-
2020-02-22
After a long day of school, I check my phone to see news of a sickness spreading worldwide, Covid-19. I thought nothing of it and continued with my day. However, later that night, I would soon realize the severity. The next day after school, this virus that didn’t seem like a massive deal at the time put a sharp end to school with little to no warning. However, I soon realized this wasn’t the only thing that would come to an end football and all social events would be canceled, meaning I couldn’t even hang out with my friends during summer break without the fear of contracting the sickness to myself and my loved ones. During the first week, although this was bringing me into a sort of depression, I learned to truly take advantage of the situation with no school and nothing but time and forever be thankful for the time given to me to grow and mature independently.
-
2020-05-12
I decided to share this image because it shows my grandmother’s (nonna’s) brother working in the family-owned shop that is located in Alife, Italy. This shop has been owned by my family since the early 1900s. My grandmother’s brother has worked in the shop since he was a little kid. My grandmother’s brother was forced to let his employees go because he simply could not afford to keep them as employees throughout the pandemic. To keep the shop open, he must work at the shop every day. The pandemic has been extremely difficult for him financially as this is his only means of income. I decided to upload this image because I think it will be valuable for future historians as it shows what life is like for elderly people in Italy during the pandemic. Many are unable to retire because they cannot afford to stop working. This item is an attempt to fill an archival silence and amplify the voices of a marginalized group because my grandmother’s brother is 75 years old and has decided to continue working during the pandemic because it is not financially possible to retire. He attempted to apply for the relief package but was not qualified for it and was denied. The pandemic has been extremely difficult for the elderly especially those that have underlying health conditions because they have to make the difficult decision to return to work which can be dangerous because they can be exposed to COVID. My grandmother’s brother is also a veteran and he is not technologically savvy therefore, it has been challenging for him to amplify his voice. This form of archival silence is an unintentional unacknowledged speech act.
-
2020-07-27
I decided to include this screenshot of the economic relief package that homeowners that have a mortgage have the opportunity of receiving. I think it is interesting to discover what relief packages are offered in Alife, Italy compared to the United States of America. This is important to me because my family lives in Alife, Italy, and are homeowners that have mortgages and they have been financially affected by COVID-19. This item is of interest to future historians because it will help future historians understand what economic relief packages were offered to the citizens in the region of Campania Italy. Future historians will have a better understanding of how the economic relief packages in the United States of America compared to the economic relief packages in regions in other countries such as in Campania Italy which is the region that Alife is located. As the article entitled, “What archivists keep or not” documents are a great way to “help us remember, to share, to compare, to analyse and to synthesize information” (Thompson, 3).
-
2020-11-14
Translation to the above newsletter - Activities in the presence of the childcare services and the first grades of primary school will resume from 24 November, after screening on a voluntary basis on teaching and non-teaching staff and on pupils. For different school levels and orders, the Regional Crisis Unit unanimously felt it was necessary to confirm distance learning.
This newsletter explains the precautions that a small town in Italy is taking in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I think it is important to learn about what other countries are doing in order to keep the community safe. This is important to me because my family is from a small town in Italy called Alife. My family in Alife has younger children that have been directly affected by this new decision to move the school from in-person to online learning. This object demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID because many children are being taught online rather than in person in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As the article entitled “What do archivists keep or not” describes “documents of all types help us to remember, to share, to compare, to analyse and to synthesize information” *Thompson, 3). Documents are pivotal because they can create a snapshot of what life was like during a monumental event in history. Many of these children have never experienced online learning and therefore, it can be challenging for children to remain engaged and motivated to learn.
-
2020-05-12
“ingresso permesso ad un massimo di 1 persona per volta” – Translation “admission allowed to a maximum of 1 person at a time”
The image is of the front of the store that my family owns in a small town in Italy called Alife. Due to COVID-19, my family had to display signs which explain a change in the occupancy limit. It is interesting to see how the town has imposed occupancy restrictions that are similar to the restrictions in the United States of America. As described in the article “Professional Ethics for Archivists” this photo “provid[es] a baseline for measuring the present state of affairs” (Professional Ethics for Archivists, 22). This image was published to Facebook which has the ability to store more information than a brick-and-mortar location. This image responds to the needs and considerations of an ethical archival collection because it reflects the current social climate that business owners are experiencing across the world due to COVID-19.
