Mel / January 29, 2026 by autumn bland

Mel was first photographed in April of 2020. As a freelance set stylist, she went back to work full-time in May. “I basically went right back to work. At the time, I was doing a lot of work for a furniture catalog, you know, capitalism wants to do what capitalism wants to do. We were on a deadline. Work in the still photography world came back so much earlier than in the video side because of the nature of the video crews being bigger. It was interesting to see how the production industry functioned and adapted.

It just felt surreal to be really so non-essential, which is something I’ve always struggled with in my career—that no one really needs what I’m encouraging them to buy with a beautifully styled photograph. But at any rate, it was particularly noticeable in those early days. I was really glad that I was able to work then because, of course, I would not have had any income. On the one hand I felt lucky that I was able to work, but on the other hand it just felt so surreal that while other people who were so much more essential than me weren’t able to work. I felt that was an interesting dichotomy. Ironically, I had my busiest year in many years and it was so different from other people’s experiences. I only had COVID once and it wasn’t severe, but I have had long-term effects from that - fatigue, shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, etc., which has made long production days incredibly exhausting.”

Mel was in Paris just before the shut down in the U.S., which gave her a brief opportunity to see how another country was managing the pandemic. She made it back safely and quickly experienced the full pandemic shutdown. Then, she went back to France in 2021 and got to see COVID testing firsthand.

“Free COVID testing was available at every drug store and you could buy test kits yourself. When you’re in a country that has universal healthcare, people were much more compliant about mask usage because they had a system that actually functioned for them and protected them. They didn’t have the notion that this was all fake.

I was also adjusting to being a widow and being alone. I had roommates in college, then I got married at 25 and we were married for 35 years. I literally had never lived alone until Len passed in September, 2019. I look at that portrait you took of me and I think of that person learning to be alone for the first time. I see a lot of uncertainty and tentativeness in me at that time.”

For Mel, the pandemic presented an interesting balance between independence and connectivity. She became more self-reliant, independent, and adventurous. “I think that time taught me to check in with friends and to actively cultivate and encourage the people in my life."

Barney / January 21, 2026 by autumn bland

Barney was first photographed with his granddaughter and mother in front of his Austintown home on Easter. At nearly 80 years old, Barney was still working onsite three days a week for a manufacturing company, even throughout the Stay-at-Home order, as his employer was deemed an essential business. While trade shows and conferences were all canceled, employees worked in a shared office without any health or safety precautions in place. Barney was concerned about contracting COVID-19 and spreading the virus to the four others who lived in his home, but there were no alternative options for work.

When the Stay-at-Home order was lifted, Barney changed his work schedule to help his youngest daughter with childcare for the duration of 2020.He drove to Akron weekly to spend the night at his daughter’s house so he could babysit his grandson two days a week. Because of his help, his daughter and son-in-law could have two guaranteed work in-office work days.

On the home front, Barney had an overloaded plate. His partner’s son (Mike) and granddaughter (Raven) moved into their home in 2019, after Raven’s mother died from a drug overdose. Mike was battling addiction which caused him to overdose multiple times over the past 5 years. While he did survive, his addiction consumed his life—resulting in rehab, jail time, probation, and losing custody of his daughter. Barney and his partner took custody of Raven and allowed Mike to remain a regular part of Raven’s life while he maintained sobriety.

From 2020-2022, Barney’s mother went through a bout of illnesses and infections which put her in the hospital a handful of times and and a rehab facility for three weeks. “Because of mom’s age, we were able to get her the COVID vaccine in the beginning of 2021, that was a big relief,” he said. He and his partner also qualified for the COVID vaccine in early 2021 due to age and high risk medical conditions.

As more people got vaccinated and clients were opening up their doors again, Barney had more work travel. He continued his busy schedule—a 3-day work week and 1-2 days of babysitting in Akron on top of taking care of the 4 people and 10 dogs at his home. His granddaughter is now in third grade at a local public school, and his stepson is continuing to work on his sobriety while living at home.

Barney finally retired in June of 2025 and has put more focus on his home and family. He still babysits in Akron weekly, but now he babysits his 2-year old granddaughter while his grandson is at school. When asked about any major takeaways about the pandemic, or about the past five years, he replied, “I don’t really have much to say about it. I worked the whole time and we all did all right. You just do whatever you need to do to make it work.”

