Tell me who you are:
My name is Cortney Elizabeth Dague. I was born on February 6th 1989. I’m 31 years old. I don’t feel 31. I feel like I’m 23 which is nice, except for the fact that I still feel lost and like I’m doing everything wrong. I was born in Akron and I grew up on the east side of Akron in Goodyear Heights. I lived in the same house most of my life and I went to Seiberling Elementary, Goodyear Middle School and the graduated from East High School in 2007. My father built most of our house when our family got larger. He still lives there and I visit as often as I can. I want to go back to college to become a sex educator.
Q: What do you do and why do you do it?
I’m a bartender but I don’t love it. When I got hired at Zubs I was a cook. I opened Kent Zubs for them and then I quit for personal reasons after a few years. When they moved across the street in Highland Square I got an opportunity to work for them again and was given a bartending shift that I didn’t want. The day of my very first bartending shift I was getting my hair colored and it took longer than anticipated and I was so nervous to be late. It ended up working out and that day I made wonderful friends so it was worth it. I picked up more bartending shifts after a great friend was in a motorcycle accident. I realized that I had forgotten how to talk to people because I was in the kitchen for so long and only had to talk to 4 people at a time. I don’t hate being a bartender, its just different and not very creative.
Q: How has the pandemic affected your life? Your job?
Because of the pandemic I didn’t have a job for 2 months. When the shelter in place order was put into effect I was at work. I have videos and pictures of customers sitting at the bar watching the news waiting to find out what happened. Today I went back to work only after finding out yesterday at 2pm that I had to go back to work today. I got denied unemployment and I am very thankful that my partner didn’t because we would not have been able to pay our bills.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
Over the last two months I’ve read three books and found out I really enjoy psychological thrillers. They are kind of corny but I think they are fun. I’ve been crocheting a lot, specifically making “mask mates” which help keeping mask elastic off of peoples ears if it hurts and I finished a blanket I started a few years ago and I gave it to some great friends of mine, Sandra Kurt and LaDonna Blueye.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
There have been good days and bad days. Yesterday was really rough. It was the first day I felt like I really needed someone to talk to and thankfully you (Lain) were there. I needed someone with an outside perspective to just listen. I go to therapy once a month and this is the first month in 3 years I haven’t gone. Last month I had a virtual session and it was awesome but I couldn’t schedule another appointment because I didn’t know if I could pay for it. Yesterday was therapy and it ruled.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I’m really happy that Cory and I have gotten a chance to spend so much time together. We put our apartment together and we cook a lot. I’m glad I’m reading again and crafting again and petting my cats more. I got to help foster three kittens, there are three now!!! I hate money and I hate asking people for help. It’s not good for me because I’m the one that always helps and I love that about me but I have to figure out how to be on the other end and its been hard.
Additional Thoughts
I think its way too soon for places to be opening back up because I think they are just going to close again and more people are going to get sick or die. I think it’s silly that people think the masks are silly because even if you cough while wearing them it’s still keeping people from touching theirs faces or their mouths and spreading germs. I understand that people what human interaction, I would love nothing more than to hug my friends, but the pandemic has been very helpful for me to understand who my friends are. I know now who’s there for me for real and who isn’t. Its hard knowing this because I put so much effort into trying to take care of people, but now I know where my effort should go. I’m not mad about the pandemic or about going back to work, I’m just really bummed.
Tell me about yourself.
Q: Who are you?
My name is Lizzi Aronhalt, I am a visual artist and arts educator.
Q: Where were you born?
I was born and raised right here in Akron, Ohio!
Q: How old are you?
I am 29 years old.
Q: What do you do?
I work part time as an art teacher at a local catholic school and part time as a studio artist. I primarily paint cityscapes, but also paint portraits, and do illustration work and murals. I also teach art at an after school program through South Street Ministries here in Akron.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
I love to create! I have always loved the challenge of making artwork and the satisfaction that comes at the end, it’s like solving a puzzle without knowing exactly what you are looking for.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I am involved in a local church, read books and I run and play soccer with my parents and siblings who also live in Akron. Sometimes with all the odd jobs I do it doesn’t feel like I have much free time!
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
How has the pandemic not affected my life is perhaps the question. I’ve been teaching online for my school, but haven’t been able to teach private lessons or the after school program. Teaching online has been a huge learning curve, but I am in awe of how students have largely been able to adapt to the new structure. It is definitely challenging for everyone though and I am looking forward to the summer.