-
2020-04-12
This photo is of my family during one of our zoom meetings. My family lives in Italy and so this is the only way for my family to stay connected during the pandemic. We were planning to visit them in Italy during the summer, but we were unable to due to COVID. This photo demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID because technology has allowed us to stay connected through the pandemic. A video call was a wonderful experience for the older members of my family because they were only able to send letters when they were younger and talk on the phone. Even though we are in the middle of a pandemic technology has truly allowed my generation to remain connected with our family and friends. As described in our reading “What do archivists keep or not” this is an example of a primary source because it is “tied to particular people doing particular things at [a] particular time and place” (Thompson, 3).
-
2020-04-01
I decided to share this video because it will help future historians understand how a small town in Italy responded to the pandemic. This item is of interest to future historians because it shows how disinfecting the town center in a small town in Italy was deemed to be essential in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This video is critical for future generations and historians because it will allow them to understand what measures were taken. Future historians can use this video and compare it to pandemics from previous generations and discover what protocols are similar. This video is important to me because my family is from a small town in Italy and it is interesting to see the steps that the town took in order to disinfect the town. I also found it interesting to compare how the United States of America disinfected its towns and how it is similar to the town of Alife.
-
2020-12-14
The coming of Covid-19 had a huge impact on not only me but everyone else. During Covid-19 Lockdown I wasn't able to go places and see and visit friends without being six feet or wearing a mask. I wasn't able to train for sports or have practices. I am still not able to go to school to get an education or even just see my best friends that I am used to seeing every day. I had to adapt to this strange way of life and had to figure out ways to do my everyday things. These are ways Covid-19 has impacted my life and ways I have adapted to it.
-
2020-12-14
Covid-19 coming into this world had a strong impact on me and a strong impact on the world. This is because I was not able to go outside to my favorite restaurants or around friends without staying 6 feet apart. I wasn't able to work out and train for sports. My learning ability got harder and harder every day because I wasn't able to go to school. During this hard time, I had to adapt to these struggles and figure different ways to do these things during these times.
-
2020-12-08
A huge theme of this pandemic has been having hope. Since COVID came about, professionals have been thrown threw a loop with what works and what the best things to do are, never mind the public being even more lost and clueless. We have had to kind of just follow what professionals tell us is best to do, do our part, and have hope for brighter and healthier days. Despite varying beliefs, most people have seemed to be able to unite through hope. Hoping for the health and safety of ourselves and others, hope for things to return to semi-normal feeling, and just hoping to feel comfort. This tweet shows a playful side of hope. Making the right choices so that you can make other choices later on. By Katelyn not going out and celebrating her 21st how she wanted to and dreamed of doing, she's doing her part in stopping the spread and ensuring that there is a future in which we get to go out to crowded bars and get shots from strangers to celebrate.
-
2020-12-03
One of the biggest things throughout this pandemic was washing your hands and using hand sanitizer. If you touch something in public or that isn’t yours, it’s like your hands are on fire and you need to immediately put them out. I open the door to a store and I immediately grab one of the five hand sanitizers in my purse and drown my hands in it. This object pokes a little fun at the coinciding of the pandemic and those who’s 21st birthday was during COVID restrictions. Joking that this is the best alcohol someone could receive this year as they are finally legal to drink, when most people would probably be thrilled with hand sanitizer as a gift. This item would be of interest to future historians because it illustrates something particularly significant about 2020, the importance and use of hand sanitizer and all those who had makeshift 21st birthdays.
-
2020-09-18
In this article, Isabella Simonetti discusses how she never imagined little things in her life not going as planned before March, but now her life has been totally flipped upside-down. Along with changes in her school life and work life, Isabella was also one of the people who had their 21st birthday look a little different because of the pandemic. She mentions how she felt as though celebrating at all was a betrayal in itself. Towards the end of her article, she makes what I believe to be a very important observation about the pandemic. Isabella says, “Since March, my life has become less about managing expectations and more about not knowing what to expect at all. While I loathe uncertainty, I’ve found comfort in taking a step back, being grateful for what I have, and knowing that things are so crazy and ever-evolving that I just can’t expect anything at all.” The idea of living in the moment and being grateful for what you have is one of the most important lessons we can all take away from this pandemic experience, 21st birthday edition or not. This collection item demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID. Learning that unexpected changes are not the end of the world and making the right decisions for the safety of you and others was a huge thing 1999 babies were faced with this year.
