Featured Refresh
Text & Image
Talk about what is most upsetting or scaring you right now about the coronavirus pandemic.
I'm an older Asian-American female so you'd think I would feel trepidation about walking around lately, given all the publicity about violence against older Asian-American females. But though I live in New Mexico, a state which has the worst property and violent crime rate in the country according to some measures, I don't feel any more threatened than usual. When we started to hear that wearing face masks could prevent transmitting Covid-19, I resisted at first. I felt like I stood out because I was used to thinking of face masks as an urban Japanese thing. Now that wearing face masks is de rigueur, I feel like wearing a face mask makes me slightly anonymous. Which is laughable, because several times now I've run into friends in stores who have no problem recognizing me with a mask on! Early on in the pandemic, my mom, aunt, and cousin all sent me face masks they sewed themselves. Each piece of fabric has a story attached, and when I wear them I feel protected and loved. Being an older Asian-American woman is splendid! More positives than negatives. 10/10 would do it again.
April 18, 2021
Text & Image
Some people have reported that their dreams have gotten more vivid, or that they’ve had an unusually strong sense of God, or felt the presence or heard the voice of departed loved ones—has anything like that happened to you? If it has, tell us about it.
In the past week, I felt the presence of those who have gone before me - holding me in their firmness and strength. I have been thinking about how they taught me to be who I am and be responsible and steady during this pandemic time. And just knowing that has given me resolve that it is possible, and that I do not need to be swayed by the wind from one day to the next when faced with case numbers rising or irresponsible political management at the national level. I wanted to capture that strength and idea of being a conduit, of being a connected system for myself and my family - even during this time of isolation. A tree with roots in the ground, a leaf with veins stretching out from base to tip, or the veins that course through me.
August 14, 2020