Katarina Zuder // Student + Artist

Coco Miletti-Hall // Makeup Artist + Stylist

Josh Robertson // Artist

Keegan McDaniel // Barista

Jessica Booth // Server

Jeremiah Currier // Good Life Body Piercing + Fine Jewelry

Nirali Shah // Akron Henna Art

Eliza Gonzalez // Artist + Tattooer

There were good days and good things that happened too. I was lucky to not have to worry about my finances too much, having had a lot of stability in my career with the shop that I work at. For that I feel truly blessed and grateful. I found more

Kate + Nikki Woodford-Shell // Yoga Squared + Zen Space

Kate + Nikki Woodford Shell // Yoga Squared + Zen Space

Oscar Diaz // El Rancho

Raeni Taylor // Bartender + Server ; Reiki Practitioner + Yoga Instructor

Katarina Zuder // Student + Artist I am Katarina Zuder. I am 22 years old and was born in Akron.I am an artist working at a local pizza place at the moment. I'm fairly comfortable working in the food industry, so I don't that being how I make money. My main goal is to make a substantial amount of money, if not all of my money with my art. I'm just not sure how to go about it at the moment.As of recently, my free time has been filled with finishing my semester at the University of Akron. Now that the semester is over, I'm not yet sure how I'll spend my free time. I want to try and better myself with this time at least.When my work began implementing COVID related changes, I wanted to walk out. I was very paranoid about my new reality as an essential worker. But, I didn't leave because I felt and still feel an extreme amount of guilt. I can't quit knowing that their are people struggling right now. Plus, theirs the fact that take - out restaurants business have increased; so they need their employee's right now.As a naturally introverted person out side of COVID life, I find myself now yearning for more human connection. I miss the sense of community I felt with fellow artists at Akron U. I miss reaching reaching out to my friends without feeling needy. I miss feeling independent. In general, though, as someone with an anxiety disorder, i feel surprisingly level headed under these circumstances.

Katarina Zuder // Student + ArtistI'm trying to keep in touch with spirituality during this time. I'm trying to remember that God has bigger and better plans for us outside of our own. So, that's my silver lining I guess; that this time will be transformed for the better. As an art major, a huge adaptation for me has been online schooling. I've turned the only free room in the house into a studio for oil painting. I've made the kitchen counter and a bread board a place for ceramics. Working in spaces not meant for the chemicals and mess that come with art making has come with many tribulations. Then, of course , not seeing certain family members has been a trying adaptation. It's difficult knowing that I'm losing valuable time with my grandparents (who are both in their 80's) that I've seen weekly since I was a baby. I hope we become more sympathetic and supportive to our neighbors. This virus has turned down the noise of our normal bustling lives and have brought realities to light. The unseen are being seen now, and hopefully they will stay seen when this ends.

Coco Miletti-Hall // Makeup Artist + StylistQ: Who are you? I am Coco Miletti-Hall.Q: Where were you born? I was born in Akron, Ohio.Q: How old are you? I just turned 30 in March.Q: Where did you grow up? I grew up mostly in Ellet and West Akron.Q: What do you do? I am a self-employed professional makeup artist, hair stylist and wardrobe stylist for weddings, print photography, production, art and fashion.Q: Why do you do what you do? I don’t know if anyone has really asked me why I do what I do before. I guess I have followed my interest and passion in doing makeup for fashion and art while inviting opportunity into my life for many years. I have been very fortunate to receive the connections and work that I have gotten in the past 6 years and I give my absolute all to every job I get (or think I might get), while also practicing and improving my craft. This has led me to a place where I felt confident to quit my full-time day job and do what I love full-time. I am very lucky and fortunate. Q: What do you do in your free time? Before the Pandemic I would have laughed and said “what free time?”. I am really a social person and love to hang out with my friends and family. I like to craft and make things and work on artistic and creative projects. I love to go hiking, rollerskating, spending time outside. A picture perfect day for me is working on projects outside in the sun with my husband Nick followed by a couple of his crafty cocktails and making a creative dinner together. I also have a couple of awesome maine coon mix cats that are very intelligent and need lots of interaction and entertainment. Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?The pandemic has effectively brought my livelihood to a complete standstill. Aside from offering virtual makeup lessons and tutorials, I can’t go face-to-face with a stranger to perform a service that includes me touching their face, eyes, nose, mouth while breathing in each other’s air. Especially with it being a rather non-essential service. I have lost many thousands of dollars of income in the past 2 months between production jobs and movies that have been canceled/postponed and the very strong beginning to the wedding season that has been extremely affected by the pandemic. I am very much so looking forward to the day someone like me can apply for unemployment to help pay for my bills and supplies. Supplies are a whole other beast that I have been researching and considering - How will I be able to protect myself and my clients from the virus when I have to go back to work? This will certainly require much more sanitizing products, masks, gloves, face shields, disposable products, and much more all the while still exposing myself and my household, my clients and their families, to infection. It’s scary and overwhelming.

