Items

• 
  06/29/2020

  Richard Wamai Oral History, 2020/06/29

  This is an Oral History interview with Dr. Richard Wamai by interviewer Christina Lefebvre from June 29, 2020. Dr. Wamai speaks about the epidemiology of COVID and the global response to it versus other epidemic, as well response comparisons between Africa and the United States.
• 
  2020-04-02

  Inside Rikers During the Coronavirus Outbreak

  This video shows one families struggle to get early release for their loved one from Rikers Island jail in New York. His sister poses the ten million dollar question, does someone who committed a crime deserve to die? This is the possibility many inmates face in the time of coronavirus because the only way we currently know to slow the spread of the virus is through distance. Something that cannot be done when you're sleeping twelve inches away from another person.
• 
  2020-07-13

  Sentry program at National War Memorial restarts with COVID-19 safety measures in place

  "To limit any possible spread of COVID-19, members of the national sentry program will follow protective health measures of the government and the Canadian Forces. Visitors are asked to keep a minimum two-metre distance from the sentries at all times, the military noted in its statement." An article relaying that the sentries at the National War Memorial will be in place again. They normally stand guard every summer but have not so far this year due to the pandemic. The Canadian Armed Forces have had particularly strict regulations in place for the members since March, in an attempt to ensure should military personnel be needed to respond to a crisis, health or otherwise, there will be sufficient healthy staff available to do so. The presence of sentries at the memorial, which is also the site of the tomb of the unknown soldier, is not particularly representative of the city or military for most Ottawans or visitors but has taken on added significance since a lone gunman shot and killed one of the sentries, from behind, before storming the parliament buildings, several years ago. The sentry was the only victim to die in that attack and his death on duty has given an even deeper value in the post to those who hold it.
• 
  05/27/2020

  Anonymous Oral History, 2020/05/27

  Christina Lefebvre interviews an anonymous general internist at Massachusetts General Hospital about their experience with COVID-19 and the global impact of the virus.
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-07-12

  States vs. The Department of Education

  As a teacher, I am concerned about having to go back into the classroom. I have preexisting conditions, live with at risk individuals, and don't want to die. While I know that private schools tend to be better funded than public schools, I was shocked and confused as to why the government would choose to prioritize institutions that are able to support themselves better in these trying times. This item was added TAGS v6.1.9.1. I originally searched under the hashtag #schools. Within that search, I have chosen to add the following tweet because it discusses the opening salvos in an ongoing battle between States and Individuals vs the Federal Government over the allocation of relief funds. Link to the NPR article: (https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/07/888793021/states-sue-education-department-over-allocation-of-pandemic-funds-to-schools?utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_term=nprnews&utm_medium=social)
• 
  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.
• 
  2020-07-12

  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.
• 
  2020-07-11

  Pickleball Tournaments Lost

  Athletes at all levels have lost seasons as the pandemic has swept across the globe. For professional athletes in emerging sports, such as pickleball, the challenges must be immense. As an avid pickleballer, I've watched as tournament after tournament get canceled and the sport's forums (such as the Pickleball Forum on Facebook) have become sites of controversy as some counsel not playing while others deny the crisis altogether. Lost in that space, though, are the really personal challenges that so many athletes face, including professionals who are defining the future of the game. Steve Deakin, one of the top men's players in the world, posted this evocative statement to the Pickleball Forum on Facebook about the gradual loss of the 2020 pickleball season; with 223 likes, 74 comments, and 5 shares in its first two hours, Deakin's post clearly struck a nerve within the pickleball community. "I wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to the PB community. Please read this to the end if you can spare a couple of minutes today.....As you may or may not know, I took the plunge to pursue PB full time late last year. This was the best move I have ever made. It was scary and exciting all at the same time. I left a job that was secure to pursue what I loved to do. My business/brand was gaining incredible traction and then boom...COVID. My tournament earnings dried up, sponsors pulled back support, my clinics/camps cancelled as "lockdowns" were implemented in Canada. I was livid. I truly believed at that time this was a glorified flu and I asked myself "Why is the Canadian Government taking such drastic action?" I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. I took the time while I was in this "lockdown" to educate myself as my common sense told me something is not right here. There has to be a reason why our Federal Government is taking such drastic action by literally shutting our country down? Well, there is a reason. It's called a Global Pandemic. This is real and it is not a "hoax". The country where I am proud to call home, united as one (regardless of the political differences), and started this battle against COVID-19 together. It was not easy and we continue to adjust our lives today. Whether it be by wearing a mask, not gathering in large groups, or social/physical distancing, the majority of Canadians took it on the chin and did what was asked of us. I feel strongly we are in a great spot today because of these actions. Businesses are reopening safely, new cases are minimal, and most importantly, the deaths related to this virus are starting to dry up. The message here folks in unity. Not division. I have many friends down south in the US that I truly miss. I love this sport. I love the competition. I love the fans. I know I am not alone on this. However, what is currently happening in the US is tragic on so many levels. Trust me, I understand the importance of getting back to work and reopening/rebuilding an economy. As a new small business owner impacted by these shutdowns paired with slow, phased re-openings, I get it. It has been tough. On the other hand, I understand everyone's circumstances can be very different. What we all share though unfortunately (literally) is this virus. I know what I am going to say next may not be popular with everyone in the PB community but it needs to be said by a player that uses this sport as a source of income. Running tournaments in hot spot states in particular with multiple hundreds of registrants is just not necessary right now as cases soar and people die. I cancelled my tournament schedule for July and August to protect my Dad, my Mom, my wife, my kids, and my friends from this virus. This decision was easy for me. There is no amount of prize money and personal brand exposure that can replace them. I want nothing more than my friends in the US to band together and get healthy. We will eventually all get back on the courts safely and responsibly together. Now is just not the time for me. I appreciate every one of you that took the time to read this whether you agree with me or not. I will always respect your opinions on this subject. It's an extremely tricky one for sure. Stay safe and stay healthy."
• 
  2020-04