My studio practice has been bumpy, I wasn’t able to access my rented studio during April, which really affected my production as I don’t have a great space to work in my home. I’ve tried to adapt and create smaller works, which has been fun! I just finished a series of small toucan paintings. I will say the people of Akron have been really supportive though, buying prints of my work and other merchandise throughout the pandemic.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
I’ve definitely struggled at times with motivation, not being able to plan out ahead and live in the day to day simultaneously makes me feel grounded and lost depending on the day. It has been really important for me emotionally to name and accept my feelings, and to work through them and not just ignore them. It’s tempting to compare my situation to other people, and that can be a trap whether someone has it “worse” than me or “better” than me. I’ve found it best to support people when I have the emotional and financial space to do so, and to accept the support of others when I need it.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I have spent more time running in the metro parks and national park than ever before. I live in the Valley and it has been a literal and figurative breath of fresh air to get outside! I’ve also appreciated how the slow pace has opened me up to create new work. I don’t have anything big scheduled art-wise at the moment and am relishing in the opportunity to create and explore in ways I haven’t had the space to in a few years.
5.) How have you had to adapt?
I am a very family oriented person, and my family welcomed our first 2 nieces over the past few months (shout out to Evie and Zay!). It has been tough to not be able to hold them or support my siblings like I would pre-pandemic, so that has been an adjustment. I still see my family outdoors at a distance, so that is strange, but oddly fun!
I miss being out with other people, I really love even being in public alone, and so adapting to more solitude has been another change. I am pretty introverted, but this has been tough. I am really thankful to have supportive friends and family.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I hope that we can focus on what is truly important in our lives and let go of things that need to be left in the past. I think this pandemic has highlighted a lot of the systemic inequality in our community and nation, and I hope that we take a greater sense of collectivism and community forward in rectifying and repairing some of the injustices and disparities in our society.
Q: Who are you?
I'm Wesley. I'm an urban beekeeper, musician, entrepreneur, husband, and father of five.
Q: Where were you born?
Cleveland
Q: How old are you?
39
Q: Where did you grow up?
Aurora OH and Cleveland OH
Q: What do you do?
Activate vacant spaces, run a honey company, work for a tech company, educate kids in the city about honeybees and urban agriculture.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
Because it's important. The best way for me to explain that is to look at what I do in two separate parts. There's the social responsible, civic engagement side, and then the business side of things. The things that I do for the first part are important because it demonstrates how to imagine spaces in your own community for more than they are right now. "A vacant lot is actually an apiary". We demonstrate mindfulness of our environment, and then teach it to school kids. On the business side, we demonstrate how to carve out your own niche and define your own lane by using scarce resources. And we do it all while showing how to prioritize people first. It's also very important that I'm a black person who is doing things that aren't typical of a black person, and doing them successfully. Specifically beekeeping. Not too many black folks do that. But it's also important because a lot of folks in the city (a lot of whom are black) don't know what to shoot for, because they don't even know the target exists. This is especially true with black and brown kids.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
Build stuff (woodwork)
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life?
It has allowed me to spend more time with my family.
Q: Your job?
Although we are experiencing a drop in sales with he honey company, at the tech company we are still working through the pandemic.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
Creating boundaries between work and home life. It's all blurred together now.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
Being able to see my newborns and realize that I missed a lot of our other three children over the last 13 years.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
Living by a list and making an agenda every day.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I hope our nation's economy realizes that we don't have to work as much as we have in the past. I really don’t want to go back to having dinner with my family a maximum of 2 times per week. I'm tired of having to make the decision between money, and spending time with my family. It's so stupid, and it's obvious now more than ever that the companies in our country can bring a new reality.to.the table where we aren't working all of the time, and prioritizing work so much.
My name is James Matthew Haas. I was born in Akron, OH. I’m 42 years old. I spent my early childhood in Orrville,OH. My family moved to Akron when I was two months shy of 9.
I'm a Barista at a small neighborhood coffee shop. I've worked there for 13 years. I've stayed so long partly because it allows me to pay more attention to writing and performing music, which is the other main thing I do. It's been a really fantastic experience working there, from a social perspective, I've met many of my closest friends through being at Angel Falls.
In my free time I read a lot (I'm a low key book collector and, foolishly, a record collector). I became a pretty serious runner/ gym goer about 6 or 7 years ago. I play guitar and bass quite a lot as well! Lots of hanging out with my cat, Chuka, lately.
The pandemic has affected my life in probably the same way it has most of the people I know. I was laid off and have had to deal with tightening money situations and virus anxiety, not to mention unemployment wrangling. On the other hand though, the free time and rest has been a nice reset button; I've really only taken two short vacations over the last 8 years or so, and I work and practice a lot.