Coco Miletti-Hall // Makeup Artist + StylistAs far as my life goes, the pandemic has almost been a blessing in disguise. If I separate the money and income from the situation, I have never spent this much time with my husband and working in the yard, improving my home and life. It has been a delight to get to know each other in such a different way. We have been talking to our family and friends much more often. Collaborating on cooking a ton. The opportunity to rest and relax guilt-free has been life changing for me. It really helps me appreciate this time as much as I worry about it all. I am completely aware and appreciate the fact that we are SOOOOOO BLESSED. Many people are experiencing vastly different situations at home and I give thanks for our good luck multiple times a day. We are so fortunate to be in a position that we have each other, we genuinely enjoy each other and we can take advantage of this pause in life. Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?My anxiety has really tried to take control during the quarantine. Especially in the beginning. I struggle with both sides of the spectrum - is this as serious as they’re saying? maybe it’s not but what if it is? What if it’s worse than what they say? What if my grandpa gets it and dies? what if my mom gets it and her lupus causes it to take over? What if I didn't wipe the groceries down good enough and now my fridge is a petri dish? I’m taking this too seriously. I’m not taking it seriously enough. I’m currently very, very stressed out about how to reopen my business and when. It’s become an obsession. I’m trying to gauge how other professionals in the industry are handling it but it’s a very split opinion.Q: What silver linings have you found?Silver linings that I have found are a strengthened bond and understanding with my husband. I have also reestablished some strong connections with friends and family via video chat. I have had a chance to just “be” and relax and work in my garden. I have also gotten a renewed appreciation for our essential workforce in grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants. Q: How have you had to adapt?I have had to adapt by reeducating myself on sanitization procedures for my industry and come up with creative solutions for the future. I have had to establish a virtual makeup offering to attempt to be helpful and relevant to my clients and brides who decide to get married during the pandemic instead of postponing. I have had to completely restructure my kits and equipment and what they contain and how I carry and protect them in the future. I will have to adjust my routine during service a lot which will affect my service times.Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?I hope that the pandemic and quarantine help people to cherish the down time you’re allotted. I hope that it makes us all remember our priorities as far as our home lives and family connections go. I hope that it prevents us from taking quality time in the physical presence of the people we care about for granted, as well as the freedom to just run to the store for some more lettuce, catching that yoga class with your community, or grabbing a drink with a friend.

Josh Robertson // ArtistMy name is Josh but I go by my middle name Jair. I’m 27 years old, and I was born here in Akron, Ohio. I grew up around the west side as well, but moved to a few different cities throughout my life, including Memphis. I consider myself a creative with various talents I utilize to carry out my various pursuits as an artist. I enjoy shooting photos and editing videos because it allows me to express myself as a person in ways other than verbal communication. In my free time you can find me skating, eating food, playing video games or hanging with my friends.The pandemic has not really affected my life on a personal level, besides the fact that I can no longer go to drink and do a lot of the activities I used to do on a daily basis like going to the movies or sitting down at a restaurant. Since being in quarantine I have struggled with keeping connections with some people because they are scared of contracting or spreading the virus.