-
2020-12-14
Carolyn is someone who has been dreaming about her 21st birthday and had big plans for celebrating it as well, however the pandemic forced her to cancel those plans. However, we still made the best of the situation. During this interview I asked Carolyn a couple questions that I needed to be careful with how I phrased them. I related this back to the things we learned about ethical archives. When figuring out what I was going to ask Carolyn, I was careful to think about what affect the question might have on her. I didn’t want to ask questions too harsh or questions that were accusatory. This definitely limited the questions that I could ask but I also think it was very helpful to think of it prior to the interview and make adjustments accordingly.
-
2020-05-28
CHAMPS-NY is a statewide group of providers, advocates and thought partners, who work to promote state policy and practice changes to ensure children entering foster care are placed into family-based settings whenever possible. In this press release, Kate Breslin, CHAMPS-NY co-chair, talks about how a safe and stable home are vital to both individuals and public health during a global health crisis. This press conference is a call to action for the state of NY to provide foster children with the option to remain in foster care for at least 180 extra days after they “age out”. Nine other states have made this adjustment as sort of a form of a COVID relief plan for foster children and CHAMPS-NY believes that NY should offer this as well, especially since NY has been hit so hard by this crisis. This press conference and including it as a collection item is another attempt to fill an archival silence and to amplify the voices of marginalized groups. Those who speak in this press release are advocating for foster children who struggle to have their voices be heard. These people are fighting for these kids who know one else has or will fight for. This collection item displays and spreads awareness about a group of people who have been silently suffering and who have been subjected to the detrimental impacts of this pandemic just like everyone else, if not more.
-
2020-12-08
This collection item not only symbolizes my personal experience of turning 21 during a pandemic but it also demonstrates something significant about my generation under COVID. I was one of the many 1999 babies that experienced this milestone birthday during the pandemic. This photo is to remind that I was not the only one who had to celebrate this birthday in my kitchen and that I was not the only one who couldn’t go out to a bar and take shots with random people. This pandemic has brought about a lot of unexpected things to many people. Turning 21 during COVID times and having an impromptu celebration during it is something that I think is important to document and remember, not only for my generation but for everyone. Looking back on the unexpected and homemade 21st birthday celebrations that people had this year will be something to cherish one day. These kinds of stories are also important in documenting how many people, although there were far worse things going on around them, chose to be selfless and sacrifice this very special birthday for the safety of themselves and others.
-
2020-12-03
Deshala’s story is one that not only teaches us the struggles of being a foster child turning 21 and aging out of the system during a pandemic but is also a collection item that attempts to fill an archival silence and amplify the voice of a marginalized group. Her story exemplifies how this already anxiety inducing time in foster children’s lives was significantly intensified by the COVID19 pandemic. There are certain groups of people that many of us think of when we hear “marginalized group” but one most people don’t think of is foster children, especially those who are close to aging out. Kids in the foster system normally struggle to have their voices heard and are a group that experiences arguably the most emotional distress and inconsistency in their lives out of anyone in our country. This pandemic not only made them, kids who were about to age out of the system, more stressed and fearful for their future than ever but there was also hardly anything they could do about it either. The inclusion of this collection item is meant to spread and educate people on the strain that this pandemic has put on kids aging out of the foster care system. No one should ever have to worry about losing a safe and stable home, especially not during a global health crisis and Deshala’s story amplifies this issue and calls for action for others in similar situations due to the pandemic.
-
2020-11
The item that I am submitting is a collection of my experiences that I have with COVID-19, as well as starting off with an experience I had when I was younger before COVID-19. Then I write my experience present day from Thanksgiving, as well as giving it a short ending.
-
2020-03-27
During the coronavirus pandemic, financial inclusion is more critical than ever. Small businesses are vulnerable to the health and economic impact of this global pandemic. They are less likely to have access to quality and affordable health care and paid leave to care for sick family members or themselves. Without appropriate savings, credit, and insurance it will be hard for them to weather the storm and deal with business disruptions and maintain a stable livelihood. Small businesses are at the heart of America's economy but hundreds of thousands of them have been pushed to the brink of failure due to Covid-19. I live on the southside of San Antonio and here there are multiple small businesses that I see everyday. Recently, I see signs in front of businesses that speak to me and worry about the families it is going to affect with the closure of the business. Since the pandemic most businesses do not have the cash flow for three months of expenses.
