Anglory Morel
Inwood | Upper Manhattan | NY
Anglory begins by describing her crowded living conditions, the impact living in a community of essential workers has had on her mental health, productivity, and ability to meet academic demands, and the efforts she has made in both her academic work and personal life to validate the unwarranted emotional stress that stems from the extensive manifestation of sickness and death in the lives of her family and friends during this pandemic. She then explains her frustration with statements and attitudes that aim to geographically and socioeconomically, equalize the American experience with COVID-19 while challenging misconceptions about her community’s level of concern with the virus. Considering the current political economy, Anglory goes on to express her community’s—along with her own—sentiments about the disposability of Black and Brown lives and essential, low-income workers. Though she worries about a post-COVID-19 future in a community heavily affected, Anglory continues to yearn for a return to a sense of normalcy and an acknowledgment of the sacrifices her community has made to maintain New York City and ensure the well-being of its inhabitants.
Alejandra Villarreal
East Harlem | Upper Manhattan | NY
Alejandra begins by describing what it’s like living in a crowded apartment during quarantine, her mother’s experience with COVID-19, and how it impacted the way she conceptualized the virus, quarantine, and social distancing measures in NYC. She then shares the current socioeconomic conditions and experiences of family members and friends during this pandemic that ultimately shed light on medical distrust, disparities in medical treatment across NYC hospitals, sources of increased risk of fatal outcomes with COVID-19 in urban environments, all of which are by-products of structural violence. Despite such grave conditions and an uncertain future, she is relishing the much-needed rest granted by quarantine, both for herself and her resilient mother.
Prettystar Lopez
Morris Heights | The Bronx | NY
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The Rona Reaper
Spoken word written & recited by PLO
It's Really Unfair
Anonymous
He/Him/His
18
Bronx, NY
I think that the covid-19 pandemic shows how little people care about low-income people and the most vulnerable. The building where I live in was completely dirty—old face masks & used gloves were all over the stairs and entrance way—my dad had called our landlord to tell them about the problem in the building. Very little was done to fix this problem of cleanliness in the building. I had made a sign and posted it on the entrance to tell people to please clean up after themselves. Our landlord basically ignored our requests and concerns about our health and safety because to this day I still see used gloves and face masks all over the building where I live. I think it’s really unfair to us because there are elderly that live in this building and they are a very vulnerable population to the virus. My grandparents live with my parents and I so they are vulnerable and it really concerns me that they can pick up the virus because out building wasn’t cleaned up.
Recognizing These Privileges, Doing my Part
Anonymous
He/Him/His
18
Queens, NY
These past few weeks have been really hard. We’ve never been through anything like this, so it’s very hard adjusting to this new world all of a sudden. However, I am really grateful that I have resources and support available to me. I also recognize that I have—in some ways—privilege. There are people that have been laid off and aren’t making any income, may suffer with mental health issues, or live in an abusive household. I recognize these privileges that I have but also I try to do my part to help those around me such as providing info on resources with my friends or simply just checking in on them.
Getting Rid of Us
Anonymous
Urban
Well first of all they’re trying to kill poor people. These plans to open hair and nail salons and schools is just a ploy to get rid of many of us. Interesting how there weren’t any tests available to people in poor, urban areas but these celebrities said they didn’t have any symptoms but were still being tested.