Josh Robertson // ArtistThe silver lining I see is that all of this will pass at some point, just like everything else in history that we have faced similar to this situation.Adaption for me in this time period has just been using technology to communicate more than anything, as well as spending more time with myself and working on my hobbies.I think that evolution is the most important aspect of this pandemic, as it has taught us a lot about society as a whole, and how individual health will always be more important than working. I believe that our world leaders will keep this in mind and make the adjustments necessary to keep the ideals of this quarantine in motion.

Keegan McDaniel // Barista Born in Valparaiso, Indiana I lived in Nova, Ohio until the age of 11, followed by moving to Ashland, Ohio for he remainder of my youth.I’d be two years old in cat years. I’m a barista at Angel Falls Coffee in Akron, Ohio. I enjoy having a platform in which I can express myself and my creativity. Being able to fill up the cups of the community next to some of the best friends I’ve made in Akron will always hold a special place in my heart! If I’m not thrifting or at Home Depot I suppose in my free time I find myself squishing on my cat Kook, sewing (anything creative), walking the woods, or goofing off with my roommate/best friend.

Keegan McDaniel // BaristaDespite the occasional mental breakdown, I’ve been appreciating being able to slow down physically and mentally. Having a little reflection time to rest and digest thoughts and feelings has really been a positive change in pace.I have found it interesting though, that since I’ve been unemployed and unable to do some of the activities I used to, I have fallen into lazy spells. I didn’t have anything defining my time, consequently, I didn’t really have as much of an urgency to accomplish tasks. Although this pandemic has been frightening and uncertain, I feel as though it’s going to be a positive break in the normality we try to tack onto life. The comfortable routines we nestle into will now be rattled such as, people we are used to seeing, places we are used to going, and activities we are used to completing. It has shown me the opportunities I have taken advantage of, putting things into perspective for me and causing waves of gratitude. I hope through this shift in reality opens up a new rout of thought forcing us to be more present, and to embrace the uncertainty that is life together.

Jessica Booth // ServerMy name is Jessica and I am twenty-nine years old (my mother loves to remind me how close I am to thirty, but I believe this year doesn’t count. I’ve decided to turn thirty in 2021 instead of this year). I was born in Akron, grew up in Stow, Ohio, dabbled in Kent for a bit and then moved back to Akron when I was twenty-three. For the last however many years I have waited tables for income. I love so many things about this industry, which is why so many like myself struggle to find a way out. The restaurant industry can be addictive in a way. I love the fast pace, the fast money, the amazing creative people I get to work with. Every day is a little different. I know dining out is a luxury for so many, and it really is important to me that they have a great experience. I really want my time at work to reflect that I care about this.My free time is spent almost entirely catching up with friends, and in the times my extroversion meter is running low, I read, or watch Gilmore girls for the 57th time.As soon as the announcement for restaurant closures were made, I contacted my boss and asked if I could be approved for unemployment. I really had no interest in answering the phones and cashing out guests for carry out orders. I just couldn’t see myself caring about work doing only that. I’m grateful to have a job, it’s just that I knew I would quality for unemployment, and there are other servers I work with who would be left with nothing and would be desperate for the shifts. I also didn’t really grasp the reality of the situation or how long this would go on. And honestly, I thought the break sounded really nice. The service industry can be very stressful and I can’t even remember the last time I had more than two days off in a row.As much as I do enjoy the time off, a large part of me feels empty and useless. Many days I find it hard to get small tasks done, which is wild to me. Before I would knock out laundry before an evening shift. Now? I put it off for sometimes a week (easier to do now that my work clothes aren’t a priority to be washed). I love to meet my friends out at the bar and have multiple people over at my house almost every day. I’m a true extrovert by nature, and limiting my in person contact has been a struggle for me. I feel unbelievably blessed to be experiencing this in an era with screens, but life has essentially stopped. I can’t help but think, what is there to even talk about? It’s made me feel insecure in the ways I relate to people, and how much I normally even have to say with any real substance.