I've become more of a stay at home person as I've grown older, and my social outlets have dwindled for a while now. This has cut them all off pretty much completely, which, as most know, can really put you in a psychological hole that seems ever deepening, though I know that's not necessarily true. It's going to be a tough 9 or 10 months I have a feeling.
I'm relearning not to take anything for granted, hopefully a little deeper this time.
Q: Who are you?
Heather Bailey & Matt Ulichney
Q: Where were you born?
Both: Akron
Q: How old are you?
H: 31 / M: 33
Q: Where did you grow up?
H: Cuyahoga Falls, Akron & Northfield / M: Norton
Q: What do you do?
H: Web Design / Freelance & Co-Owner of Square Scullery / M: Chef & Co-Owner of Square Scullery
Q: Why do you do what you do?
M: I just happened to land into my career, almost by accident. I started off as a dishwasher at the age of 15, worked my way through the different ranks of a kitchen, and never ended up leaving the industry. I didn't actually fall in love with this career path until I already had quite a few years under my belt, and was able to work with passionate chefs outside of the corporate world.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
B: We really haven't had much free time in the past few years, so when we do we're usually finding projects around our old farmhouse, working in the gardens, Matt loves to work on his Chevette, I (H) love to thrift shop and garage sale. We also have a mini zoo of fur kids and two small humans, they all keep us on our toes. Honestly, we're probably pretty boring when we're home, haha.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
H: This year has knocked us completely on our asses, nothing has at all gone to plan. Honestly, it was going to be a really big year for us - between relocating the restaurant into a larger & more accessible space in addition to having a jammed packed food truck & catering season ahead of us. I never would have believed anyone at the beginning of 2020 if they had told us that we were going to walk away from our new dream location, lose half of our annual revenue AND decide to sell our food truck in a matter of two months. We never saw this coming - this was supposed to be "our year." We've had to adapt, evolve and make some of the hardest decisions we've yet faced on the fly. It's been incredibly difficult to put a brave face on, and stay optimistic through all of this - but you know what? We're doing our best with everything to find a new outlook and inspiration, what else is there to do at this point?
M: What Heather said, this has definitely forced us to take a couple steps backwards in quite a few ways to reprioritize our goals both personally & professionally.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
H: Personally, I've really struggled with being put abruptly in a position where I've had to become a full time stay at home mom, trying to navigate homeschooling & also run the business mostly from afar. It's just not a lifestyle I fit into well at all, especially without any kind of quiet alone time or mental break. On the real, most days I typically can't get more than 10 minutes uninterrupted at a time without hearing "hey mom" repeatedly - the struggle is for real. It's been such a challenge to stay remotely level, focused or on task. It is indeed a LOT of time together, but we're super fortunate because both of the boys (12 & 8) are so open to change and adapt well to new circumstances - they're such troopers & totally doing so better at this than we are.
Professionally speaking, the stress levels we've both encountered trying to make smart decisions based on survival instead of growth have just been insane. I truly can't count the sleepless nights we've spent tossing and turning over whether or not we were making the right calls not only for ourselves / family, and the business, but also for our incredible staff. I'm happy to have some of the harder decisions, at least for now, put behind us so we can move forward and regroup.
M: It's kind of strange because after we came to peace with the reality of the situation & the tough decisions that we've had to make, in a sense our life continued on... we just kept moving along as best as possible. I've struggled with having serious guilt being open & staying consistent business wise, when at the same time some of our industry friends were closed or struggling to adapt to the carry out model. We root so hard for small business, and chasing dreams - we never want to see this happen to anyone, ever.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
B: In all reality, we've been forced to slow our roll & breathe a little. We haven't stopped shaking and moving for five years, we would hit goals, and barely celebrate them because we were already on to the next thing in the works. We aren't operating the food truck this year, it will be the first summer since we started that we won't regularly be working 80+ hour weeks. Although we're still busy, we've also managed to find more time to enjoy the little things in life, spend more time with our kids, work on our house more and try to learn new skills. I think out of everything, we're learning that we've probably pushed ourselves too hard, that maybe just maybe it's okay to slow down a little more to enjoy the life we work so hard to build.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
B: There are truly a ton of different ways we've had to adapt all the way around. We think one of the most notable is that we actually had to look our business in the face, and realize that it might be best to go back to the drawing board on what our future for Square Scullery looks like. We used to be so sure about what was supposed to be, and now it looks like we are going to settle in for a bit to ride this out before completely switching gears. It's kind of a trip, but in good and unexpected ways with a focus on getting back to basics. We're both here for it.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
H: I hope people find their kindness again for starters. Actually in a sense, I hope this turns out to be somewhat of a rebirth on quite a few levels in a positive light.