Wes / January 1, 2026 by autumn bland

Wes was photographed during the Stay-at-Home order, in front of his home in West Akron alongside his wife and their 5 children. Prior to the pandemic, Wes was working full time in a well-paying corporate position. In 2020, after 14 years of corporate work, he decided to take a leap of faith and focus 100% of his efforts on building his company, Akron Honey, into more than just a brand or a product, but a full community experience.

"Before the pandemic, I was working away from home all of the time. My daughter would call me during the day only for her to hear me hurry to get off the phone with her, so I could go back to work. Now that she's my office buddy, I can turn around and tell her that I'm proud of her, instead of making her think that something else matters more than her,” Wes said.

Akron Honey went above and beyond when it came to their sales efforts, marketing, partnerships, and involvement in the community. Wes and his team were contributing vendors at numerous craft markets, holiday marts, and city events spanning northeast Ohio, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and more. Additionally, their annual Akron Honey Market Day event has drawn a massive turnout for over a decade.

Their apiary in West Akron functions both as a home for the bees and a microfarm where locals and his family have planted and harvested an abundance of produce. It has also served as an educational space where students have gathered to learn about what it means to be a beekeeper and the kind of possibilities you can create with hard work and community involvement.

In October of 2020, Akron Honey launched their first “Cooking with Honey” show, sponsored by Yelp, in which they mention their partnership with Cleveland Whiskey where they created Bourbon Barrel Honey. Wes and his daughter Bella cooked Bourbon Barrel Honey Fried Chicken and Grits. As the brand continued to grow, Akron Honey was featured in several news outlets and publications.

Jars of Akron Honey were initially sold at local markets, but by the end of 2020, Wes expanded their reach exponentially. “I saw the strategy that needed to happen,” Wes said. “When we aligned with Cordelia, HiHO Brewing, and several other restaurants, coffee shops, and retail spaces, people started to see us as a very cool brand… That’s not something you really see with honey. We got onto several menus, and many of those places were selling our jars.” In the beginning of 2021, Wes started wholesaling to grocery stores, various retail stores, and continued to build partnerships with local businesses.

In 2022, Akron Honey purchased a building across the street from the apiary and began transforming it into their first neighborhood production facility. “Something that has never felt right to me is when people take resources from the community and don’t replenish or give anything back,” Wes said. By 2023, they finished their exterior revitalization efforts and in 2025 they began creating the “Yellow Brick Road” district: a cozy, romantic, and charming urban space programmed with food and entertainment experiences.

“We have a collaborative relationship with North High School students where we activate different experiences at Yellow Brick Road. They have been working with us for a while and this will continue as the district grows.

I’m proud that I am able to do this kind of work right here, in my neighborhood. I can walk home in less than 5 minutes. We aren’t just selling honey, we are developing business and building the local economy. Imagine this district being an engine to connect different parts of the neighborhood together. Largely, this process has been me, but when there is a dedicated team behind these efforts, imagine what is possible."

Michelle / December 24, 2025 by autumn bland

Michelle was first photographed during the Stay-at-Home order with her husband, Jake. Both were working for Summit County Job and Family Services. She eventually was working from home full time, but Jake was required to be on site as he was still within his training period.

“The beginning of the shutdown was crazy at work,” she said. “We had to navigate unemployment for ourselves and we were also handling calls about unemployment. Before the pandemic we could never work from home because our work involves people's personal information. Our IT department is small, so it took time, but by early April, about 75 of us were set up to safely work from home.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, Michelle and Jake enjoyed daily walks with their dogs and socially distanced visits with friends and family. Sometimes their parents would drop off meals and gifts on the front porch. Michelle’s mom is considered high risk, so even distanced visits didn’t happen for about a month, which was hard on Michelle.

In July of 2020, Jake unexpectedly died of a heart attack in his sleep, next to Michelle. “He had an enlarged heart,” she shared. “He actually had a doctor’s appointment scheduled that week. He was taken way too soon. That whole time is very blurry. I remember bits and pieces of that two week period—like, my sister was there immediately and she lives in Virginia.

The number of people who showed up for Jake in the middle of the pandemic was crazy to me. It was more important to celebrate his life than to even think about anything having to do with the pandemic. It was very hot the day of his services, but people were lined up outside for hours.”

Michelle returned to work about a week after Jake’s funeral. “I felt I needed to work, something to keep my mind busy. I stayed with my mom for a while; I didn’t want to be alone. We all went to therapy and still do. I needed something to tell me that life would still go on. I really like my therapist. She has helped me with different exercises to help me process everything and I’m grateful for this work. I just wanted to be able to make it through the day, and now I can.”