-
2020-03-18
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). This act provided additional flexibility for state unemployment insurance agencies and funding to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. This act requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons that relate to Covid-19. To receive these unemployment insurance benefits, you need to file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state you work. Employees everywhere are put on sick leave everyday due to coronavirus. This act gives them more support and sanity to help them in their day to day lives whether it is to help support family or pay expenses.
-
2020-04-23
This is a photograph of a graffiti mural depicting the female rapper Cardi B wearing a face mask. This mural was originally painted by a man named Colton Valentine depicting the rapper with no mask, however, it was updated recently this year to adjust to our current global situation. I chose to place this item in the archive because I felt as though it demonstrates the significant roles that celebrities have over my generation under Covid. Many young people look to celebrities for advice and it is incredibly important that said people are setting a proper example by wearing a mask. I enjoyed bringing a different form of creative art into the archival collection with this object.
-
2020-11-23
This is a photograph created by my brother, Domenic Ciampa. Like many others during the time of Covid-19, he has been able to continue his passion for drawing due to the lockdown restrictions. This was a card he made for our mother's birthday during the quarantine. There are three abstractly drawn cats with a funny blurb of text to the right. The text on the card reads, “I washed my hands before creating this... Happy Birthday” I thought this would be a good addition to my mini archive because it is a personal item to me. It also responds to the needs and considerations of my ethical archival collection. This object withstands all of the ethical practices and guidelines which I am following.
-
2020-07-06
This is a silk mask with what appears to be the $1200 stimulus check awarded to U.S. citizens during the pandemic. The design was all hand-stitched by a woman named Jennifer Markowitz in Raliegh, North Carolina. This piece is interesting as it is an artwork that overtly displays the moment in time it was made. This item will stand the test of time and be of interest to historians in the future as it illustrates significant aspects of the year 2020. This item displays an important subject of the pandemic, the stimulus check, on the piece of clothing that has become essential, a mask. This creative artwork is practical and clever when representing the times during the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
2020-10-29
I am posting this photo because it showcases how I have spent a lot of my time during the pandemic. This photo displays every painting I have created since the beginning of the quarantine. Some of the works shown in the picture are still works in progress and others are completed. Before Covid prevailed and we were sent home in the spring, I had lost interest in painting and had not painted in months. The lockdown that Covid brought on allowed me to slow down and rekindle the love and creativity I had for painting. In this photo, there are 14 paintings, however, I have made more and gave them to friends as gifts. I mainly work with acrylic paint on canvas because I like vibrant colors and solid lines, although, I would like to start experimenting with oil paints soon. Covid-19 brought on many obstacles to a lot of people, but I am grateful that I could reconnect with painting. This object demonstrates the significant rise of creative liberty within my generation under Covid-19.
-
2020-12-10
This interview examines how a relationship between my close friend, Abby, and her girlfriend Julia was affected by the pandemic. As pointed out in her answers, they began dating right around the time that the pandemic began, and ended in early November, so the entire course of the relationship took place while the pandemic was going on. This interview represents individuals who are part of the LGBT community (Abby is bisexual, her ex-girlfriend Julia identifies as a lesbian), and gives the opportunity for them to share information about a relationship that may be looked over due to its lovers.
-
2020-12-14
As this interview is part of a collection exploring relationships and the exploration of sexuality during the Covid-19 pandemic, I really wanted to get to know some more about what it’s like to have a relationship altered by the pandemic. Luckily, I knew just the people. I reached out to two of my best friends on campus and asked if they’d be willing to speak about their experiences, which they agreed to. I already had an interview set up with a friend who went through a whole relationship (began dating and broke up) during the pandemic, but I felt it was important to explore multiple different types of relationships. This interview to me shows something about my generation living under Covid, as it shows how many of us felt like we were stripped of the indepence we gained when we left for college, and how we now have to navigate living at home again. In the case of these two, they also have to navigate being intimate and romantic with each other in this situation.
-
2020-04-10
This is an inspirational video produced by the company Apple. This short one-and-a-half-minute long video consists of various photos and videos filmed by people all over the world durig the pandemic. There are great displays of creativity and different forms of art in this video. For instance, the art of playing the violin, learning to dance ballet, as well as the craft of making of old motion pictures are all displayed in the source. I chose to display this object because reflects the needs and considerations of an ethical archival collection. This source assures that an abundance of different perspectives from people of many backgrounds are represented respectively. I also feel as though this archive does attempt to fill an archival silence and amplify the voices of marginalized groups by allowing for such a diverse array of people to be included in this video featurette.
