolishthepolice and think it's ridiculous we need cops. Some of it is exaggeration, some of it is just more nuanced. The basic things people want come down to. 1) Independent review. Instances of police brutality and killings are investigated and determined lawful or not by District Attorneys who work with the same officers on a daily basis and are dependent on their cooperation to do their job, as well as seek re election. This is the definition of conflict of interest, an independent office of some sort needs to do this work. 2) police funding needs to change. Police budgets are insanely large portions of local government spending, with ridiculous amounts spent on military grade equipment and way too little spent on things like social workers and drug counseling. Our communities are better served trying to better them than to punish them. Both in efficiency and quality of life. 3) elimination of qualified immunity. When a cop violates someone's civil rights and isnt even charged, the city often still loses a civil lawsuit (because civil rights were violated) the city or municipality ends up liable for the damages, not the police department or the offending officer. This further depletes resources for the community at large and is a further part of the plea to "hold police accountable". If doctors are liable for their own mistakes, why arent police departments? Why does seeking restitution for crimes against you make your community's schools, social programs or arts suffer, and not the actual entity that committed the crime? You need to see how it's working. The state of Colorado, the city of Portland, and the city of Minneapolis are making massive changes to their police programs. The LAPD budget is under review with hundreds of millions of dollars potentially being diverted to other community improvement. The officers were all arrested and charged, that happened because people werent satisfied each step along the way. And that doesnt mean the final goal is accomplished, there are hundreds of other civil rights violations and abuses new and old that have not seen justice. These protests will get stronger and stronger until that wave of change spreads, and as certain government parties respond with more force, more people will be outraged and join the protests. There is a lot there, and so much more I havent even touched. If anyone wants to discuss these points privately, without judgement, feel free to message me. My biggest regret right now is all my life I have tried to be a good friend to the people of color in my life, but I have failed because I have not done enough to be a good Ally, what they actually deserved. But this moment isn't about me or any other white persons guilt, it is about what we will do now to step up and fix an obviously broken system.
• 
  2020-05-19

  Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Duterte Regime Seeks to Discredit Indigenous Humanitarian Organizers in the Philippines

  "In 2019, Cultural Survival's Keepers of the Earth Fund provided a small grant to the Cordillera Peoples Alliance. This grant helped CPA and its collaboration with the Kaling Peoples of Kalinga province to launch the “Let the Chico River Flow Free” campaign, which aimed to educate Indigenous communities on their rights to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), particularly as it related to a series of hydropower projects carried out by the Philippine government that threatened the environment and livelihood of the Kalinga Peoples."
• 
  2020-05-19

  Alberta's 'Wine Ninjas' Are Grown Women Playing Boozy Ding Dong Ditch

  A news article about a group of women in Western Canada who started a group, which then became a trend, where they dress up in costume and deliver wine and other treats to unsuspecting residents who may need a pick-me-up. The game 'Ding Dong Ditch' as referenced in the title is one where people, usually children or teenagers, ring a doorbell and then run away and hide as a joke. In this case they are brightening up people's days while avoiding physical interaction which could spread the virus.
• 2020-05-23

  Learning to Play

  [Curatorial Note]: Discussing finally learning to play guitar with free time due to COVID 19 quarantine.
• 
  04/06/2020

  Pasuaha Yang Oral History, 2020/04/06

  I did a podcast based on my journey through the Coronavirus of the struggle I was dealing with my schoolwork. The whole process was complicated, I had some time where I was struggling with being motivated with my schoolwork. But I pushed through it. The podcast was beneficial because I was able to reflect on my day and talk freely about how I feel. Overall, it was a great experience.
• 
  03/20/2020

  Virtual concert

  The Tennessean Newspaper online covers the "Luck Reunion" concert
• 
  05/15/2020

  Academic Analysis of Federalism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

  #PSC401D #mlphelps #UNLV
• 
  2020-05-12

  COVID-19 and Me

  Self Reflection Piece
• 
  2020-05-12

  A Candid Account of My Experiences During Covid-19

  A personal account of the pandemic.
• 
  2020-04-07

  Treatment of Essential Workers: “Insulting Rewards”

