Items

• 
  2020-03-25

  Whataburger Employees Considered Essential Workers

  This is a short post from someone that works at a Whataburger in Texas. This story is important because while I believe fast food to not be essential, but rather an expensive convenience, it is important to keep in mind that some customers were not able to get their regular groceries at the stores during the pandemic. There was a panic that ensued amongst not only the nation but the globe as COVID-19 spread. Although fast food would not be something we would view as essential normally, during the pandemic, it may have been vital for some people as their shopping abilities may have been limited.
• 
  2020-04-23

  What grocery store workers say they’re facing during the pandemic.

  This article is important to share because although I was not a Wal-Mart employee through the pandemic, the employees interviewed in the article are relatable as the company has never been proactive and instead reactive. While I understand that no one was prepared for the pandemic, the way the employees were treated during this time was very typical to the way our store employees were treated, and still are, in situations where health is being risked for the sake of a sale. “The manager’s response, according to Hall: “Wash your hands every 15 minutes, so you don’t need a glove or a mask.” ‘She just walked away from me and started laughing, like it was funny.’ Hall said.” The article also goes on to state that it wasn’t until employees began speaking out against conditions and fear for their own safety due to the company’s lack of procedures and precautions, that they started implementing safety precautions for customers and employees.
• 
  2020-04-27

  Toilet Paper Shortage During Pandemic

  While many of us living through the pandemic understand the meaning behind this photo, future generations may not. This photograph was taken by a Walmart employee when his store had received a shipment of toilet paper. During this time of the pandemic, toilet paper was a hot commodity and would not stay stocked on the shelves because so many people were buying it. Although this is not an item that we may think of as essential during a pandemic, toilet paper was difficult to come by and the employees had put this out on the floor as soon as it had come off of the truck. Before they could put the item on the shelves, people had already grabbed it from the pallet.
• 
  2020-05-01

  Walmart Associate Checks Coworker’s Temperatures

  The day this photograph was taken was the day that my father, a Wal-Mart employee, was commissioned to begin taking the temperature of all Wal-Mart employees in the store. His regular duties were covered by another employee and each time a fellow coworker entered the building, they had to have their temperature read, recording, and asked a number of questions to ensure it would be safe for them to work their shift that day. This was never a procedure until COVID-19 spread and Wal-Mart employees were deemed “essential workers”.
• 
  2020-11-01

  North Carolina rally organizer plans Election Day march

  The story describes an antiracism march that was permitted to rally in the streets according to the rally leader. However, the article also explains that the police said they did not have permission to block the street, but that they escorted the marchers through the streets. It is important because it shows both sides of the story, even though they are conflicting. I do not see any blind spots in this, but I would be curious to see the proof of who was right. The reason I decided to blur the faces in this image as well as the officer’s badges is to hide their identities as the article states that “later 8 people were arrested”. By doing this, it protects the officer’s from any backlash of the arrestees or their families and friends. Hiding the faces of the arrestees protects them from repercussions of their employers using the image against them or any backlash they would receive from others, typically on social media.
• 
  2020-07-22

  Black Friday for Walmart Employees

  What I have submitted is important to me, because while I have worked retail and understand the important of everyone being able to share Thanksgiving with their families and friends and also the importance of everyone’s safety during the pandemic, I happen to be someone that did not celebrate Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving day. My family was always working and instead of being home alone on the holiday, I went shopping by myself, or if I was lucky, with a friend. I’m beyond ecstatic for retail workers that will finally get to spend the holiday with their families and friends as some have not had the holiday off in over 20 years. Perhaps this year, we as a family, will celebrate on Thanksgiving day for the first time in almost 15 years.
• 
  2020-03-31

  Retail Workers Rushing to Fill Non-Essential Shelves

  When the panic at the grocery stores happened, essentials were the first to go, but shortly after everyone was forced to stay inside, many were looking for a way to fill their time in their homes. People were creating crafts, sewing masks together, exercising, playing board games, you name it. It’s important because while grocery worker employees were overwhelmed with the demand of essential items that were selling before they could even get them off the pallets, nonessential items were flying off the shelves as well, making their regular duties even more difficult to keep up with.
• 
  2020-04-07

  Permission Slip for Essential Workers

  This photo was sent to me from a former coworker that was “served” a “permission slip” as she called it, for being an essential worker during the pandemic while working for Walmart. It’s important because while we would normally think of an essential worker as someone who is in healthcare or emergency services, grocery employees were considered essential for the items they sold that were in serious demand during the panic of the pandemic. All hands on deck is the most appropriate phrase here.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Child Struggles with Distance Learning

  Tell us a story; share your experience. Describe what the object or story you've uploaded says about the pandemic, and/or why what you've submitted is important to you. This story is important to me because while I do not have kids, I believe education is so important, especially the quality of education they are receiving. I have many friends that are teachers who are struggling with distance learning themselves and have also questioned the quality of education that children are receiving now as they believe any one-on-one help they would be able to give in a classroom is unavailable now to students who already struggle with learning in a regular classroom setting. It is difficult enough for adults to be self-motivated with online education and for kids this has been deemed to be extremely difficult.