  Tweets from Inside a Prison 4/12-4/18/2020 by Railroaded Underground

  These tweets are from an incarcerated person using a contraband cell phone to let the world know about the conditions inside the prison. This week he is talking about choosing between a shower and exposure because their showers are communal with over fifty people. He also mentions the prison employee that brought him his meals and lead him around has tested positive and that the first inmate is positive and has been sent to solitary confinement for quarantine. He mentions a lack of soap, receiving fruit snacks with his lunch because they contain vitamin C, injustice, #clemancynow, and inmates at other facilities being retaliated against for speaking out.
• 
  05/08/2020

  Robert Brunschon Oral History, 2020/05/08

• 
  05/11/2020

  Christopher Krizek Oral History, 2020/05/11

  Curator Note: Interviewer, Alexander Michalski, and narrator, Christopher Krizek, discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on jobs, politics, the economy and families.
• 
  2020-04-20

  Dis-ease: Poetry in the Period of the Pandemic

  Not a "story" in the traditional sense, these are a collection of poems that nonetheless implicitly serve as narrative/tell the story of how an aspiring writer uses the time to harness all the stress, turn it from distress into eustress to de-stress, and thereby find a strategy for survival through creative expression. In each poem, as annotation, the direct connection to COVID is described.
• 
  2020-06-21

  Incarcerated person dies while waiting for healthcare

  This is a Twitter post (social media) from an incarcerated person using a contraband cell phone telling about their experience with covid-19. He saw a father die on Father's Day while struggling to breath and waiting for an ambulance. There are numerous news articles exposing similar stories. They say sources tell them inmates are not receiving medical attention either before or after being tested for covid-19.
• 
  2020-06-13

  California’s Racial Justice Crisis is COVID-19 in Prisons

  This article, written by three University of California professors, highlights the racial justice crisis inside US prisons. Due to their architecture and systems corrections facilities find it nearly impossible to keep covid-19 out or slow the spread of the disease. In California the incarcerated populations rate of covid is 650 percent higher than that of the general population of the state. Once introduced into a facility covid spreads rapidly due to overcrowding, lack of ability to social distance, and a shortage of soap and other cleaning supplies. While many people in the general public feel that inmates chose to commit a crime and therefor should do their time others argue that they should not be made to die for their crimes due to covid.
• 2020-06-11

  Don't stereotype. Ever.

