How are you feeling during this time of physical distancing and shelter-in-place?
At first, I was calm about it because I enjoy staying at home but I became anxious and overwhelmed when we were told it can last for weeks, all I thought was, what will I do in the next few weeks, what will happen with school, work, and everything else. It’s definitely been weird since I got used to having a schedule every day and not being able to go or do usual things is an adjustment.
What are some concerns and needs you are hearing from youth and from the community?
There are a lot of folx in the community who do not have any resources and many people who have been off work who lost their source of income. Which brings us to not having access to food and essentials. With online education happening, some households do not have WiFi or students do not own technology. Also, there are youth that do not feel safe in the household which can make the shelter in place difficult for them overall.
Which virtual programs have you been a part of at RYSE, and what has that been like?
So far, I’ve been to the SPEAK POET virtual workshop/program. It was a new but great experience. I had a chance to connect with RYSE folx who I missed seeing and hearing from. It felt great to still be able to do workshops that involve writing poetry which has been my ways of coping during these times.
Is there anything that you’ve found inspiring or grounding lately that you’d like to share?
My initial reaction was to make sure I’ll be able to get things done. What I have noticed is that many have been using these times to try to be productive and making sure they are constantly doing work. This pandemic should not be a sudden competition on productivity. There have been times I’ve lost track of days but I’ve learned to go with how my mentality, emotions, and body wants to be during that day. I took some of the days to get back on activities I wasn’t able to do during busy times. Also I feel like this has been the moment when the world is telling everyone to slow down. To let ourselves realize what we have in life. To be able to stay home, be with loved ones or even alone. Just knowing that it is okay to let ourselves be with time, let ourselves feel any emotions about all this. Let ourselves finally be us.
Do you have a personal wellness practice that you’d like to share?
In the chances I get in the mornings before I have virtual classes, I would light a scented candle and journal to write my hopes for the coming days and what I’ve been grateful for or just how I’m feeling at the moment. I’ve been writing poems and listening to music more than usual. I’ve been doing exercises to keep my body moving. Cooking has been more than usual too. I’ve been painting and taking naps a lot also. Lastly, I’ve been watching a lot of shows and movies.
