A Virtual Graduation and a Struggling Business

Item

Title

A Virtual Graduation and a Struggling Business

Description

I chose to include primary sources from the beginning of the pandemic, as well as some from more recent times. The first sources I chose were from my virtual high school graduation ceremony in the spring of 2020. One of the sources, a picture, is what was shown on the screen when my name was announced on a live video presentation that I watched from my living room. Next, I included my valedictorian speech to give future generations further insight into the lives of individuals during the Covid-19 pandemic. While it was still an honor to graduate high school and be named valedictorian, something about my mood that day felt dark and angry. It just wasn’t the same. At the time of our virtual graduation, our small town had yet to even have its first positive Covid test, which made it feel even more wrong. However, as months went on, I found that the effects stretched far beyond myself. The Mexican Restaurant I work at began to lose business as the weather got colder and outdoor seating was no longer an option. For a short time, people were still comfortable eating their meals inside (distanced, of course). This comfort didn’t last long once Wisconsin was scolded on nearly every news platform as being a hotspot for new Covid-19 cases. For another component of my primary source, I included a screenshot of a Facebook post that my boss posted on the restaurant's page, pleading our small town to continue to show support to struggling businesses. I hope that future generations can look back at the sources I provided and see the devastating effects to not only individual lives, but businesses and communities as a whole.

*Video to be attached*

Coverage

Tomahawk, Wis., 54487

Date

June, 2020
November, 2020

Creator

Natalie Zastrow

Contributor

Natalie Zastrow

Subject

Health and medicine
Education

This item was submitted on December 11, 2020 by [anonymous user] using the form “Contribute an object” on the site “Western Wisconsin COVID-19 Archive Project”: https://lib02.uwec.edu/Omeka/s/C19

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