M: I personally hope that people will have a little more respect and appreciation for the service industry as a whole.
My name is Noor Hindi. I was born in Amman, Jordan. I'm 24 years old (will be 25 on June 21st). I grew up in Barberton and Akron, Ohio. I'm the equity and inclusion reporter at The Devil Strip Magazine.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
I love helping people feel more connected to the city I love as we continue working through challenging problems.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I love reading, spending time with my family, cuddling my cat, writing poetry, and watching movies with friends.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
I'm really, really grateful to The Devil Strip for my job, and for the continued support of Chris Horne and Rosie Murphy who've been so, so supportive during the pandemic, which has interrupted the last semester of my MFA and graduation, but these are small inconveniences in the grand scheme of things.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
What I've struggled with most is my anxiety. I'm worried for my loved ones. I'm worried for my grandmother, who I live with, and my parents. I'm worried for my friends, who've been laid off, or are having to choose between their health and their job as the country reopens. I'm also worried for Akron, for artists in this city, and small business owners who were right on the brink of manifesting really great ideas before the pandemic happened.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I've been enjoying adapting to a quieter lifestyle. I've learned how to better sit with myself the last few months, to reconcile with the silence around me.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I hope people can love each other better and stronger. I hope they can continue looking to their neighbors and community for help. And when this is over, I hope we can love Akron in bigger ways, that we'll fill our local restaurants and businesses by the hundreds, and show our artists the support they deserve.
My name is Tyler The Creator. Kidding, I’m Floco Torres.
Q: Where were you born?
Willingboro, New Jersey
Q: How old are you?
33
Q: Where did you grow up?
I grew up between Willingboro NJ, Philadelphia PA, Macon GA & Queens NY.
Q: What do you do?
My main thing is being a recording artist.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
Because I get to explore my imagination & connect with people mostly.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
I like talking to people. I’m still learning how to have free time.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
It’s reminded me of things I learned growing up in regards to survival. I’m fortunate enough to still be working through this. Areas that were cut, I just have to accept & adapt.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
I tried to order wings one day & the place wouldn’t answer the phone & I had a complete bratty meltdown about it. So just being more self-aware & holding myself accountable as much as possible.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I don’t need a lot to be happy. My desires & ego create shit I don’t have to go through really.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
Being patient isn’t my strongest quality so I’m definitely flexing that muscle right now.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I hope we’re more respectful & learn to stfu a little more but all I can try to do is lead by example.
Q: Where were you born?
Alliance city hospital on December 14th 1990 at 11:59AM.
Q: Where did you grow up?
Alliance/smith township on part of the Mahoning river.
Q: What do you do?
I do a lot but I’m a bartender/server for work. I do this simply to live. I went to school for culinary and hospitality at a vocational school in Canfield Ohio when I was a junior and senior in high school so this industry is all I’ve known as work for a long time.
In my free time I like to hike. Like to do a lot of different crafty type things from water color to sewing. I’m also working on becoming a makeup artist’s assistant. My family is a big part of my free time as well.
This pandemic has affected my life in a lot of negative ways such as not being able to see my family and hang out with friends as much as I’d like at distances I’d like. I wasn’t able to work for a long time and I’m still unable to work at the Spotted Owl where I had just started a month and a half prior to COVID19. Money has been an issue but thankfully I’m able to work at Zubs again.
Being a person with depression and anxiety I have struggled with both things equally. Sometimes I can’t bring myself to leave the house or go to the grocery store for food because I’m so anxious about contracting COVID and being around strangers. I have also spent periods of time sunk into my couch crying.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I have definitely found silver linings while being in quarantine one of them being that I started writing more and finishing projects I haven’t worked on in several months/years. I’ve also taken time to get back into yoga and work on my baking skills. I’ve also been able to maintain not smoking cigarettes and my alcohol consumption has decreased drastically.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
I’ve had to adapt in the sense that I usually throw myself into work to avoid a lot of emotions and some people and now I have to face those things I usually ignore. I’ve also has to adapt to not just spending money on whatever I want and start actually thinking about necessities (which isn’t a bad thing by any means) it becomes easy to frivolously spend when making so much money bar tending. Also just adapting to the rules and guidelines that we don’t usually have as humans on a day to day basis (social distancing).
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I just hope that humans evolve overall as a species. There is so much unnecessary hate and ignorance and impatience in this world that we need to work on getting rid of. I hope people are more respectful of boundaries and others emotions. I also hope people start taking things like disease and sickness more seriously I get being light hearted but not everything is a joke.
