Together
Early March marked a full year since the pandemic reached every corner of the world and forced us into lockdown.
I can briefly remember when COVID-19 hit the state of North Carolina. Wake County to be exact.
Soon after I was driving back from a Spring Break trip to Durham with a friend, an email alert was sent out from our University asking us not to return— extending our break into the weekend. We didn’t know that days later we would be going fully remote for the rest of the semester. That was how my Junior year of college ended.
In the last moments of “normal”, I remember frantically helping my UK friend pack her bags to go home, ending her American study abroad experience. My friend and I drove her to the airport blasting Kanye West’s “Famous” and munching on homemade Fleabag decorated cupcakes. It would be the last time any of us saw an airport for months. And when we drove home that day…we couldn’t leave.
Plans started shifting. My study abroad trip to Jordan was pushed back and then canceled. My PPIA fellowship at Princeton was transitioned to a virtual format.
I don’t know if the shock fully wore off or if we just got used to the routine. But between empty grocery shelves and confusing press conferences, our worlds became increasingly complicated.
Never have we been closer and yet more separated from each other.
We were experiencing the same trauma, the same deadly disease, and yet some of us were living as if nothing had changed.
Country after country, city after city, county after county, hundreds and then thousands of people were dying a day.
We have learned a lot.
If not now, then generations later will look back in history textbooks and bestsellers about how much we didn’t know. I’m sure there will be new psychology terms based on our human behavior this past year.
Of course, we know more and more about COVID-19 (and its new strands) as days continue. But we also know so much more about our world. And maybe it’s too early to tell, but I believe that documenting as much as possible about this experience is important.
Preserving memory sustains our livelihood.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of all the things this “anniversary” has taught us:
Pandemics do discriminate: Over and over we have heard how this pandemic has hit us all the same. And to a certain extent, this is true. Anyone who is older, or in the wrong place at the wrong time, or has a pre-existing condition could test positive. But the statistics also tell us that inequities in our social determinants of health (such as poverty and health care access) disproportionately impact people of color. Certain families are more likely to be multi-generational and more likely to be front-line workers than others. So while it is true that anyone is susceptible to COVID-19, we know that this is not equally felt. And the consequences are wreaking havoc in too many communities. We also know that this pandemic has widened the gap on gender equity.
In times of fear, we can be incredibly selfish…..From refusing to wear a mask to spitting on people’s faces. Or buying up all the toilet paper for ourselves without a second thought for what someone else might need. And even hopping on planes to Hawaii or Cabo without thinking of people we might be endangering. This pandemic has brought out the worst in us. Rather than turning outward and checking in on our neighbors, we have turned inwards— only caring about what we can do. Unfortunately, many of us have violated our social contract.
…but we can also be incredibly kind: On the flip side, we have shown each other how powerful mutual aid can be. We have postponed weddings and graduation ceremonies, sacrificing personal moments to fund-raise for others and to stay inside. We’ve rearranged our budgets to spend more money on eating out and helping local mom & pop restaurants stay afloat. We’ve grown gardens and donated that produce to people who are food insecure. We put pen to paper and wrote loved ones a letter to support our Postal Service. We are helping people cover the cost of funeral services. Many of us around the world are proving how acts of compassion are truly in our nature.
Public health is embarrassingly underfunded: This could be said for any service in America, but around the world, this pandemic has proved just how essential public health services are. From at-home caregivers and social workers to vaccination sites and PPE materials, we need more funding for wellness budgets and health services. It is non-negotiable. Our societies thrive when we are healthy and insured. Learn more about the risks and impacts of chronically underfunded public health systems.
For better or for worse, technology is here to stay: Arguably Zoom has singlehandedly kept us connected- to our jobs, our education, and to our loved ones. Classrooms and conferences have gone from being lively in-person spaces to a screen with a bunch of tiny squares. And for many this has been a breath of fresh air. No more scrambling for last-minute child care, or taking a 2-hour commute to the office. But in that same vein, technology has also exposed the inequalities of our ever-changing society. As universities and classrooms shut down, so did many youth’s access to technology and wifi. When students do get access to these technologies, learning how to use them and keep up with lessons isn’t always so simple. This “digital divide” causes the gap between LIC’s* and HIC’s*, households of color and non-color, and low-income families and high-income families to only widen. You can learn more about this gap here and here.
We need to renew our commitment to human rights: We have long understood that governments and states have international legal obligations to protect the human rights of those who live in and outside their borders. But this pandemic has taught us that it is our individual obligation as well. We have watched the vitriol and scapegoating of this pandemic on to communities of color done by our leaders as well as by citizens. In April we witnessed the Chinese government force evict and discriminate against African communities in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, which has China’s largest African community. In the U.S, Asian Americans have been systematically targeted for abuse, hate, and even murder. We must confront xenophobia, speak out against all forms of violence, and hold our leaders accountable. No one should fear their existence.
