When 2020 was one of your best years

General

How is the situation in your city/ country?
Now things seem to be going back to normal. When Covid first hit, the first recorded case in NY was in New Rochelle where I live. We began shutting down first.

How did the atmosphere in your country change since the pandemic started?
The atmosphere in our country was deteriorating independent of the pandemic. We had a divisive and inept government managing the response. America seems to be fighting so many demons right now, between Covid, fentanyl, mass shootings, the insurrection on Jan. 6th, etc. the atmosphere right now is very unstable.

How are you and your family?
We are doing well despite everything. I am homeschooling now, and am lucky that I can do a large percentage of my work from home.

What is the biggest challenge for you during the crisis?
Feeling as if my children are missing out on all of the experiences I wanted to give them growing up.

The biggest challenge for me was feeling as if my children are missing out on all of the experiences I wanted to give them growing up.

Measures

When did you realize how serious the situation is?
Before it came to America. As an avid photographer I followed many photojournalists or media outlets and saw the disease unfolding in China and Italy before it arrived here.

How did your government react to the crisis? Which measures/restrictions were taken first?
Our local government shut down schools and public businesses or implemented social distancing. The federal government denied and minimized the seriousness and so people received mixed messages here.

Are you satisfied with the measures of your government? What was good/bad?
No, not really. That certain workers were considered “essential” and promised perks that they never received for working through the pandemic. It felt like certain lived were expendable to the government.

What would you like to say to your government?
I am not sure.

Which sentence of a virologist/politician did you memorize the most?
I remember Trump saying a lot of lies and dangerous myths.

I saw the disease unfolding in China and Italy before it arrived here.

The Virus

Do you know anybody who was infected with COVID-19 or even died?
I know quite a few people who had the disease, but I do not know anyone personally that I can think of who passed away from Covid. I know quite a few people who I am close to who lost someone they were close to.

Have you already done a Coronavirus test or have you been in quarantine?
I have done quite a few tests, and the section of the city I live in was in quarantine when Covid came to NY.

Are you afraid of getting infected with the Coronavirus?
Yes. I am less afraid now that I have been vaccinated and the disease seems to be less severe.

I´m less afraid of getting infected now that I have been vaccinated and the disease seems to be less severe.

The lockdown

How long is/was your lockdown and what was allowed/what wasn´t?
I forget how long we were locked down, it was a while ago. Maybe months or maybe weeks. We were not allowed to have indoor gatherings with non household members over a certain number. Indoor dining was not allowed and schools were remote. Stores were open, curbside pickup was encouraged although not mandatory and masks were required indoors.

Did you spend the lockdown time with somebody and what did you do during this time?
I was home with my family. I am a professor, so I taught my courses online. As a photojournalist I documented my new way of life. As a mom, I facilitated homeschool which at that time was my daughters’ public school online. Now there is no remote option, so I am traditionally homeschooling them.

What did you miss the most during the lockdown? What helped you?
I missed being able to do activities like going to the movies, or the library. I actually liked having my daughters home with me, so I would say my mental state was happier with my home life even though Covid is and was a tragedy.

As a professor, I taught my courses online and as a photojournalist, I documented my new way of life.

Changes

How did your work situation change since the pandemic started (shorter hours, working from home, etc.)
Surprisingly, it didn’t change much. It got better actually. I already had been teaching online and in person every semester, so going totally online was easy. While I lost many of my event photography gigs, I gained a freelance contract with Reuters so my photography career actually leveled up.

How did your social life (relationship/friendships/dating) change due to the Corona crisis?
My closest friendships are all fine. Dating was terrible, I tried and my fear of going out and having physical dates was stressful. Otherwise, I am lucky to be surrounded with great relationships and healthy bonds with my loved ones.

What impact has the Corona crisis on your financial situation?
It has shifted were I make money a little bit, but the federal government gave us stimulus checks that helped a lot. NY state govt gave all children food credits so that continues to help.

Social distancing: How does your daily life look like at the moment?
I and my family are mostly home and very distanced. If people want to visit we ask that they test. When we work outside of the home we wear n95 masks all of the time.

Dating during the crisis was terrible.

Perception

Who are to your opinion the heroes of this crisis?
Nurses and doctors, teachers, good people who help others, in a way all of us who put others first and don’t act selfishly. It is a group effort.

What did the crisis show you?
I am unsure what the crisis has shown me because it is still unfolding. America is in disarray right now.

What will you appreciate more after the crisis?
Time with my loved ones. Time spent in peace and good health. Seeing loved ones and hugging them.

Which images will you never forget?
I shot one of Reuters most important photographs of 2020 and the crisis, and my mind is still blown in that respect. A lot of Reuters coverage was so strong.

Which stories/incidents/experiences touched/shattered you the most?
Seeing so much death and children orphaned. Then seeing a mass shooting or police violence, there was so much going wrong at the time.

I shot one of Reuters most important photographs of 2020 and the crisis.

Perspective

What are you afraid of right now?
Climate change, America devolving further.

What gives you hope?
Children, art, good people, music, etc.

Are you planning to travel within the next months?
No, I would like to travel, but I am holding off for a moment longer.

Would you get yourself vaccinated or have you already been vaccinated against COVID-19?
I have already been vaccinated and boosted.

What can we all learn from this crisis?
That humans are chaos. I thought we were more advanced and unified prior to this crisis, but seeing people fight mask mandates and social distancing showed me people do not care or don’t believe in the disease.

If you could give 2020 a headline, what would it be?
It was one of my best years, which is so odd considering what it cost so many other people. I do not know how I would headline that.

2020 was one of my best years, which is so odd considering what it cost so many other people.