  COVID-19, BLM Notes June 11, 2020 It's hard to put my thoughts in words. The news and social media are swirling in a constant maelstrom of things that seem like they should be false. Yet they're not. In the middle of the BLM and COVID-19 crisis, President Trump announced that he would be holding his first rally since Covid-19 in Tulsa Oklahoma. It will be on the anniversary of the massacre of the black community in Tulsa by the KKK. It also is a holiday marking the end of slavery in the US. This can go so wrong. 1968 Democratic Convention wrong. With semi-automatic weapons wrong. I'm sure supporters can make the argument that Trump is planning to make a speech that will help heal wounds. I hope that is the case. I sincerely doubt it. Even if it is, his administration has to understand the tinderbox they are laying fuel for. I simply don't understand. Additionally, COVID-19 cases are on the rise as states begin to reopen. So many people gathering for rallies and protests will up the ante even more. 😔😔 I'm angry about seeing my former law enforcement community painted with the same hostile brush that should be pointed at the bad cops and unions that protect them. It's damn tough to be a cop, even in a small community like mine. I still bear some scars. Cops are underpaid for the shit they have deal with. Mental health services may be offered if a department is large enough, but it would go on ones permanent record. Mental health is still stigmatized, so why would a cop want treatment for depression on their records? When Ron and I were dating, I had to undergo, on separate occasions, a herpes test and two AIDS tests. Imagine the fun that it is to tell my new boyfriend that kissing isn't allowed because I may have gotten herpes after giving mouth to mouth to someone I just cut down. (His response : If you have it, I already have it, so it doesn't matter. You marry a guy like that. I did). Then we had a another suicide. We didn't wear gloves back then. I'm sure we had them in the trunk but it would be wimpy to wear them. I got blood on my hands. Then the coroner found the suicide note. AIDS. I'm a nail biter. I had hang nails down to my knuckles. I went to Springfield for my tests because I didn't dare have it done in my community. AIDS was a very dirty word back then. I'm a chatterbox. The phlebotomist and I would be joking and laughing until they saw what the draw was for. A cold chill over took the room as they loudly triple gloved. Snap, snap, snap...... glaring at me. I was a junkie or a prostitute. Once I explained, they were so kind and emphatic. That's when I decided to try and treat everybody with kindness and respect. I don't know their back story and what led them to be in the position they are in. Be an asshole to me and I can be one right back but you get more peas with honey. Turns out, it wasn't AIDS. False positives were common back in the early days. Strangely enough, these aren't calls that bug me. That's what cop do. There's only one that eats at me and I'll unpack that some other time. I'm still processing the ghosts of that one. I bring them up because this is the kind of emotional crap cops deal with. Every single god damn day we clean up humanities mess. Yet there are people who want to vilify the entire law enforcement community, a community that includes people like me. I remember comforting a two year old toddler at another suicide. Mom thought the sitter would show up before the child woke up. She didn't. I'm holding this little girl who spent the morning putting popsicles on her dead diabetic mother's chest to get her to wake up. 36 years later I remember exactly where I standing, trying to comfort that poor child as I tried to process what was going on. So, as you shout to defund the police and tear down every single police agency that has ever represented you, think of me as a young adult from the age of 22 to 24, holding that child, wondering if I was going to die from AIDS, almost getting herpes from a corpse. I still had almost five years to go. I'm the people you are denigrating. I'm proud of the work I did. If you're looking for the bad, that's all you're going to see. Be cautious in the wording of any negative comments you might leave. I'm not much in the mood to keep my peas on my knife.
• 2020-05-15

  Pandemic

  COVID-19 makes people sick and it kills people. Another reason why COVID-19 is bad is that when people catch. sometimes they go into Comas
• 
  2020-06-09

  COVID-19 Inside Arkansas Prisons: The Death of Derick Coley

  This article is the second in a three-part series by NPR reporter Anna Stitt. Sponsored by the National Geographic Society's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists. In this article Stitt mostly focuses on the death of inmate Derrick Coley. He was a healthy 29-year-old inmate who had been up for parole since June of 2017 but once he contracted covid in the Cummins Unit, part of the Arkansas State Prisons, he passed away. In exploring his death Stitt finds that inmates who pay $3 each time they request medical attention ( this was waved from March 23-April 30, 2020) were often not receiving any medical attention and at other times would only see a nurse. The process relayed to her was that inmates must request medical attention four times before they can see a doctor and the only doctor is one whose medical license has been revoked. After several inmates died from covid some inmates began to rebel. Prison staff used tear gas to quell the uprising. This was surprising to inmates Stitt spoke with because the coronavirus is a respiratory virus and at the time over 900 people were infected. As with many large bureaucracies, the prison blames the company contracted to provide medical care, Wellpath, and they pass the buck back to the prison. The concern for prisoners, their family, friends, and advocates is that they could die. Without the ability to social distance, 100% mask wearing, and being able to wash their hand frequently the fear is that a prison sentence, even a relatively short one, could turn into a death sentence.
• 
  2020-05-24