My name is Courtney McClelland, I just had my 24th birthday in quarantine, and for a couple years now have been serving coffee at Angel Falls in Highland Square. I was born here in Akron, and raised in Mogadore, twenty minutes east of Akron. I moved to Highland Square in 2015 and it’s been my home since. In 2018, after being a regular at Angel Falls for four years, I finally secured a job there. Being an extremely social person, working there is half doing my barista thing, half chatting with regulars and making friends. It’s wonderful feeling a part of the community. Before quarantine, I spent a lot of my free time hanging out with friends and being out and about, but since that’s all kind of limited now, I’ve taken to cooking more, reading, journaling, doing art, and attempting to teach myself how to rollerblade.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
It’s weird to think of life prior to the pandemic, since we’ve been at this for 50-odd days now. Being a particularly extraverted person, I’ve definitely had some days that had me itching for the end of isolation. I miss talking and hugging and human connection, and along with that, my job. I was laid off March 23rd and luckily had enough saved up (plus stimulus check and birthday money) to get me by. But it’s been about two months now, and I haven’t received unemployment yet. I’m still waiting. I hope to be returning to Angel Falls by early June, at the latest.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
Per my last answer, being in isolation has been rough as someone that loves chatting with people and is used to seeing hundreds of people a day. I genuinely miss it. Another issue I have is keeping myself busy and out of bed; the quarantine has put me in kind of a depressive state and it’s been a challenge convincing myself to stay on track with obligations and chores.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
One silver lining is when I accidentally see someone I know at the grocery store or wherever, I’m ecstatic to have run into them; it’s definitely helped me cherish in my whole heart seeing real life human people. Another silver lining is the fact that I’ve had to learn how to come to peace with myself and be patient with certain processes and obstacles. It’s a work in progress, but I’m chugging forward - that’s all I can do.
Carlos Gonzales, 42 from Puerto Rico.
I’m a tattoo artist and musician. I’ve always been inclined to do art.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
I can’t do tattooing, but I can still create.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
Family stress, money stress, sometimes I have a hard day emotionally.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
Time to create art.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
I have to adapt to the different types of stress.
I'm an introvert, so it was a little easier to adapt with the lockdown of the pandemic. I was able to work more on my artwork from home. I didn't make any big changes in my daily routine.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I’m hoping people learn to be more kind with each other.
A: My name is Aaron Novak. I was born in Canton Ohio. I am 43 years old. I grew up in Jackson township, and moved to Akron with my friends when I was 19 years old. I’ve spent most of my free time playing in multiple different bands over the last 2 decades. I have always worked in the Hvac field, and will be celebrating 20 years at The K company in November.
I decided to try and make a lamp out of a scrap piece of duct work 4 years ago, and now I own a custom lighting shop. I don’t have time for music currently, but use Whiskertin as my creative outlet. I have 2 daughters. Madison is 18, and Teagan is 10. I also got engaged to Kat in 2019 at Disney. Our wedding was supposed to happen in June but this pandemic has our plans on hold.
I am currently renovating the orchard house in West Hill. 3000 sq ft historical home built in 1865. Renovating this home has been the biggest accomplishment in my life. Some days I get frustrated with all the work I’ve piled on myself, but working hard is what makes me happy.
I’ve been laid off from work at the K company for the last 2 months due to the pandemic. Whiskertin has shows booked all over that have been cancelled- Boston, Chicago, Richmond, etc. Our online orders have really picked up a lot through all of this.
This time off has actually helped me to reset my life and recharge. I’ve had time to work on The house. I’ve spent about 10 hours a day for the last 7 weeks on it. Things are really coming together. Whiskertin showroom is now back open and we are looking to take this business to the next level. Glenn, and I are nonstop working to make our products the best. We love what we do, and that’s a great feeling.
G: I born in Wadsworth and lived there until my early twenties when I moved to Akron. Now I live in Cuyahoga Falls. I am 38 years old. During the day I am the Vice President of a company called ClearSonic. We make portable acoustic treatment. They are kinda like portable sound booths. We also just started making sneeze guards and room dividers because of the pandemic. At night and on the weekends I am the co-owner of Whiskertin. We make handcrafted light fixtures and lamps out of repurposed and industrial materials.
The pandemic caused both businesses to temporarily shut down, but now we back at it. ClearSonic is very busy with the Germ Shield addition to our product line. Whiskertin's sales have been hurt by the pandemic. A majority of our income comes from vendor/art markets that we travel around the Midwest and East Coast to attend. A majority of the markets have been cancelled due to social distancing restrictions. We have focused more energy on strengthening our online presence. Which has been positive for Whiskertin. It was something that we struggled with but we're always very busy with the markets and could not focus the additional energy needed to get it where we wanted.