  This project aims to document the treatment and reactions to the treatment of the essential workers during this pandemic. This image captures the headline of an article describing workers outrage at the “rewards” they are being given, such as free lunches. My friend works at a grocery store and has experienced this firsthand. No promise of bonuses, or sick leave, or extra protections for working during a pandemic, many are insulted that companies believe a free lunch may make up for the health risks these workers take everyday.
• 
  04/20/2020

  Dead but Free

  Governor Newsom had implement the stay-at-home order for the safety of Californians but some don’t follow it due to the fact that Americans are born with freedom and don't have to stay in their homes if they don't desire to do so. So this meme is addressing how people still go out although the amounts of killed and affected by COVID 19 are skyrocketing as I speak. #CSUS #HIST15H
• 
  2020-05-02

  Free Masks For the Less Fortunate

  The new rule that Andrew Cuomo released makes everyone wear masks everywhere they go. He made this a rule so we can try to prevent the spread of Covid 19 even more. Although you need to wear masks not everyone has access to them because they are sold out at many places and some cant afford to buy them. Also many healthcare workers need them because they are running out and cant find them anywhere. SInce this is a big problem New York State gave 7 million more masks across New York.
• 
  2020-05-01

  Food for First Responders- McDonalds

  I had go to McDonalds to pick up breakfast when I noticed they had this sign in the drive thru. My Aunt is a nurse working in the Covid-19 unit at a local hospital. I took the picture of the sign to send to her. She was excited to see that they had such an offer. She was also suprised because she did not know that was something McDonalds was doing. She shared the information with her coworkers, whom most did also not know about that. I think it is important to share these kinds of offers for first responder. It's great that McDonalds is giving out free complete meals to the first responders, but it should be something that is more well known about. I am not sure if this is a local offer or a national one, but regardless The people who the offer is being made for should be made aware. I hope to see as time progresses more bigger chains that can afford programs like that to join and help us support all of the hard working first responders.
• 
  04/29/2020

  Oliver Kaplan Oral History, 2020/04/29

  Oliver Kaplan begins this recording by stating how the monologue is for a college assignment in their “China in the world” class. They then speak about how they were aware of the virus well before its spread across the world, due to the class they were taking. Initially Oliver thought the virus would be contained in China, but realized that it was going to become a larger issue when he noticed anti-Chinese sentiments at his college in Maine. Oliver then describes how shortly after that his school shut down and he returned to his home in California. Oliver concludes this recording by talking about local political policies in Los Angeles and hopes the lockdown will end soon.
• 
  2020-04-25

  Terrariums as Meditation

  Isabella Hurley, age 19, has found both a new hobby and a new means of coping through terrarium creation. When I spoke to her about it, she said "it's like building a little planet. I get so caught up in planning each detail and arranging them, that I am able to forget about all the stress around me. I especially like doing intricate ones because they're time consuming." She said this wasn't something she had imagined doing before the pandemic, but that with her new abundance of free time she's been able to find a hobby that really calls to her.
• 
  2020-04-14

  Domestic Violence Works From Home

  As the stay at home order across Illinois continues to extend as we reach the second month in quarantine, many have been trapped in unsafe situations with those they share a residence with. Domestic violence works from home, people have lost their small escape for the day. Neighborhoods in Chicago and across the city have been helping others get out of stressful situations by providing discreet messaging templates that often provide the survivor to offer their address so police could be called or for the survivor to be picked up. Recently, Chicago mayor, Lorilightfoot has also launched her plan to help by training local domestic violence hotline phone operators to give out promo codes so survivors can be driven to a safe location by a rideshare driver for free. #DePaulHST391
• 
  2020-04-25

  Ordering a Side of Gloves

  Description of Panera Bread handing out gloves during the COVID-19 pandemic
• 
  2020-04-26

