Having started a movement to help annihilating Covid-19

General

How is the situation in your city/ country? Is there a 2nd wave yet?
I live in the City of the Chicago. There has definitely been a second wave, and it is discouraging to still see so many in a very community-oriented and progressive city to be so careless with mask wearing and physical distancing.

How did the atmosphere in your country change within the last months?
In the United States, the height of the second wave happened at the height of our four year election cycle. And mask wearing became a very “hot button” subject for most of the nation. It became very politicized. Pro mask people, or mask wearers were seen as people who were jeapordizing others freedoms; and those who were anti-maskers were very much concerned with their liberties.

How are you and your family?
My partner and I are well. I am high-risk. I have an autoimmune condition, and a genetic blood clotting disorder which makes me high-risk. As far as we know, neither of us have been infected with the Coronavirus. Because of my high-risk, we have done everything within our power to stay safe and protected.

What was the biggest challenge for you within the last months?
My partner and I started a movement, MakeGoodTogether.org. We are an organization that aims to empower everyday people to be leaders within their social circles to annihilate Covid-19. We want people to stick up for safe action in social situations, and influence others close to them to make smart and safe decisions as they relate to the pandemic. To be able to service our project, MakeGoodTogether, I’ve had to cut about three-quarters of my billable work. I’m a brand strategist and designer, and have managed my own design business for over twenty-years. It’s been a struggle, having to choose between being able to pay the bills, and being able to push forward an initiative that can literally save lives.

My partner and I started a movement, MakeGoodTogether.org. We are an organization that aims to empower everyday people to be leaders within their social circles to annihilate Covid-19.

Measures

When did you realize how serious the situation is?
I realized the situation was serious when the City of Chicago shut down. My partner asked me if he could move in, and this really was a eye-opening sign that this pandemic could be around for a very long time.

How did your government react to the crisis? Which measures/restrictions were taken first?
Our government reacted in a way that was very much weak, regarding action. They made it seem very much less of a big deal than it was. The first measures were the suggestion for those who didn’t have to go out to stay home. Even today, some States in the United States do not have mask mandates.

Are you satisfied with the measures of your government? What was good/bad?
I am not satisfied with the measures of my government. Our government, and leader at the time (Donald Trump) very much divided the country in half, and made it impossible to work together in any way that could help stop the spread.

What would you like to say to your government?
I would like to say to the governement, just tell us the truth, tell us the facts, and don’t sugar-coat it. We are adults, and can handle complex situations if we are given an accurate picture.

Which sentence of a virologist/politician did you memorize the most?
Interestingly, I can’t recall any sentence of a virologist/politician. Perhaps that is telling.

Just tell us the truth, tell us the facts, and don’t sugar-coat it. We are adults, and can handle complex situations if we are given an accurate picture.

The Virus

Do you know anybody who was infected with COVID-19 or even died?
My partner Eric’s mother, aunt, uncle, and grandfather all were infected with Covid from the same event. Eric’s grandfather Charlie passed away from the virus. Beyond that, being a co-founder of a movement (MakeGoodTogether.org) makes it so we know so very many people who have been affected. We personally know hundreds of people who have loved ones who have been infected and/or died.

Have you already done a Coronavirus test or have you been in quarantine?
I have been in perpetual quarantine.

Are you afraid of getting infected with the Coronavirus?
I am so afraid of getting infected with the Coronavirus. Because of my autoimmune condition and genetic blood clotting disorder, getting the virus could be a very bad deal for me. Not to mention the horrors of potentially being a long-hauler dealing with long Covid.

Because of my autoimmune condition and genetic blood clotting disorder, getting the virus could be a very bad deal for me.

The lockdown

How long is/was your lockdown and what was allowed/what wasn´t?
It’s hard to say as different states opened up and locked-down at different times. There was no one concerted effort. That goes for what was allow / wasn’t. It varied from state to state and county to county.

Did you spend the lockdown time with somebody and what did you do during this time?
I spent the lockdown with my partner Eric. We built MakeGoodTogether.org, ate alot of coffee, and played alot of Magic the Gathering.

