Items

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  2022-05-19

  Everything You Need to Know About DC Black Pride 2022

  This is a news story from Metro Weekly by Joseph Reberkenny. For the first time since COVID started, DC Black Pride will be back in-person. It is organized by the Center for Black Equity and it includes over 25 events highlighting the Black LGBTQ community in Washington. During the height of the COVID outbreak, the Center for Black Equity held events online instead. The organizers say that in-person events are special for this community and has planned safety precautions for people attending. There will be things like masks available at the event in addition to rapid test kits.
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  2022-04-19

  Pride month events return with new mission to uplift people of color, trans civil rights

  This is a news story from USA Today by Bill Keveney. Pride parades will be returning to full-scale since 2019. With the events that happened during COVID, some changes have been made in how it is celebrated. For 2022, more people of color and trans people have been added to leadership positions. Participation is also going to be more accessible for disabled and low-income as well, by making some events online for easier access. Police brutality will also be addressed due to the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. Seattle Pride has banned police from Pride. Along with this, there is also the theme of speaking out against the anti-LGBTQ legislation that is happening across the United States.
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  2021-04-21

  COVID Safety Squirrels

  I have an incredibly imaginative six year old son. Since he was three, he has told us each day which identity he is choosing for the day: duck, bird, duckbird, squirrel, bunny, or chipmunk. (This list has grown over time). He doesn’t actually act like that type of animal, or really alter his behavior or personality at all, but will refer to himself as “Duckbird” or “Baby Bird” and expects you to refer to him as such. And every once in a while will respond with a “quack,” or whatever noise is appropriate for that animal identity. For Squirrel (who is now our “house president” - apparently he won an election none of us were privy to), there is an ongoing theme of a Squirrel Parade that shows up and disrupts everything going on. This is not something that came out of COVID, the Squirrel Parade predates it (we live next to Disneyland and in a pre-COVID life went to the park at least once a week - the kid has seen a lot of parades). However, the Squirrel Parade has definitely evolved with the pandemic. It is remarkable how COVID has seamlessly become part of a kid’s imagination. The Squirrel Parade, which always included King Squirrel, the Throwing Nuts Squirrels, and the Trumpet Squirrels among others now includes the “COVID Safety Squirrels.” When we asked my son who they are, he said they’re the squirrels that hand out masks and hand sanitizer and make sure everyone social distances. It wasn’t strange to him, just another part of the parade. I guess for little kids this isn’t strange to them. I mean, it is. But it’s also not. Just another thing to learn along with multiplication tables. Put on a mask and keep your distance, and the parade marches on.
• 
  2021-02-13

  Coronaland -- “Cast Away COVID Island”

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world.“Cast Away COVID Island” on Vallette St. in Algiers Point shows all the craziness we put up with this past year.
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  2021-02-13

  Coronaland -- “Little Shop of 2020 Horrors”

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. “Little Shop of 2020 Horrors” on Bouny St. in Algiers Point paid tribute to a variety of things that made 2020 a crazy year including the coronavirus.
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  2021-02-08

  Coronaland -- “2021 -- Here We Go Again!”

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. “2021 -- Here We Go Again!” on St. Charles used ABBA songs and a "Mamma Mia!" theme to send up a variety of things related to the pandemic.
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  2021-02-08

  Coronaland -- “Life is a Crap-aret”

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. This House Float on S. Galvez, “Life is a Crap-aret”, celebrated what a shitty year 2020 was.
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  2021-02-07

  Coronaland -- “Schitt$ Streets”

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. Tiffany Assaf Tandecki came up with the concept for “Schitt$ Streets” for in front of her Canal Blvd. home; Artist Lindsay DeBlieux realized it.
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  2021-02-06

  Coronaland

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. Here's “The Clinic” on N. Rampart St.
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  2021-02-04

  Coronaland

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. Erin Whitely & Aaron Whitely's interactive “Jeopardy” House Float on Chippewa Street was one of the most memorable and creative. Here's also that day's "Answer" that came up on your cell phone when you scanned the QR Code.
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  2021-02-02

  Coronaland

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. This installation on St. Charles Avenue honored “Saint Dolly” and her $1million donation for the COVID vaccine. Of all the House Floats, it was my favorite!
• 
  2021-02-02

  Coronaland

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. This installation by a member of the subversive Krewe of Tucks is “Don't procrastinate. Vaccinate!” on Camp Street.
• 
  2021-02-02