  Enjoy your memorial bbq

  When I saw an image of this front page on the internet, I thought it was from 100 years ago. And then I got my copy. Every year on the date, the 3,000 victims of September 11th are read aloud at the World Trade Center. It takes 3 hours. If we were to read the names of each person who has died of Covid-19 so far, it would take over 4 days, without stopping. It would cover each Sunday issue for over the next two years. Today I read 1% of those names. Each of those names was allowed half a sentence to describe them. Half a sentence for a lifetime on the front page of The New York Times. I picked out some of my favorites: -“We called him the grand Poobah” -her backyard birds ate right from her hand -could fix almost anything -first black woman to graduate Harvard Law school -quick with his fists in the ring -her will was indomitable -he could spit a watermelon seed halfway across a double lot -agent who turned on the CIA -her favorite quote was ‘I am as good as you are, and as bad as I am’ -cancer survivor who lived as a deacon -nothing delighted him more than picking up the bill -saved 56 Jewish families from the Gestapo -could be a real jokester -thought it was important to know a person’s life story -maestro of a steel-pan band -saw friends at their worst and made them their best -engineer behind the first 200mph stock car -discovered his true calling when he started driving a school bus -made the best Baklava ever -emergency room doctor who died in his husband’s arms -leader in integrating schools -architect behind Boston’s City Hall -shared his produce with food banks and neighbors -family believed she would have lived the traditional Navajo lifespan of 102 years. -loved his wife and said ‘yes dear’ a lot -mother to a generation of AIDS patients -worked long hard hours and still made time for everyone -walked across the Golden Gate Bridge on opening day -liked his bacon and hash browns crispy -more adept than many knew -would stay awake the whole night shift because she didn’t want anyone to die alone -freed from life in prison -her last words were ‘thank you’ . . . Seven small towns I thought no one else had heard of. Six women who reminded me of my mother. Five people my age. Four holocaust survivors. Three 9/11 responders. Two couples who died together. One person I’ve met. And a 5 year old girl. They didn't get a funeral. They didn't get to say goodbye. I've been in my apartment for 71 days. I've cried four times. Three of those times, was while I read this. Have fun at your barbecue.
• 
  05/20/2020

  As virus swamps Peru, Venezuelan migrants collect the dead

  A man hangs himself in Peru after testing positive for Coronavirus and being turned away from a hospital because he lacked the proper referral. Peru has had over 100,000 people die from Coronavirus. Story reports on the Venezuelan funeral workers who collect the bodies of COVID victims.
• 
  2020-05-18

  MADRE E HIJA MUEREN POR PRESUNTA ASFIXIA TRAS INHALAR EUCALIPTO A VAPOR

  Justina Condori Apaza, madre, (42) y Rosmery Romero Condori, hija, (24) fueron encontradas sin signos vitales el baño de la vivienda en día lunes 18 de mayo. La Policía, Ministerio Público y sector Salud acudieron al lugar para certificar los decesos. Justo Romero Copare (47), esposo y padre de las fallecidas, llamó a la Policía para indicar que halló los cuerpos luego de percatarse que las mujeres demoraban demasiado en el baño. Asimismo, reveló que el ‘sauna casero’ tenía como fin purificar el ambiente hogareña y evitar contagiarse con el COVID-19. Policías de la comisaría Alto de la Alianza verificaron el lugar y notaron que había una olla con agua caliente con eucalipto, una especie de fogata con troncos y más materiales sospechosos que están en proceso de investigación. Asimismo, El fiscal Marco Mayta Larico dispuso la participación de los agentes de Homicidios del Depincri, pues uno de los sospechosos de la muerte de ambas mujeres es Justo Romero Copare quien tendría antecedentes por violencia familiar.
• 
  2020-05-12

  COVID-19 and Me

  Self Reflection Piece
• 
  2020-05-01

  Signage from New Orleans Hospitality Workers Alliance May Day Protest, New Orleans, LA

  May Day protestors hold a sign of Uncle Sam reading "I want you to die for the economy." In observance of May Day, the international workers' rights holiday, New Orleans Hospitality Workers Alliance organized a socially-distanced protest that included bikes and cars. The protestors' demands included free healthcare and testing for hospitality workers, hazard pay and access to protective gear, housing as a human right, freeing incarcerated people, and unemployment assistance through the end of 2020.
• 
  2020-05-05

  Coronavirus Realizations

  My personal recollections of the coronavirus, and the need to hold loved ones even closer. #CSUS #HIST15H
• 
  2020-04-15

  A Virus That Hits All Faiths Tests Religion's Tie to Science

  This article talks about how many places still are continuing their religious gatherings despite everything going on because of the relief it can provide. It mentions how some places are following their religious belief and going to their religious sites because the virus can be combated with belief and if something were to happen that would be the best place to die. While places like the U.S. have transferred their religious services to online ones or just stoped them many people in other places are still meeting up like nothing is going on and the virus won't get them becasue they are in a safe place.
• 
  2020-04-06

  PANDEMIC 2020

  Description of feelings on Boris Johnson getting the COVID-19 virus.
• 
  2020-04-06

  PANDEMIC 2020

  Perspective of how deaths can have a tremendous effect on people.
• 
  2020-04-05

  PANDEMIC 2020

  Description of statistics related to death and how it compares to COVID-19 deaths.
• 
  2020-04-16

  We over-reacted

  Description of someone's opinion of shutting down society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 
  2020-03-23

  Sacrificing grandma for the stock market

  The U.S. government was planning on opening the country again and having daily life go back to normal sooner than health experts recommended. People were angry that the government was willing to allow at-risk people (the elderly) to die rather than have the economy crash
• 
  2020-04-05

  Rosado

  Short text.
• 
  2020-04-04

  Watching The Pandemic Unfold.

  Short Text.