Jessica Booth // ServerI miss working. I miss feeling like I’m contributing and being a part of something. Like many others in my industry, I’ve taken some time to think about going back to school and doing something I’m less comfortable with, but maybe more meaningful or substantial for me in the future. I always saw serving as something I could always rely on, and now I don’t know if the restaurant industry will be the same again soon, if ever.I won’t be going back to work for a while. My restaurant is being very cautious about opening too early, which I respect immensely. I am trying to be optimistic, but it is a fear of mine that my job won’t be there for me when I desperately need it back.My personal silver lining is one I almost feel guilty about. Since the Cares Act passed I’m actually making slightly more than I normally make a week. As a server I’ve never quite been able to be ahead on my finances. I never get a paycheck, and now I’m receiving one. I’m not spending at bars and restaurants like I would. I’m finally on stable footing and I do believe I will carry this with me and be smarter about my money. It’s hard to save when you take home money every day, and you assume it’ll be there for you tomorrow if you go over your limits. I now know the money I’m making in this industry might not be there for me later, and it’s been eye opening.My pandemic experience has been unusual. I started a new relationship right before everything closed, and it’s unlike anything else. I’ve slowed down. I’m no longer relying on work gossip and bar gossip and it’s much more real. I feel...overwhelmingly lucky in my position. With everything. I’m getting paid. I have roommates and my wonderful family. I’ve been cooking. I’ve been taking time for myself to think without noise. I’m unbelievably blessed to be young and outside of an at risk category for illness. My anxiety hasn’t been silent, but how can I focus on that when I feel like I’ve gained so much in this situation?  My ultimate hope for this situation is this: we as a country realize how important welfare is and how much we need to care about our neighbors. Pregnant women and mothers could’ve been working from home this whole time. Evictions and electric payments could’ve been delayed. Student loans could’ve been frozen. It breaks my heart that it took a crisis like this to make people have compassion, but I do believe, and hope that this will alter our political climate for generations. And god. I wish Obama was our president through all of this.

Jeremiah Currier // Good Life Body Piercing + Fine JewelryI am the proud owner of Good Life - Body Piercing + Fine Jewelry. This month would have been perfect for a 15 year anniversary party, but some things came up ;) I have been piercing for coming up on 17 years. More importantly I am a husband and a father.Q: Where were you born? St. Thomas hospital, room #, just kidding.Q: How old are you? I will be 38 by the time anybody reads this.Q: Where did you grow up? I was back and forth between Firestone Park and Cuyahoga Falls.Q: What do you do? I pierce. I workout. I watch fights. I spend time with my family. That pretty much sums up my whole existence other than bathroom breaks.Q: Why do you do what you do? I just love all of the parts of the process. The journey. Managing the excitement and expectations while picking out jewelry and going over care instructions. And then calming the nerves of my client, grounding them, focusing them on their breath and being present when it comes time for the actual piercing. That. That last part, I am telling you, is my happy place. You want someone to stab you on purpose and you're nervous about it? I got you. It will be nothing but a good memory I promise.Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?What a tough question to answer. Currently things are so good. I've got clients booked out for weeks. Clients who are patient and who understand and are willing to wait while we get back into the swing of things. The pandemic has "forced" us into an appointment only situation, but we've been talking about doing this for years. A typical weekday with my kid before all of this was just... wake up, get ready quickly, get him to school, work, pick him up, get him to eat dinner, start getting ready for bed. Fuck that. Someone else gets to spend all day with my kid. I got to be a stay at home dad for a couple of months, and that was great. That made sense of everything. While all of these silver linings were revealing themselves, certainly there was anxiety, depression, uncertainty, stress, regret, etc. I had to lay off all of my employees.