  Coronaland

  With Carnival parades cancelled, somebody had the bright idea to start the Krewe of House Floats to (a) make up for it and (b) to offer work to unemployed float artisans. The results have gone beyond everyone's wildest imagination with 5,000+ people signing up in New Orleans, surrounding parishes, and around the world. This installation shows “Don't Panic -- Chewy's Guide to da COVID Galaxy” on Camp Street.
• 
  2019-09-13

  Canceled Pride Parade

  My first time at a Pride parade was in 2019. The time at the pride parade made me super proud of who I am and that facet of my life. The photo I chose from the parade is that of the giant unicorn. I chose to use the unicorn photo because it truly represents LGBTQ+ people I feel because many people in my community consider themselves a unicorn which represents a mythological creature that is a myth and shows people view them as unique. The reason this picture represents Covid-19 is that for the past two years the Pride Parade in Durham, North Carolina has been canceled. It has bummed me out not being able to go to the Pride parade because having a new excitement for my community made me sad that I could not continue this. Also, I was looking forward to this event annually and making it a tradition.
• 
  2020-05-30

  Covid, Quarantine and Protest

  While looking at this photo it reminds me of how even in disaster people are brought together. This photo resembles how society has began to change, you see the masks which wasn’t a norm until the pandemic had occurred. The people have come together in order to change a fault within the government. In order for the government to change what is wrong they need to hear the voices of the people and create laws to prevent the action from happening again. Records are kept in many ways but photos have been the best way, photos have given major representation and gives the audience a chance to interpret the picture and understand the time period. Due to the pandemic many people have had to been quarantined but during this quarantine many were able to access the internet and news spread like a wildfire. Everyone was able to understand the injustices that were occurring and were able to make a change. The photo to me, represents bravery and dedication despite any and all conflicts.
• 
  2020-06-04

  Senior Celebration

  "I feel so bad about your senior year," and "I'm sorry your senior year was taken from you" were things I heard almost everyday from people. Honestly, I didn't care because it gave me a relaxing rest of the year because I decided to register for very rigorous courses. The school had been frantically trying to find something to do for the seniors to make senior year memorable without feeling disappointed. We didn't have prom or the senior trip where we go to Kings Dominion and then eat dinner on a cruise ship to go back to Baltimore. Like I said, I didn't mind that we didn't have these experiences, but I know there were a lot of disappointed people in my class. I knew it was going to be expensive and out of budget for me to go anyway. In May, I received an email from my school. It talked about how graduation was going to be and that there would be a bus parade for the senior students. I completely ignored it because I personally didn't want to go. I thought it would have been weird and not worth my time. A few days later my mom found out about the parade and was upset that I told her that I didn't feel like attending to it, and ended up making me go. When I got onto the bus I found out that two of my friends were on the bus which made it exciting for me. The bus only allowed 12 kids on it because of social distancing. We arrived at the school and waited for the parade to start. In between each school bus there was a firetruck or a cop car and they all turned on their sirens and honked their horns throughout the whole parade. There were so many people are parents on the streets of the small area my school district is in. I am glad I went to that and I honestly feel like this brought the community together during the uncertain times that the pandemic has brought to us.
• 
  2020-04-11

  During Pandemic, Community Adapts "Reverse" Parade to Honor 90th Birthday in Memorable Way

  Local resident Genelle Richey retired in 2012, dedicating 62 years of her life to teaching the youth of Blanchard, Oklahoma. Since then, Mrs. Richey's status of being a local educator and mentor as only grown in appreciation. On April 11, 2020 during the peak of COVID-19 shutdowns, the community of Blanchard expressed its gratitude to Mrs. Richey by organizing hundreds of participants to drive past her in a "reverse" parade celebrating her 90th birthday. She and her family gathered on North Main Street to greet the cheerful crowd as they passed. The event was organized by her family and mostly through Facebook to preserve the surprise to Mrs. Richey herself. The event took place between 3:00 and 4:00 PM on that Saturday, April 11. The parade featured vehicles displaying signs and decorated "float" style trailers. The line of vehicles were led by Blanchard Police and Fire Departments. Parade vehicles dropped off birthday gifts and took photographs to preserve the special event. During an otherwise quiet and uneventful month of pandemic closures, the community of Blanchard resiliently came together to adapt a memorable day for a very special woman. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580.
• 
  2020-06

  Wilton, Connecticut 2020 High School Graduation Parade and Student's Newspaper Column

  Wilton is a small town in Connecticut where I grew up. Due to the Coronavirus, their traditional graduation was canceled. Instead, they got together and had a graduation parade on the school grounds. I also included a column from a graduating senior
• 
  2020-05-12