  The disappointing year

  Hi, my name is Anastasiia. Today is the 46th day of quarantine, which has been introduced by Ukraine due to the world coronavirus pandemic. Self-isolation means restriction or even exception of social contacts to pause the virus spread. To my opinion, these precautions are logical, because humanity has no vaccine, and we will not have it at an early date. But, I need to say, that quarantine is just formality in my country. People go out to walk and drink alcohol in the yards, they throng in hypermarkets, they even make B-B-Q in parks. I’ve heard, that even some restaurants receive rich guests. Ok, we understand, that there is no quarantine for oligarchs and their escort. BUT, EASTER, APRIL 19! IT WAS FUCKING AWESOME. About 130 000 of believers rushed to churches and temples to lick pope’s hands and get some “saint water”. Bravo, guys. This entailed an extension of quarantine until May 11. And something tells me, this is not the end. Everybody understands that world wasn’t ready for this shitty disaster. Ukraine’s economy is beggar, so am I. I’ve worked about 6 years in the food service industry. And I realize, quarantine hit all of spheres of life, but restaurants/cafes/cinemas/shops/beauty salons suffer the most of all. So yeah, I’m 24 and I’m unemployed. Of course, there are a lot of vacancies on the remote, but, to be honest, I don’t wanna to masturbate on the camera or sale rubbish that nobody needs. My subjective opinion is this home imprisonment is a kind of free time to overestimate priorities. I’ll explain. As for me, I always chased money. I could work in two different cafes without weekends. I worked abroad hard for money only, and so on. AND NOW I HAVE NO JOB! I AM USELESS. I HAVE NO MONEY. I WILL DIE! No wonder I got depressed. I needed about 3 weeks, a couple of sessions with my psychotherapist and psychiatrist to understand what should I do to stay afloat. I must make great efforts to shift focus from money to spiritual values. It turns out I have friends. It turns out I can embroider, cycle a fixed-gear, cook delicious dishes. Shit, even my acne disappeared. I’m imprisoned with my boyfriend in the one-room apartment we’ve recently rented. AND GOD I HATE EVERY MILIMETER OF THIS FUCKING SMALL FLAT! Every your day is like Groundhog Day (like in the movie). Huh, smth about my boyfriend. The first self-isolation month was very hard. We argued every fucking day. Even if I have warm and bright feelings to this awesome guy, sometimes I just wanted TO KILL HIM WHY HE DIDN’T WASH THE DISHES OR WHY DIDN’T HE READ MY MIND TO UNDERSTAND THAT I WANT THE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, NOT THE STRAWBERRY ONE!!! Do you understand? Yeah, I was really scared when he took his bike and ran away from me in the midst of our quarrel. In two days he came back, of course. But now I really realize when I should shut the fuck up. I know, there’re a lot of couples, who break up or get divorced in this period of quarantine. But yeah, we’re lucky with each other. We’re just trying to find a compromise. Now I’m not scared of virus. I’m afraid to stay unemployed and to starve to death. Oh yeah, I’ll die on the street, because we will be kicked out of the apartment for non-payment. Millions of Ukrainians are scared. By the way, about the work. I’ve decided to start the QA-engineering career, so I have to study during all the day. BUT, my laziness and anxious brain blocks every attempts to remember smth new, and I feel guilty. Multiply this guilt by the success cult we hear from every iron about – HELLO DEPRESSION !!! We all are tired and scared. All this is wrong. The world will not stay the same. Only those who can adapt to the quick changes will survive. So now I need to receive am I that adaptable person.
• 
  2020-04-17

  Graffiti, Davis Square T station - detail

  Free groceries for all in need - 22 million Americans are now without work.
• 
  2020-04-03

  Reminder: Grab & Go Meals Location & Hour Changes

  Thank you for your unwavering support of our FREE Grab-and-Go Meals Program during school closures. So far, we have served more than 50,000 student meals across all locations to children 18 and under in our communities. We thank all our amazing nutrition services employees and volunteers for feeding those children/teens in our community! Due to health and safety guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Tempe Elementary School District leadership, we would like to share this important update regarding changes in the distribution of meals and changes in time to our grab-and-go schedule. Beginning Monday, April 6, we will no longer be serving meals at Thew and Wood. Our five remaining feeding locations will still be serving meals between the hours of 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. only. You will be able to pick up both breakfast and lunch during this time.
• 
  2020-04-01

  Free herbs

  The things you see out on a neighbourhood walk — kids finding ways to be helpful.
• 
  2020-03-27

  Free Home Delivery Service

  Supplier to hospitality industry turns to home delivery to save fresh produce small business
• 
  2020-03-28

  Free Online Resources from Vizcaya

  An email from Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a historic house museum in Miami, FL, that describes several online resources available for the public to explore while the museum is closed during the pandemic. #HIST5241