In my free time, which doesn't happen often, I like ride my motorcycle, ride my bike, work on stuff around the house, and hangout with friends. It has been difficult to hang with friends, but we have been taking advantage video chats like Duo.
I feel like I have been able to take a second and slow down and think about the things that are really important to me during the pandemic. I feel like I have been able to strengthen personal relationships and focus on the important things.
I hope that we are all able to become stronger and come out on top after the quarantine.
Q: Who are you?
Katy Bright
Q: Where were you born?
I was born in Barberton at Barberton Hospital.
Q: How old are you?
I am 31 years old.
Q: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Apple Creek, OH (Wayne County). It’s a small town in the heart of Amish Country.
Q: What do you do?
I am the owner of Color Riot Loft, a salon loft in West Akron (Wallhaven).
Q: Why do you do what you do?
I genuinely love making people look and feel like their best selves and providing them with a safe space to open up about anything going on in their lives. Over the years, my guests have shared their smiles and tears with me, as well as opened up about traumas they’ve experienced that they’ve never shared with anyone else. It’s an honor to know I can be a safe haven for them, and in some cases, connect them to the resources and providers they need to lead safer, healthier lives.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
In my free time I enjoy spending time with and taking care of the people I love, listening to music/going to concerts, traveling, running (I’m training for my first marathon!), volunteering with RunningDog Runners, cooking/baking and growing my collection of house plants. I dove deep into botany during quarantine, and I haven’t looked back!
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
The Covid19 pandemic changed everything for me. As a self-employed small business owner who lives alone, things got very uncomfortable for me during lockdown. Since I’m a 1099 tax filer, I wasn’t able to collect traditional unemployment.
On top of this, because I have multiple jobs and also file W-2, I have been denied the PUA I should be granted due to my salon loft (my primary income) being closed at no choice or fault of my own. I have spent countless hours trying to speak to a human at the unemployment offices, but like so many others, have been disconnected every time due to their lack of holds and schedule call backs. The pandemic has exposed so many holes in our social infrastructure.
Self-employed persons in my shoes went over 50 days without pay. Yes, payments are retroactive when they eventually get sent out, but people still have mouths to feed and bills to pay. I cannot imagine having been a parent during this time. My heart goes out to all of the parents out there in my boat who struggled to feed their families, because they weren’t allowed to work and didn’t yet qualify for assistance.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
I was so incredibly lonely. I live alone, so I saw no one for several weeks. I generally enjoy living alone, but not being able to see anyone I cared about was absolutely devastating.
I felt that I lacked purpose during lockdown. Being called “inessential” is a hard pill to swallow, especially when you’ve poured your heart and soul into your business and taking care of others. I have internally battled the stigma of “just being a hairdresser,” for the last decade.. Even after I finished my Master’s degree (I have a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership,), I’ve often received or overheard comments that made me feel inferior about my career choice; like I’m not doing enough with my life. I don’t think many people truly understand everything that goes into working behind the chair or in any service related industry. The service/personal service industries are full of intelligent, business-savvy, creative and caring people. It takes a special kind of person to enjoy working with the general public.
I also found myself feeling lost, because I wanted to do more to help. I wanted to volunteer in the hospitals and be on the front lines. Without a medical background though, that was kind of impossible. I learned that when it’s fight, flight or freeze, I want to fight. My true purpose in life comes from caring for and taking care of other people.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
It took several weeks, but I learned that slowly down is ok. I’m used to working 3+ jobs at any given time (I also bartend, provide freelance marketing services and do marketing/talent management work for a small tech start up called Stage 3 Talent). Since I couldn’t work at my loft or behind the pine, I found that I had a lot more time in my hands. This initially gave me anxiety, but I started working on a few certifications, trying out new hobbies and discovered creative ways to still drive revenue by doing salon product deliveries. It’s showed me how truly resilient, adaptable and flexible I am.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
I had to adapt how to engage with my salon loft guests since I could no longer see them in person. I worked hard to generate new ideas for revenue drivers and unique ways to interact with loved ones. It was truly beautiful to see the world come together in terms of figuring out how to love and support each other during a time of crisis.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I hope society now has a stronger respect for our healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and those working in roles that keep our every day lives functional.
I’d love to see more people supporting local, small businesses. It’s a problem when during lockdown we could go into large, big-box retailers to purchase things like art supplies, clothes, toys or electronics, etc. while the small, local shops were forced to close. Something about that doesn’t sit well with me.
I think we’ve exposed a lot of issues in terms of public health, social service programs and crisis response. Balancing public health and the economy is no easy task, but we’ve set ourselves up for failure. We have to do better. This was a huge wake up call. Hopefully, government and public officials have taken note of what we did well and what we need to do better during times of crisis and will work on better preparation for the next pandemic/crisis.