Jeremiah Currier // Good Life Body Piercing + Fine JewelryMy mother spent months in and out of the hospital and I wasn't able to do much other than drop off supplies and Facetime. Honestly, now that I've been back to work for about a week, I am already starting to forget any not so great memories of my "stay at home" time. I sort of feel refreshed and re-energized. I feel as though I have been met with a new challenge and that is to get my business back to where it was. Next week two of my employees are coming back, part-time. Eventually, full time. Eventually, more employees. Most of my time spent with negative thoughts was just me worrying about things that I couldn't control. Just so many unknowns. A lot of overthinking.Q: How have you had to adapt? Mostly going from a dual income family, to a one income family, and being a full time dad while mom works. Again, another silver lining. I was able to stay at home while my wife adapted first at work during a pandemic, and literally one day before her summer break started, I got word that I could go back. It was very nice to be able to adapt at different times at least in regards to work.Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over? I. Don't. Care. I know the world will evolve and I know that I am just an observer. As long as I can provide for my family, and fingers crossed that I don't get sent home again, I can't wait to see how weird shit gets. Thats not me raining on anyones parade. But like, life is memorable as fuck right now. As I was sitting at home curled up in a fucking ball, anxiety ridden wondering if the economy would collapse so bad that my industry would disappear, I realized, I really didn't care. I'll go back to being a dishwasher or a gravedigger if I have to. All that time helped me to realize what was most important, and hopefully I can hold on to that focus. "All we are is dust in the wind dude."

Nirali Shah // Akron Henna ArtMy name is Nirali. I am the owner of Akron Henna Art and Akron Bollywood.Q: Where were you born?I was born in India in the state called Gujarat. Q: How old are you?I am 39 years old.Q: Where did you grow up?I grew up in Gujarat, India in a medium sized city with my family. Q: What do you do?I am a women entrepreneur. I own a business called Akron Henna Art where I bring my culture experiences to others. Q: Why do you do what you do?I do it because I am very passionate about sharing my culture heritage and experiences. It brings a smile to people and makes them happy. Seeing them enjoy my henna art is very fulfilling. Q: What do you do in your free time?I do things like listen to documentaries or podcasts or spend time in my yard and garden. Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?Because most of my festivals and craft shows were canceled, I wasn't going to receive 80% of my income. People have been so nice and supported me by buying my art during this pandemic time. I was very happy about that part. This pandemic affected me in both good and bad ways.

Nirali Shah // Akron Henna ArtQ: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?I was initially very depressed about this whole situation but once I started letting people buy my art online, I became more mentally strong and hopeful about being able to interact with people again but in a new way.Q: What silver linings have you found?It gave me more time to finally open my online business, spend time with my family, and help me focus on my priorities.Q: How have you had to adapt?I personally adapted pretty good. I am happy to spread my love about my henna art to the world. Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?I want to go back to my normal festival life where I can meet so many people and spread my skills of henna with them. I think an evolution of connection will come about through all of the new ways we have had to help and rely on each other. It will change for the better. Q: What are you anxious about as we begin to reopen?I am worried that we are going to lose more people as not everyone immune system is strong. I am hoping everything would be normal once everything opens. I am taking many precautions in my business as I reopen so that I keep my customers safe and healthy.

