What does resilience look like in the time of hate and COVID-19? How do we take care of each other? To check out the photos with their respective SHOWeD method, scroll down below!
This photograph is important to me because this was the first time that I, as a Muslim, was not able to engage in any social activities in my community as a result of COVID-19. We could not go to the mosque or meet up with family and friends like we traditionally do to celebrate. However, we did have some small traditions we could hang onto, like applying henna with our family members, and that is what this picture shows and still having something be the same among all the craziness was something I very much appreciated. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distance because strongly recommended as staying 6 feet apart from others helped control the spread. Because of this, religious gatherings were also strongly discouraged and Muslims had to celebrate their religious holiday, Eid, under these new protocols. Many were not able to worship in congregations as is usually done or celebrate with family and friends. Most had to do traditions with only their immediate family and connect with others through video chat.
– Sidra Ali
This photograph is important to me because Chinatown is a place that I used to visit often pre-COVID-19. Seeing the emptiness of what used to be a busy alleyway was definitely a reminder of how COVID-19 has impacted the lives of many. More importantly, alleyways in Chinatown have many mom and pop restaurants and other small businesses such as acupuncture businesses, gift shops, and resources for Chinese-Americans or Chinese immigrants. An interesting aspect of the mural is that it includes the words “housing for all”. Although this phrase is unrelated to COVID-19, the words “housing for all” is a reminder of how Chinese-Americans, as well as other peoples of color and minorities, have been exploited by the government. The mural is a great representation of Chinese American’s history of resistance. Being that COVID-19 has been called the “China Virus”, many Chinese and Asian Americans have been racially attacked. This mural provides a historical reminder that we have fought against discrimination, and we will once again fight against the xenophobic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a fellow Chinese American, it is great to see so much of our untold history portrayed as art.
– Cynthia Fok
The photograph is important to me because in this photograph I am actively contributing to the fight against COVID-19. I read on the news that hospitals might be facing a shortage of PPE. This is dangerous because frontline workers are our first line of defense against COVID-19. If they are infected and get seriously ill, there will be even fewer professionals to save lives. Realizing the situation, I decided to make face masks and donate them to the Kaiser Permanente Laboratory in Anaheim and Harbor-UCLA Laboratory in Los Angeles so that frontline workers can be protected during their fight with the virus.
– Emma Hong Nguyen
This photograph is incredibly important because this demonstrates the allyship and support that the AAPI community was showing as part of the outpour of support during the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020. As part of the Vietnamese-American community, I felt a responsibility towards showing my support for this movement and to show myself as an ally towards the Black community. In order to do so, I had to first educate myself and my family. This photograph is important because it allowed me to easily communicate with my family, specifically my non-English speaking grandmother, of the difficulties that the Black community continuously faces in America. This photograph offers insight to how vast the influence of social media has in today’s generation. It also goes to show how many people appreciate and are able to use this as a tool to help educate their families as well.
– Leyna Tran