Lastly, I’d like to see more small business owners of all walks of life and industries be represented in local, state and federal political roles, as well. Our voices matter, and our businesses matter to our cities, their citizens and the economy. We need to be heard and accounted for. It’s time for us to step up, speak out and open doors for other entrepreneurs now and in future generations to come. Our businesses may be small, but we are not. We are powerful and have the ability to make positive changes in the communities we live in and the world.
I also found myself feeling lost, because I wanted to do more to help. I wanted to volunteer in the hospitals and be on the front lines. Without a medical background though, that was kind of impossible. I learned that when it’s fight, flight or freeze, I want to fight. My true purpose in life comes from caring for and taking care of other people.
I'm Drew Baker, 26 and I was born and raised in Medina, Ohio.
I've been a full time barista for Angel Falls for about four years and am currently unemployed due to the pandemic. Mental health issues have been a prominent part of my life and now exacerbated because of quarantine, it's been hard passing time. Obviously the consensus is the uncertainty is the worst part, some days it's hard to stop thinking. My local community has been crippled, my day to day routines have fallen apart and it feels like the weirdest juxtaposition of being completely free to spend my time how I want and having no safe way to leave the house or to spend time with the people I love. I'm fixated on annoyances, thinking rapidly while my body's still and unmotivated. I'm learning to become okay with sitting for long periods of time and losing my sense of urgency.
I'd love to see universal healthcare, separated from our employment and more focus put into welfare programs. I'd love to see more compassion for, and more solidarity within the lower income communities, public service workers and other essential personnel that have been affected the most by this pandemic. I'd love to see people more conscious of the space they're inhabiting and how it affects others.
My name is Jessica Pieri, and I go by Jes. I was born at 12:53 p.m. on May 14th, 1990 at Akron City Hospital. I just turned 30 this month, so I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about how much has happened for me in the last decade, and appreciating how everything has shaped me up to this point.
Q: Where did you grow up?
Born, raised, and still residing in Akron. I spent the majority of my childhood and early teens living in Kenmore and attending Coventry Schools. The first two houses my family lived in were in Kenmore. We moved to the Portage Lakes when I was in high school mostly because my family wanted a larger home for us (mom, dad, three sisters), and my family wanted to make sure my younger sisters would be able to go through the same school system as me because open enrollment was becoming more and more restricted. During college, I migrated around several different West Akron and Highland Square apartments.
Q: What do you do?
I am a graphic designer. I graduated from the University of Akron in 2012. I took my first post-college job for a local newspaper called the West Side Leader that Fall. I spent seven years coming into my own as a designer there doing newspaper layout and advertising designs. Last July I took a job as a graphic designer for a personal injury law firm (Kisling, Nestico & Redick) where I’ve had the opportunity to design anything ranging from business cards and postcards to billboards, bus wraps, and social media videos and animations.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because it is challenging and rewarding on so many levels. I knew by the end of High School that I wanted to go to college for graphic design. This career is great because it has been the perfect balance of creative and analytical thinking to keep me interested in my work. For me, design is really cool because it’s like the behind the scenes team. I prefer to be the one driving down the street with my friends and pointing at a billboard saying “Hey! That’s one of the billboards I designed!” Rather than be one of the people on the actual billboards.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
As of late March, my free time has been mostly occupied with two words: Animal Crossing.
