As aggravating as things are (especially when people overlook public health measures designed to avoid the spread of the virus and conserve lives), we are enduring history. The people who endured the 1918 influenza pandemic most likely didnt think they their personal experiences would be important to anyone in a century, but take a look at how frequently that pandemic turns up now.
Whatever is uncertain and we do not have a roadmap for dealing with a public health crisis of this magnitude, yet it has actually been both practical and unusually reassuring to check out how people managed a pandemic simply over 100 years back– especially understanding that things did ultimately get back to normal( ish). And now, thanks to the New York Public Library (NYPL), we have the opportunity to record our own COVID stories for posterity. Heres how to do that.
Uncertain what to speak about? Heres a prompt from the NYPL:.
The pandemic has affected nearly all aspects of our lives, and this task seeks as lots of special stories as possible. Were looking for reflections on families and parenting, education and cultural organizations, organization and work, necessary workers, life in quarantine, #BlackLivesMatter and demonstrations for racial justice, healthcare and hospitals, trauma and grieving, the recession, shared aid, art and literature, neighborhood organizations, politics, and far more.
Have other questions? You can reach individuals behind the task at [email protected].
How to tape-record your pandemic stories for the NYPL.
The NYPLs Pandemic Diaries is a brand-new initiative that gives individuals the chance to submit audio recordings of themselves and/or liked ones telling their stories about life during the worldwide pandemic. For the very first phase of this job, the NYPL is accepting submissions up until November 18, 2020, and you need to be at least 18-years-old to contribute.
G/O Media may get a commission.
Interested? This page on the NYPL website offers detailed guidelines for recording and submitting your audio file. When the project is total, the audio diaries will be archived in the NYPLs research libraries, where theyll be offered for future scholars, reporters, trainees and the public.
Photo: Ivan Marc (Shutterstock).
When the COVID-19 pandemic was truly beginning in the United States back in March and April, we were still figuring whatever out. We were in lockdown. Everything was weird and scary (particularly in New York and other parts of the east coast). And we just desired some bathroom tissue. As we moved into May, it became quite clear (to most) that the pandemic wasnt going anywhere anytime quickly. Its now August, and we comprehend that this is our truth for the foreseeable future.
When the COVID-19 pandemic was truly kicking off in the United States back in March and April, we were still figuring everything out. As we moved into May, it ended up being quite clear (to most) that the pandemic wasnt going anywhere anytime soon. Whatever is uncertain and we dont have a roadmap for dealing with a public health crisis of this magnitude, yet it has actually been both useful and strangely comforting to check out about how individuals dealt with a pandemic just over 100 years back– especially knowing that things did eventually get back to normal( ish). And now, thanks to the New York Public Library (NYPL), we have the opportunity to record our own COVID stories for posterity.