-
2020-12-01
This photograph went viral on Instagram, with many people I know sharing the post on their stories in order to spread awareness about how hard nurses and other healthcare employees are working. I think this photo is really important because it shows a side of the pandemic that no one is really thinking about. It shows how healthcare workers are unable to see their families because they are tirelessly working with COVID-19 patients and don’t want to infect their families. This shows a marginalized group of people, healthcare workers, who haven’t really had their voices heard or cared about enough through the pandemic. Healthcare workers have not been appreciated enough for all the hard work and sacrifices they have made for their patients during 2020. In addition, this post gives voices to women who have often been silenced, allowing Syndi Lane to share her story with the world, encouraging others to follow.
-
2020-05-31
There have been many ways people have chosen to let their creative energy loose during the pandemic. The story that I have uploaded is about a woman, named Manami Sasaki, who found her niche during Covid-19 to be turning bread into works of art. Sasaki designs bread with replicas of art as well as traditional Japanese imagery. Sasaki says that this practice keeps her calm and in good mental spirits. I chose to place this object in my mini archive because I feel as though this source attempts to fill an archival silence as well as amplify the voices of marginalized groups. This is an incredibly niche practice that amplifies Japanese culture
-
2020-12-01
One of my coworkers tested positive for COVID-19, so all the employees got tested to ensure we were all being safe at work. I think the photos I captured at Melrose Wakefield Hospital tells a story about all the precautions to stay safe and healthy in an unprecedented time. These photos respond to the needs and considerations of an ethical archive because it shows what precautions are being taken both inside and outside a hospital. In The Ethical Archivist, the author wrote about the ethics of acquisition, which documents have permanent or evidentiary value. I think these pictures may be seemingly unimportant to most people, but to historians this is data that shows what types of mandates and precautions were put in place during a worldwide pandemic.
-
2020-12-10
I think this is an important combination of sources depicting nurses at the beginning of this pandemic, in comparison to how they feel now. My sister, a nurse at a hospital in Los Angeles, California, sent this photo of her to me on March 21st, 2020, smiling and feeling good. 9 months later, she is exhausted, scared, and still working around the clock to help her patients. I think this collection item both demonstrates how significant social media has been with my generation under COVID, as well as being something of interest for future historians to see how devastating the year of 2020 has been. This video of her got 193.3K views on the TikTok app, showing how many people are using the app and watching videos surrounding COVID-19.
-
2020-12-11
In this article, written by Caroline Enos from Suffolk University, it states how Suffolk was willing to open its arms to the medical workers in the area. This article really resonates with me because these are the same rooms that I lived in as a freshman, and now they are being gifted to medical workers. These 30 staff members who are working at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, are scared to go home to their families in hopes they would not get them sick. This article is definitely something of interest for future historians because it shows parts of the Boston community coming together to help each other and stay safe in the midst of a deadly virus. The story also resonates with members of my generation because we are seeing our University step up and give back to our community.
-
2020-12-12
This is a video of a nurse who volunteered to go to New York and help out with the COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals. She was overwhelmed at the number of patients she had that were Hispanic, Black, Latino, and Middle Eastern, and other people of color. It was clear to her that they were being disproportionately affected by this pandemic and chose to march in protests along with them. The acts of Becca Cooper, and the stories she told her audience about, amplify the voices of marginalized groups by speaking out about it and making people aware of these communities and how heavily they are being affected. I think 2020 has also been a year of protests to fight for equal rights and that speaks out to my generation as well. I know a lot of people who have participated in these protests and it goes to show how my generation is standing up for what we believe in, much like Becca Cooper did for her patients.
-
2020-12-14
This article shows the first coronavirus vaccine being given to a critical care nurse in NY. This is a huge milestone for the U.S. because it was the biggest effort to produce a vaccine in our history. This would be something for future historians to discover because it is so significant for the year of 2020. This has been a year of hardship for everyone and I think this vaccine is a glimmer of hope for many people. There are currently 3 million vaccinations being flown around the nation right now, hoping to help more people and save many lives.
-
2020-12-15
My Thanksgiving was mostly good and not good this year. I felt this way about my thanksgiving that way because I got to hangout with my family, aunt family, and my pets. The reason because it wasn’t good it’s because we couldn’t go to some fun places because of this pandemic and it’s issues. But over all I think God just wanted it that way and that I wasn’t alone in this season. I’m happy that I got to have a thanksgiving in a different perspective of life.