Eliza Gonzalez // Artist + TattooerMy name is Eliza Gonzalez Miller and I am a first generation Mexican American. I was born in El Paso, Texas. I am now 31 years old.I moved to Ohio with my mom when I was four. We also moved to Pittsburgh briefly and came back to Akron when I was in the fourth grade. From then on I grew up here in a neighborhood very close to Highland Square.I am a working artist, and I make tattoos full time at Assassin Tattoo Studio in West Akron.I love my job because it gives me freedom to live my life on my terms and I couldn’t find that ability in any other job I have had. It lets me be creative and I get to use my artistic skill. I dropped out of art school to pursue tattooing full time in my junior year and I am very proud of myself for successfully making a living in the arts. I also get to meet and bond with a lot of people that I might never have known otherwise. Making others happy is always my number one goal. I have found a lot of fulfillment throughout my career and made most of my friends through it. I can’t imagine doing anything else. In my free time I like to spend time with my two dogs and two cats, as well as draw. I like to go on hikes, explore forests and cities, play video games, read, eat good food and listen to music. I have a lot of interests in a lot of subjects but mostly I spend my free time finding new bands and new artists and learning new things about the world, and the best way to do that is to go out and explore. The pandemic had a huge effect on my life. Everything came to a standstill for me. Tattoo shops were shut down by the state on March 18 and I was unable to work until May 15. It was my first time without a job since 2007. I struggled a lot mentally through the entire quarantine, and the first few weeks feeling almost like a very bad dream. I tried very hard to self isolate as much as possible. My car broke so I couldn’t even drive around or go to a park for a good portion of the pandemic. Being alone, I heavily disassociated. I either slept too much or not at all. I’ve always battled depression and anxiety but quarantine really showed me how bad I could really get. I began having a hard time with my memory, too. I kept forgetting if it was March, April, or May, what day it was, how many days had passed, what I did the day before or what I was planning on doing five minutes ago. I stopped planning for the future because I had no idea if I’d make it through. It was like living in a fog. This made going back to work really tough, I had a lot of clients to remember, a lot of projects to start working on with details that had been discussed months prior. Just speaking out loud was a struggle after months of not doing very much of that at all. Financially it was hard for a lot of tattooers. We are technically self employed and depending on how we file our taxes, we don’t qualify for any unemployment. I saw a lot of tattooers adapt and survive off of commissions. The key word being survive. I didn’t do commissions. I wasn’t capable of taking on any more responsibility in the state I was in. I tried very hard to take advantage of the free time I suddenly had and make art but in the end I didn’t do as much as I wanted. With the memory problems, it was hard to have any focus while also feeling being incredibly anxious and depressed. I very much wanted to do as much as I could but a lot of days were spent on the couch hiding under blankets feeling very guilty about wasting the unending amount of time I seemingly had.

There were good days and good things that happened too. I was lucky to not have to worry about my finances too much, having had a lot of stability in my career with the shop that I work at. For that I feel truly blessed and grateful. I found more time to have conversations with friends and build better relationships with them. Even though I couldn’t see them, technology made it so that I never really felt too alone. And on my worst days, someone would check in on me and that really got me through. This is a collective experience through which a lot of us have forged better bonds with each other through. While I did struggle with my mental health throughout, in the end I found that I used the time to confront myself and begin healing from previous traumas. I had a hard time adapting to a new routine and lifestyle. I am a bit of a workaholic. When I’m working I am very busy with my job, spending all day at the shop and then going home and drawing all night for appointments. Learning that I did not need to be busy during all the hours of the day was much needed. I ended up forcing myself to stop trying to make art while I was in quarantine, and to just focus on being alive. As we go into the next phase of this pandemic I hope that people pay more attention to essential workers and appreciate them. Most of the people who continued working at stores like Walmart or your local grocery store or wherever you got your pizza from barely make a living wage and they deserve a hell of a lot more than that for serving us in general, and even more so for serving us throughout the pandemic. They didn’t get to sit at home. They had to keep working, while being at a higher risk of infection. I hope more Americans pay more attention and realize that we are running on faulty systems and start moving together to make necessary changes. And that at the very least we can be kinder and more attentive to those who are serving us.Tattoo shops reopened on May 15th and I am very anxious about it. I am worried that being back at work will cause anxiety in others. I am really anxious that it could be too soon to reopen and that more people will get sick and die. I’m struggling with whether I should be working, but for my shop to stay in business and to have somewhere to come home to, we need to work. I am also scared that we will be shutdown again, so it’s really just a cycle of anxiety that I and I think a lot of others are living in right now. But still, in the end, I also have a lot of hope for establishing a new normal, one that is healthier and happier for all of us.