Community care has never been more important: It has long been recognized that communities care for each other in ways governments simply can’t replicate. Whether that be in California or Oregon, Ghana or East Tennessee, Colombia, and more, we are emphasizing just how much we need each other to survive and thrive.
Our Front-line workers deserve higher wages: Beyond those who work in the public health industry, our workers in shipping, grocery stores, transportation, and sanitation to name a few deserve higher wages. This pandemic has clearly enlightened us that without them, there would be no smooth-running society. So calling them heroes and giving them emotional Super Bowl commercials is heartwarming. But that’s not enough. We can recognize people’s dignity by paying them for their labor, their sacrifices, and their commitment. It is long overdue.
Public service is the new north star: Our communities are more peaceful, robust, and purpose-driven when we are in service to one another. Our future lies in our ability to take care of one another. Not just in the traditional caregiver model. Our dedication to go into health, education, housing, transportation, and more….those careers are what keeps society moving forward. And while we don’t always get to see our work rewarded, the possibility of knowing how transformational our work is for our children, our neighbors, and future generations can be the fuel we need to keep going. This pandemic has shown how significant it is to commit to something higher than yourself.
Teachers and Educators are the bedrock of our societies: Have you seen the incredible stories? Teachers driving to tutor children outside from their cars or driveways. Visiting the zoo and recording the experience via zoom so that students can experience wildlife. Joining Tik Tok to keep students engaged. From tech moguls to politicians, our favorite celebrities or journalists….we all got to where we are now because of the people who taught us. Not only are teachers grossly underpaid, but they are also underappreciated. Hopefully, this pandemic encourages us to treat our teachers differently.
Invisibility is not a badge of honor: All youth have experienced significant disruptions and setbacks in their development and wellbeing throughout this pandemic. But foster youth faced a tremendous amount of unique challenges. With no access to school or community centers, children had nowhere to report cases of abuse, neglect, or concern. Youth transitioning out of the system, found themselves doing so in the middle of the pandemic, including myself. Family court stopped for a while, halting reunification or placement processes. Youth had a harder time interacting with social workers and support systems. Families who would otherwise foster didn’t do so out of fear of catching or spreading COVID-19. Juvenile detention centers and group homes (which in many states are used as congregate care), became hotspots. Foster care comes with immense challenges and COVID-19 exacerbated them. If this isn’t enough of a motivation to boldly tackle this system’s challenges, I don’t know what else can be. A nation that does not care about its children, doesn’t care about its future. Foster children of all ages, including those who age out of the system, deserve so much better than what we’re giving them.
Mental Health is Key: We haven’t even begun to understand the consequences of isolation, and of the immense grief many of us face. Whether we lost a loved one or witnessed death every day, our lives have become harder. I hope we come out of this pandemic with a renewed commitment to providing accessible and culturally appropriate mental health care for those who want it.
Rest is liberatory: Many people took the opportunity that the lock-down provided to completely change their lives. People posted about their weight loss journeys, writing a book, and starting businesses. In many ways, it was inspiring to see so many people make the most of such a hard year. But there’s another equally important side to this story. There are many of us who chose to rest. We didn’t build businesses but we built relationships with ourselves and with others centered around joy and trust and compassion. In many ways, this also leads to new conversations around work and hustle culture. People who feel like their worth is simply tied to what they can produce or many things they cross of their to-do list. But we are so much more than our pay stubs and our resumes. We need a radical new way of thinking about how we work and how to implement play and joy in our lives.
Movements over Moments: Despite the fear of a global pandemic, countries around the world showed their support for BLM, farmers and workers in India demanded more rights and protection from their government, and Amazon workers and advocates for unions and fairer wages took the streets to make their voices heard. We took moments and built coalitions around movements demanding more from our governments and communities. It was an equally traumatizing and beautiful year filled with lots of hope and momentum. We took our anger and we built something that lasts. Hopefully, these movements continue.
Local food is the future: Seed sellers saw a boost in sales this past year. Among spending copious amounts of free time learning how to bake sourdough bread and finally tackle large reading lists, many people found themselves planting their knees firmly in the soil, growing gardens, and harvesting bounties. It is no secret. Everything good for the Earth is local. That includes our food production and consumption. Between shocks in trade/distribution and restaurant upkeep, disruptions in farmers’ markets, and empty shelves at chain food stores, now more than ever local food systems are proving to be more sustainable, reliable, and accessible for families across the U.S.
Keep the conversation going! What has a year in this pandemic taught you? What have you learned about the world, your community, or yourself?
* LIC and HIC = low-income country/high-income country
cover image by https://unsplash.com/@markusspiske