Giving Thanks and Looking Towards the Future.
Storytelling has always been so important to me. In times when I have felt overwhelmed, distraught, or particularly reflective, I have found peace in writing and the solace it provides. To sit with our emotions and articulate them in a way that feels true can be challenging and somewhat uncomfortable, but it is an exercise I have embraced in quarantine. I spent a lot of time wondering if the people in my community felt similarly, experiencing heightened emotions amplified by the physical isolation of stay at home orders. I became interested in learning more about how the people around me were adjusting to a new reality and documenting this oral history.
Through these interviews, I have had the opportunity to learn more about a wonderful, diverse group of people who share one thing in common: a unique perspective. Faced with the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, it feels impossible to fully capture the changes we have been living through. Yet amazingly, these five individuals have relayed their challenges, fears, and celebratory moments in a way that feels both universal and deeply personal. I have also been able to incorporate my photography into this project, adding another layer to this feeling of connection with the participants.
To Alan, Austin, Hedda, Stuti, and Nicole- I hope that you will share this project with family and friends, so that they can understand a piece of your journey the way I have been able to these last few months. Your collective honesty, humor, and hopefulness have been a welcome change of pace during such trying times.
-Alexandra Cali