Kate + Nikki Woodford-Shell // Yoga Squared + Zen SpaceQ: Who are you? Our names are Kate + Nikki Woodford-ShellQ: Where were you born? Niles, Ohio (Kate) and Akron, Ohio (Nikki)Q: How old are you? 27 + 34Q: Where did you grow up? Niles, Ohio and Akron, OhioQ: What do you do? We own and operate two yoga studios in Highland Square, Akron, OhioQ: Why do you do what you do? To make it extremely brief- Kate’s dad owned a gym in her hometown, and Nikki is an Akron native who has always loved Highland Square. We feel that this is our calling, and we love creating community and providing a space where ALL people feel welcome. We have a passion for inclusivity and of course- we are yogis at heart- we love this practice and we love having the opportunity to allow more people to access + practice yoga, especially our neighbors.Q: What do you do in your free time?Walk our dog Raja around the neighborhood and go on ice cream dates. Under “normal” circumstances, we love to travel- and think about traveling!Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?It has completely turned our lives upside down. We had to close our studios and it impacted our teacher trainings and pretty much everything we do! We’ve pivoted to providing classes virtually.

Kate + Nikki Woodford Shell // Yoga Squared + Zen SpaceQ: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?It’s been challenging! We were preparing for a grand reopening of our studio after our expansion project right around the time that we had to close down. Adjusting our expectations has been a struggle- we envisioned having parties, community gatherings, a free week of yoga- all sorts of celebratory events in the big, new studio space. Instead- we had to close down. After SO much preparation and energy, it was a hard letdown. When we reopen again it will be MUCH, MUCH different- which is also tough. We always try to be flexible, to relax with what is, but this has stretched us emotionally, without a doubt.Q: What silver linings have you found?We got our virtual studio up and running, which is something that we wanted to do already- this was definitely the push that we needed to move quickly and efficiently. Our community really rallied behind us and we discovered that while our physical space is at 764 W. Market- our community exists in our hearts and in the hearts of our students. It has been an eye-opening and life affirming experience. We also got to prepare for the reopening over a loooong period of time as opposed to getting a big group together to get ready for the grand opening quickly- which was, in its own way, nice. Our lives sped up in some ways and slowed down in others- which was probably long overdue.Q: How have you had to adapt?Oh, in so, SO many ways- lol. We moved all of our operations online. We finished our construction project in a much different way than we anticipated. We had to cancel SO many classes and events and just experienced so many different emotions- disappointment was probably the main one for awhile, but now we feel excited and hopeful for the future of the studio.Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?We want to get back to doing what we were doing for the most part, because we love what we do- but there is definitely more room for rest and softness in our lives, and we hope to continue to make space for that energy. We have very, very high expectations of ourselves and this pandemic has taught us that we can’t always be in control- that sometimes we have to surrender even when it’s hard. So we hope to go back to normal, with a twist. And really think through the new projects we take on so that we are holding space for ourselves and what’s really important- our family, our community, and our personal well-being.

Oscar Diaz // El RanchoMy name is Oscar and I am married with two daughters. I own two Mexican restaurants named El Rancho, one is at 1666 West Exchange St in Akron and the other is at 4065 State Rd in Cuyahoga Falls. I was born and grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. I have lived in this country for about 15 years now and became a citizen of the United States a couple of years ago. Why do I do this job....well, I strive to give customers authentic Mexican and South American food and I work hard to support my family. In my free time I enjoy riding my bike and spending time together with my family and watching movies.

Oscar Diaz // El Rancho When the Ohio governor issued the stay at home order I followed it and I stayed home with my family, only leaving home for essential items such as food and closed down my business. The pandemic has caused me to lose a lot of our revenue, make the cost of food go up, and made everything unbalanced and a lot harder. So therefore that overall affects your business and personal life financially. I have found there are no silver linings to this Corona virus pandemic, nothing good can come from this.