Aside from that though, I do play a few other video games from time to time. I taught myself to crochet for Christmas back in 2018, so I do that as well. I really enjoy solitary hikes around the Metro Parks during lunch or after work as well. I just picked up this hand piano instrument thing called a Kalimba too. It’s stupid easy to learn, but I love figuring out familiar songs without tabs, and coming up with music of my own. It has turned out to be extremely calming whenever I get too anxious, and it’s got my fingers itching to do something like reteach myself violin.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
Well my job was one of the ones who started preparing back when DeWine was just announcing restaurant and bar closures. They decided to take the staff down to basically a skeleton crew as a means to help the company pull through. Unfortunately, marketing was one of the first departments to go, so I’ve been unemployed since March 20th. I can tell you that I am honestly really not loving it. I have been fortunate enough to have unemployment work itself out in my favor after the first few weeks of hiccups. The mental toll of being stuck in limbo of whether or not I still have a job after this has been noticeable.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
I don’t want to come off as dramatic, but quarantine and unemployment have had profound effects for me physically, emotionally, and mentally. Physically, I’m snacking far more out of boredom and usually lack all sense of motivation to work out. Quarantine 15 has been very real. My emotional and mental struggles during this are something I could write a novel on. I will just say that for me and so many others, this has been a scary time because isolation forces us to face something many of us don’t want to: ourselves.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
The biggest silver lining I’ve discovered so far would oddly enough be the mental and emotional challenges I have faced during this time of uncertainty. I have hit some of my absolute lowest lows since becoming unemployed. Those days have forced me to reevaluate how I base my own self worth. Without a job presenting me with problems to solve, I have had to dig deep and think about all of the other ways I am a valuable human. I realized I was basing far too much of my personal view of “success” on what I was asked to do, and not enough on who I am, what I stand for, and what I am capable of doing.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
Adapting for me has been learning to become comfortable with being in my own space all day every day. Home, at one point, was what my partner Joe and I were building together as our place to unwind, relax, and spend time with our cats after work. Right now it is all of the above for us, and the addition of his workplace since his company has him working from home. Luckily we have a spare bedroom, so that serves as his temporary office and we can separate the two pretty easily.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
It’s hard for me to think about “once things are over”, because I legitimately feel like it’s going to be a long long time before things are OVER over. I want mask wearing to become a regular thing. I am personally all for it. It’s not like it’s some new radical idea society just came up with.
I also just want everyone’s sense of humanity and community to really grow from this. I feel like we’re reached this point where it’s never been easier to be connected to each other, yet so many of us are using the opportunity to push others away. I want human decency, respect for others, and genuine care and concern, even (especially) for those we don’t know, to become a big thing.
Q: Who are you?
Mario Nemr
Q: Where were you born?
Akron, OH
Q: How old are you?
42
Q: Where did you grow up?
Fairlawn / Akron
Q: What do you do?
I own The Matinee and Mr. Zub’s Deli & Bar in Highland Square. Also DJ and manage Thursday’s Lounge for the past 27 years.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
I was sort of born into the bar business as a kid. My parents had a few local bars in the 70s before buying Thursday’s Lounge in 1983. I was raised inside the bar as a child while my parents worked. I started bouncing and DJing at Thursday’s when I was 14. I’ve worked many jobs through high school and after college. I worked an office job throughout college before committing to buying The Matinee.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
I like to build stuff and hang out with my kids and family. Also like to chill and watch TV and/or play records.
Q: How has this pandemic affected your life? Your job?
It affected me more from work standpoint. I do not mind staying home and doing my own thing. But since the shut-down started, I have had to work a little more just to keep my businesses afloat. Which is really hard when there is so much uncertainty for the future. I am learning to take things day by day and trying to adapt our business to keep going. Also, trying to keep everyone employed is important to me. So, there’s a lot of pressure to make all the correct decisions.
Q: What have you struggled with since being in quarantine (mentally, emotionally, etc)?
At first I was mentally defeated. Emotionally I was irritated and mad at the world for letting this happen. I realized I was being pretty selfish and there are lots of people who have it much worse. I started becoming more positive around week 3 of the shut down and tried keeping busy at home with projects and family stuff.
Q: What silver linings have you found?
I got a lot of free time and projects I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time for previously. I have a greater appreciation for just doing simple things with my kids and family I’m usually too busy to do otherwise. I have not had to work at night for the first time in 27 years so going to bed early will change your life.
Q: How have you had to adapt?
Mainly just by keeping a different schedule than what I am used to. Not interacting with lots of people weekly. Also, having to do some doomsday prepping at home just to keep a clear head about the future.
Q: How do you hope things evolve once quarantine and the pandemic are over?
I do not we will get back to the things were for an exceptionally long time. Large gatherings of any kind will be few and far between. Wearing masks in public might be permanent. I personally think everything could have waited another month before opening. I think everyone must evolve together. We are entering a world of the unknown. Therefore, we all just need to try and work together even if we disagree about many things. I do think that this “shut-down” style of flattening illnesses will be a new norm and will happen many more times in the future.
Q: What are you anxious about as you're reopening?
Honestly just people following the new social distancing rules and being cool.
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.
I'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.
Q: 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.
As 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.
My 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.
The 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.
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.
Despite 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.
My 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.
I 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.
I 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.
My 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."
My 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.
Q: 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.
My 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.
Q: Who are you?
Our names are Kate + Nikki Woodford-Shell
Q: Where were you born?
Niles, Ohio (Kate) and Akron, Ohio (Nikki)
Q: How old are you?
27 + 34
Q: Where did you grow up?
Niles, Ohio and Akron, Ohio
Q: What do you do?
We own and operate two yoga studios in Highland Square, Akron, Ohio
Q: 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.
Q: 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.
My 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.
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.
I 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!
During 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!