  A Quarantine Birthday

  First birthdays are an important part of a child's life. However, due to the precautionary measure Illinois has taken, my niece was forced to celebrate hers in an unlikely fashion. My entire family logged on a video conferencing app at the same time to wish her a Happy Birthday. On the same day, we threw her a birthday parade by honking our cars and playing cheery music down her street. Under different circumstances, we would be meeting altogether in a grand hall with gifts and food. This birthday will surely be memorable.
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  2020-05-19

  Princeton High School Lights on for Seniors Parade

  Flyer distributed by the Parents of Princeton High School’s Class of 2020 announcing a “Lights on for Seniors” Parade on 05/22/2020. This event was not associated with the local school district and was completely created and executed by parent volunteers, displaying the efforts of parents to honor their children and celebrate their achievements despite COVID-19 bringing an early end to their senior year.
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  2020-04-10

  Burchfield Primary School Staff Car Parade

  Flyer advertising a parade of school employees traveling through the city of Colusa, California. The parade was intended to allow separated students and teachers to see one another in person, albeit at a distance. Similar parades of teachers and school staff members occurred in neighborhoods around the United States during the COVID-19 campus closures.
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  2020-05-26

  COVID-19 Birthday

  No one loves birthdays more than my son. When it became clear that he wouldn’t be having a birthday party, or taking his traditional birthday trip to Disneyland, we planned a surprise birthday parade for him, and invited guests to try to break a Coronavirus piñata (from their car window). We were overwhelmed by the amount of people who came - we do not live close to our friends/family, and we had people drive over an hour (in Southern CA!) for a five minute parade where they had to stay in their car. We were most touched that even his Kindergarten teacher (who lives 30 minutes away) came by. The birthday boy wore a special homemade Mickey Mouse with a mask shirt that said “turning 6 in quarantine, still celebrating with Mickey.”
• 
  04/26/2020

  Senior drove through love parade

  My grandmother Pauline Bell made it into the local paper. She lives in an assisted living community and no visitors are allowed. Family was invited to decorate their cars and drive by slowly honking and encouraging their loved ones from a safe distance!
• 
  05/16/2020

  Drive-By Graduation Party, New Orleans, LA

  After I heard an unusual amount of honking, I stepped outside my home to see my neighbor decked out in her graduation cap and gown with an arch of balloons waving to friends and family who drove by in a series of cars honking and holding signs.
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  2020-05-09

  Class of 2020 Car Processional

  With the rest of the school year canceled at Sacramento’s McClatchy High School, the school staff is making sure that the class of 2020 doesn’t leave without fanfare. Students drove slowly through William Land Park, cars decorated and horns honking, as staff members dressed in the school’s red and white attire cheered and handed out signs for students to display in front of their homes. “These kids aren’t getting a ceremony, so we wanted to make sure we still celebrated them somehow. And it’s a chance for us to say goodbye since we won’t see them again at school. It’s so heartbreaking,” said a teacher.
• 2020-05-08

  Drive-By Birthday Party

  First responders wish a 7-year-old happy birthday
• 
  04/23/2020

  Local elementary school offers parade of teachers

  Since schools have been out since mid-March, the local elementary school in Cave Creek invited families to drive by the school so they could wave to their teachers. This is the digital flier they sent to families to invite them to the "Twilight Tunes Parade".
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  2020-04-23

  Local Elementary School Teacher Parade

  The local elementary school in Cave Creek, AZ hosted a drive by parade for families to see their teachers. This video shows the teachers lined up, socially distancing, and the music playing. Schools in AZ have been out since mid-March, and won't reopen this year, and kids are missing their teachers, and teachers are missing their kids. It was a fun way for everyone to see each other while maintaining distancing protocols.
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  2020-04-23

  Local Elementary School hosts teacher drive by parade

  A local elementary school in Cave Creek, Arizona invited all of its students and families to drive by in the parking lot. The teachers were there with signs and music was playing, so the kids could see their teachers again. School in Arizona has been out since mid-March and will not resume this school year. This sign is giving directions for families to stay in their cars and keep moving.
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  2020-04-23

  Elementary School Teachers and Tunes Driveby Parade

  Lone Mountain’s Teachers and Tunes Driveby Parade! Didn’t get any other pictures because I was too busy crying seeing all of our favorite people in the world, our Lone Mountain Family! Thank you for all you do for all of us! ❤️💙 Photos from Facebook post. School in Arizona has been out since mid-March, and the kids were missing their teachers, and the teachers, their kids. The elementary school set this up so the kids could drive by and wave.
• 
  2020-04-09

  No semana santa

  There are no semana santa processions in Seville, Spain this year.