Raeni Taylor // Bartender + Server ; Reiki Practitioner + Yoga InstructorI am Raeni Alyssa Taylor. I was born in Tucson, Arizona. I am 28 years old (I’ll be 29 on June 13th). I grew up in Spokane, Washington. I have lived in Akron the last 5 and a half years. I am a Bartender and Server. I am also a Reiki Practitioner and a newly 200hr Certified Yoga Teacher!I do what I do because I love to meet new people, network, share ideas and energy! I love to make drinks and to get people smiling and laughing. Connection is healing in many ways. I cherish the experiences in the upbeat and fun environment at the brewery as much as I do connecting more personally and deeply with students in my yoga classes or clients on my reiki table. Ultimately I want to give people warm genuine vibration raising experiences in our community with their friends and family or just for themselves! In my free time I love to practice yoga, read, journal and study astrology! Also taking photos with my friends and other local photographers! Singing is my ultimate outlet! If you have ever lived with me you know that the house is never quiet because of all my singing!Q: How has the pandemic affected your life? Your job?I am a very social person and I love to be out in the world exploring and staying busy. Even if I wanted to read a book or journal you could find me in a coffee shop or bar doing just that content in the buzz of it all. Obviously I had to find a way to cope with the fact that the places I spent most of my time were no longer available to me. Home had to become my new hangout for literally everything. Something that I would have choked at the thought of in beginning of this year.My job at the brewery has been able to find a way to make things work successfully with carry-out and delivery! So there were still shifts (however limited) available which helped with some of the fear of having absolutely no income coming in.I switched from teaching yoga in person to live on Zoom which at first was so scary and weird. It was something a lot of teachers and myself weren’t trained for so it was inspiring to see the community learn and navigate through it together. It was hard to adjust to not being able to always see my students or feel the energy in the room. Now it’s something I think is an amazing resource and I hope it sticks around!

Raeni Taylor // Bartender + Server ; Reiki Practitioner + Yoga InstructorDuring this time I have struggled with being far away from my parents. My mom was supposed to visit in April to celebrate my YTT graduation (which was also delayed). I have not seen her in nearly 3 years now. It was a real low point for me in managing the anxiety I already deal with daily. Then throw in the new anxieties of just simply going to the store. I definitely spiraled around week 3. Not being able to have physical contact is a struggle also. I miss giving and receiving big hugs. Sharing big belly laughs when your mouth is wide open and you’re falling over each other. The stuff that dissolves anxiety and fills my soul. I miss in person conversation. I always felt I can be myself easier in that way. So there is a lot of identity issues surfacing for me also. Communicating mostly virtually gets me in a funk of comparing myself or overanalyzing myself. There has been a lot of internal restlessness and questioning throughout this time. Q: What silver linings have you found?I can easily teach yoga to my friends and family not just in Ohio but literally anywhere!! I can also take classes I normally wouldn’t be able to from other teachers around the world! I’ve been getting regular sleep more often and waking up earlier which I love! I actually don’t mind being at home so much!People are supporting local businesses more and have been much more respectful and appreciative of the job I do. Having experienced my own peers look down on what I do saying things like “Is that even worth it!?” “Why did you quit your desk job!?” With their noses high in the air. Just really low judgements on my worth based on my job. And I know I was serving people with similar ideals to this before and will continue to but a lot of people seem to have truly realized how important a dining experience is to them. Understanding more what the service industry actually go through and why we do what we do! It’s really been great being back and hearing people say how much they missed us and to see the size of their smiles. As much as I’m maybe not ready to be open for full service the connections being made are so much more genuine and I’m loving it.Q: How have you had to adapt?The biggest thing is cooking at home more and buying more than a few days worth of groceries. Being a bartender and server as my job I can’t help but love going out somewhere rather than doing it myself. The longest we made it not going to the store was 3.5 weeks! Of course also finding a new flow and routine for myself. Finding new creative outlets and learning new things about myself with the lack of usual distractions! Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?I hope we evolve to have more love, understanding and patience in our hearts. To know that not one person or job is more important. I hope people have more respect and appreciation for service industry workers, the little guy, the less fortunate, our planet. I hope we can fearlessly protect, support and stand up for those who need it. I hope people can evolve to understand that it’s not all about them. I hope we initiate the changes in our systems to benefit and heal the collective. We are all in this together. Always have been always will be!

info

prev / next

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·