What did you miss the most during the lockdown? What helped you?
Running outdoors without wearing a mask, and without having to be mindful of dodging people. I bought a treadmill so I could run without the extra effort. I’m an introvert, so missing in-person gatherings has not been all that difficult for me.

I’m an introvert, so missing in-person gatherings has not been all that difficult for me.

Changes

How did your work situation change within the last months (shorter hours, working from home, etc.)
I had to cut my billable work hours down to about a quarter of what they were to be able to focus on the work we are doing with MakeGoodTogether. I own my own design business, and have been working as a consultant for the past twenty plus years. Working from home has been the norm for me. So my work environment didn’t change.

How did your social life (relationship/friendships/dating) change due to the Corona crisis?
My extrovert friends are struggling. A couple friends have asked me to hangout, but I’ve had to turn them down to stay safe. I feel they likely are a bit hurt by my decision to prioritize making smart decisions over social decisions.

What impact has the Corona crisis on your financial situation?
The Coronavirus has impacted me financially as I have given up about three-quarters of my billable work to focus on building the movement. I could give up working on MakeGoodTogether, and I’d be in just as good of a financial situation as I have been in the past; but I can not think of a greater way that I can be of value to help end the pandemic than the work I’m doing with MakeGoodTogether. So I make the sacrifice, and live right on that edge of not being able to keep up with bills.

Social distancing: How does your daily life look like at the moment?
My daily life looks entirely isolated with my partner Eric. We play games with friends online, and talk to family with video chat. Neither of us have done any in-person get-togethers since last March. We have not seen any friends or family in-person.

The Coronavirus has impacted me financially as I have given up about three-quarters of my billable work to focus on building the movement.

Perception

Who are to your opinion the heroes of this crisis?
Everyone who is making a sacrifice are the heroes of the crisis. Literally EVERYONE has a role to play in ending the pandemic. The front-liners. The virologists. The scientists. The long-haulers who are paving the way for chronic illnesss research and advocacy. The person who is sticking up for what they believe is right, and saying no to in-person invites. EVERYONE making a sacrifice is a hero.

What did the crisis show you?
The crisis showed me how ill equiped we are to deal with global catastrophy. We have some major global events unveiling right now that need to employ the skills we’ve learned during the pandemic if we want to survive as the Human Family.

What will you appreciate more after the crisis?
I will value those who are doing their small part to make a difference even more than I have in the past. We need to raise up those people who are acting as everyday leaders to make the world a better place for the entire global Human Family.

Which images will you never forget?
I will never forget seeing images of our long-hauler friends hooked-up to machines, getting tests, over and over without getting any answers. Their struggle, and the medical gaslighting they have received will stay with me.

Which stories/incidents/experiences touched/shattered you the most?
The pain of the long-haul community, and the resilence of that community have touched me in massive ways. The way that they have brought that community together, and are self-supported has been extraordinary. And they are paving the way for research and advocacy, all while being terribly ill.

EVERYONE making a sacrifice is a hero.

Perspective

What are you afraid of right now?
I’m afraid that when this passes, all the lessons we have learned will quickly be forgotten.

What gives you hope?
Seeing all these small grassroots organizations pop-up to help end the pandemic or address it’s affects gives me great hope.

Are you planning to travel within the next months?
I absolutely am not planning to travel within the next months. Until it is safe for everyone, I will not put myself, my friends, my family, my community or my species at risk.

Would you get yourself vaccinated against COVID-19??
I would / will one-hundred percept get vaccinated against Covid-19. I’m a little scared, because I don’t like shots, and I don’t want to have any commplications with my multiple conditions; but I will absolutely get vaccinated to protect everyone on this planet.

What can we all learn from this crisis?
Every. Action. Matters. We need to work together, all of us. We need to step-up and be the leaders that the world needs, and not wait for orders or permission. The Human Family needs our participating.

If you could give 2020 a headline, what would it be?
If I could give 2020 a headline it would be, “Even though we were physically apart, this could be the year that we feel the most connected to humanity in all of our lives”

We need to step-up and be the leaders that the world needs, and not wait for orders or permission.