-
2020-12-15
As many Pride celebrations were cancelled this year, many members of the LGBT community turned to social media to share how they were celebrating Pride in these strange times. This post displays a handmade crocheted shirt in the colors of the pride flag, made and shared by an individual seeking recognition for the work seeing as she had no celebration to wear it to. This just shows the dedication of the LGBT community to the celebration of Pride, which will be communicated to any future historians studying LGBT history.
-
2020-12-15
When I had the idea to focus a mini collection on the expression of sexuality during the pandemic, one of the things that came to mind was Pride 2020. I myself was going to attend the event in Boston this year, however, like much of the United States, the celebration was cancelled. However, I knew that the LGBT community wouldn’t just let June pass by without some celebration. This post from Reddit displays how one individual spent pride month with the goal of turning individuals from queer media into Lego minifigures. Queer characters in movies and television are not all that easy to find, so this individual’s work had the potential to introduce anyone who stumbles upon their posts to queer characters. This in itself amplifies the voices of the LGBT community, by in a way calling for the normalization of queer characters in media, and giving them a way to share their identities through projects they create.
-
2020-12-11
As I sat scrolling through Snapchat one day, I was presented with an advertisement. At first I skipped, however, when I saw the Bumble logo, I immediately went back to look at it. Sure enough, I had stumbled upon a perfect addition to this mini collection that I am putting together about dating during the pandemic. The ad was for the Bumble campaign “First Moves Forever” (https://thebeehive.bumble.com/firstmovesforever) which recaps how Bumble was used in 2020, and shares the stories of some users in an interactive way. This website may interest future historians, as it shares the stories of real individuals in relationships, and tells how social media/dating apps were used during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also gives another look into the ways that brands are now using the pandemic as a way of advertising.
-
2020-12-13
As this interview is part of a collection exploring relationships and the exploration of sexuality during the Covid-19 pandemic, I really wanted to get to know some more about what it’s like to have a relationship altered by the pandemic. Luckily, I knew just the people. I reached out to two of my best friends on campus and asked if they’d be willing to speak about their experiences, which they agreed to. I already had an interview set up with a friend who went through a whole relationship (began dating and broke up) during the pandemic, but I felt it was important to explore multiple different types of relationships. This interview to me shows something about my generation living under Covid, as it shows how many of us felt like we were stripped of the indepence we gained when we left for college, and how we now have to navigate living at home again. In the case of these two, they also have to navigate being intimate and romantic with each other in this situation.
-
2020-12-15T15:25:00
My Covid-19 experiences were surely pleasant because I have never experience a pandemic until now, but at the same time were a little sad because I couldn’t go to fun places like paint balling, friends houses, restaurants, and more. I still liked when we could go to some places that weren’t exposed to coronavirus, like when I went to Temecula with my family and aunt family, also when I went to my grandparents ranch house, when I could go to my Nana’s house and Aunty house. So that are some things that I got to experience this year.
-
2020-10-29
Due to the massive number of American voters who decided to cast mail-in ballots, coupled with the unprecedented voter turnout, American’s did not get an answer on Wednesday morning as to who the next POTUS was going to be. This uncertainty, along with the climbing covid-19 numbers, meant a lot of citizens were feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what the next few days, and perhaps weeks, would entail. Crisis hotlines in the US saw a spike in calls related to election anxiety. This political cartoon created by Bruce Plante shows the anxiety that the hotline workers themselves might have been experiencing. With call after call coming into these centers, hotline workers do their best to ease the minds of those on the other side of the phone call. This is significant to 2020 because it illustrates the collective emotions voters were facing in the first week of November 2020.
-
2020-12-13
In about September or October, I remember my friend reaching out to our group chat about how she was questioning her sexuality. This questioning soon led her to the realization that though she had identified as straight her whole life, she felt that the label of bisexual fit her better. Next thing I knew, she was dating a girl. When I decided to seek out material related to the expression of sexuality during the pandemic, I knew immediately that I wanted to dive deeper into her story and see if the pandemic had anything to do with the situation. One of the biggest issues I had with this interview was making sure that I was not overstepping any boundaries and getting too personal, going back to the ethical responsibility that historians/archivists have to respect the privacy of those who are aiding in their contribution. However, I feel that not only did I find more out about the effects of the pandemic, rather, I found more out about my friend than I had expected to.
-
2020-08-06
For many American’s, the financial impact of covid-19 has been at the forefront of their minds. With sky-rocketing unemployment rates and working hours cut due to state restrictions to help stop the spread of the virus, some American’s have been forced out of their residencies and into homelessness. Even more troubling, many shelters were unable to house the homeless due to capacity restrictions. For those who do not know, homeless citizens in all 50 states have the right to vote, but some states encouraged mail-in voting for the 2020 election to limit the spread of covid-19. Without a permanent address, many homeless citizens were forced to vote in person because they had no other alternative.
-
2020-10-30
In 2020 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been a pivotal organization in educating the public on how to protect themselves, and others, during the covid-19 pandemic. The CDC periodically releases guidance and updates on how to safely navigate everything from grocery shopping to voting. The CDC released an article titled “Tips for Voters to Reduce Spread of COVID-19”. In the article they encourage voters to know their voter’s rights, even if they are quarantined for covid. With a lot of voter misinformation circulating, the CDC took the proper steps to help voters understand their rights, whilst encouraging measures that help prevent the spread of this rapidly spreading virus.
-
2020-12-08
This photo shows a bench that is an advertisement for the dating app Bumble located in Boston’s Seaport district (exact location unknown). The bench has two seats, with space for social distancing between, which goes to show how far people are taking social distancing guidelines. Bumble makes use of participatory content here to engage the public to interact with their advertisements, which may lead to more interest in further interacting with the app. This object has the potential to interest future historians, as it shows how brands used the pandemic as ways of advertising. It also shows the ways in which not only we changed, but the physical objects around us changed to adapt to the pandemic.
-
2020-03-12
My State Championship run being cut short due to COVID-19 cherish every moment with your friends and teammates never know when it will be yall last time playing together
-
2020-10-27
Many colleges and universities around the United States encourage students to be politically active and to exercise their right to vote, but Suffolk University decided to go a step further. Throughout all SU’s social media during the election we saw posts sharing information from deadlines, to social distancing practices while voting in 2020. This screenshot from Suffolk Universities Instagram account shows one example of how the university encouraged voting. What is not shown here is the fact that Suffolk University took the initiative to cancel classes on Election Day, November 3rd, 2020, so that faculty and students could volunteer at polling places and/or vote in-person. After the election, Suffolk University continues to encourage students to engage with the political process both locally and federally.
-
2020-12-15
As the CDC released guidelines for how citizens could help stop the spread of covid-19, many American’s started to wear masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) before leaving their homes. Masks quickly went from simply being a means of protection to a way of expressing themselves. Much like wearing a campaign t-shirt to show political affiliations, people started to wear masks adorned with slogans from the presidential campaigns. The Trump campaign, and others, released MAGA masks for purchase on their campaign shop. Only during a pandemic in tandem with a presidential election would we see something like this. As the pandemic continues on, it is safe to assume that masks will continue to be a way for people to display their personalities.
-
2020-12-15
As the covid-19 pandemic began, many American’s found themselves glued to the news more than ever before. A result of this news consumption brought to light the atrocities committed against BIPOC in the United States. On March 13th, 2020, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot 6 times in her home by a plainclothes officer. Two months later, on May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was suffocated and killed during an arrest over a counterfeit $20 bill. Rightfully, many were outraged and so began protests in cities and towns across the United States. As the election drew closer a movement began to encourage voters to reflect on how their vote can impact historically marginalized individuals within their communities. What will the candidate you vote for do for the communities currently facing social justice issues at large?
-
2020-12-15
As covid-19 continued, many political campaigns were forced to be more creative in their approach when it came to engaging with audiences. Some campaigns held virtual events and rallies. The Biden-Harris campaign decided to take advantage of the cultural phenomenon that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons to engage with younger voters. In the Nintendo game, players curate their islands and can create their own personal designs to share and use. This game has been significant to many millennials during covid, because it has been a place for young people to “hang-out” virtually and show off their creativity. The Biden-Harris campaign took advantage of this massively successful game and created their own island, Biden HQ. They created t-shirts and designs that other players could utilize. Players can still visit Biden HQ using the in-game dream code DA-7286-5710-7478.
-
2020-05-12
This is my story and my truth regarding my moment in time in my new Covid-19 reality. This story was originally done in May 2020 on behalf of a contest I entered for the Bronx Community College Spoken Word Club. It expresses what I was feeling and going through during that exact time at the height of the pandemic.