Living as a widow in the same home where her husband passed has been daunting. It took Michelle some time to enter their bedroom again. Jake was a talented 2D and 3D artist and had a workspace/studio where he spent a lot of time. The room was filled with art, tools, even paint brushes resting in a jar of water. “I hung up more shelving to display his art, his dad’s artwork, childhood toys, all these things that have memories of him,” she said. “I was hanging onto Jake’s clothes, I didn’t want to get rid of a single thing…not even his socks and underwear. It felt like getting rid of him when you’re getting rid of his clothes. One day his best friend Erik said he saw Jake in a dream and Jake said: “Tell Shelly to throw away my socks and underwear.” Which was crazy but funny, too.”

Michelle continues the tradition of hosting the annual “Nelson Halloween Party”, which includes an elaborate Yard Haunt, featuring handcrafted artwork created by Jake, his brother, and his dad. “His friends have come over for every Halloween party and I want them to take something of Jake’s. I like making sure I can give things to people so they can be loved by more than just me.”

In March of 2024, Michelle’s job required her to come to the office one day a week. In September of 2025, all employees were required to return to the office full time. “It sucks. We had a new routine over the past five years. It’s been a big change and it’s so hard.”

As Michelle has navigated a hard loss, she shared her perspective on processing grief. “Grief can bring you to your lowest point and then bounce you back into life, it’s weird like that. Grief doesn't exist on any timeline, it’s a spectrum, as most things are. I surround myself with family, friends, and experiences. I've got my friends, the ones who count, who are sticking close and who are sticking it out."

Jenn / December 9, 2025 by autumn bland

I photographed Jenn in July of 2020. Her experience with the pandemic is a deeply personal story, and I prefer to let her tell it in her own words:

Before the pandemic, I was managing Musica. I decided to close the venue in March of 2020. We had a fantastic event, and it felt like the correct note to leave on at the time. We had a sold-out show scheduled the following week, and I canceled it. It didn’t feel right having 400 folks in a room. It was the correct decision.

My husband was working from home at the time, my son was in high school, and I found routines to keep me sane. I took on a few creative consulting projects, and made a lot of art. I knew I wouldn’t go back to the venue. I didn’t want to do late nights and crowds again.

I became the Executive Director of The Nightlight in June 2021. It was my dream job at the place I missed most during the shutdown. All I wanted was to see a movie at The Nightlight. I started one week before the theater reopened at a limited capacity, and slowly, folks started coming back. It’s still my dream job, and I love everything about the place and our community. I am lucky to do what I love every day.

The pandemic revealed that one side of my family and I had very different feelings and beliefs about COVID-19 and vaccines. I am high-risk, so I set boundaries for myself and my family at home. My mom was opposed to the vaccine, and we often spoke about it. I begged her to get vaccinated. We talked on the phone almost daily, but did not visit in person except for occasional outdoor visits.

I called her the week of Thanksgiving 2021, but she wasn’t answering. A few days later, she picked up the phone, and I could hear it in her voice immediately. She acknowledged she had Covid, and my heart sank. She had been sick for a week and didn’t want me to know. After days of begging her to go to the hospital, she finally agreed to let me call an ambulance.

She already had hypoxia by the time they got there. Ten days later, she died. The nurse held the phone so I could say my goodbyes.

I am the only child and was left to handle all of her arrangements and sort through everything while navigating the death of my mom during a pandemic. Plus, it was Christmas, and six months into a new job. I have a mighty and loving support system that helped me keep it together when needed and held me while I was mourning.

I miss her terribly. It’s been four years almost to the day. Losing a parent changes you forever. The holidays are hard. I’ve openly wept in the card aisle at Buehler’s on a Friday night. At work. In my car. Wherever. You don’t get to choose when grief is going to sneak up on you. Sometimes it just punches you in the face.

I believe it’s important to remember that the pandemic wasn’t just a strange time when we wiped down our groceries and all became paranoid; it was a serious virus that took countless lives and destroyed families. I have had strangers try to start arguments with me by asking if my mom had previous medical issues, which is callous and wildly inappropriate. I will shut it down. I am not the one to argue with about this. The answer is that she would have lived had she been vaccinated. That is the truth.

She would be so mad at me for sharing this, but this is my story, it happened, and it mattered. I hope that sharing it helps remind others that lots of people, people who were very loved and are very missed, are no longer with us because of COVID-19.

Alex / December 1, 2025 by autumn bland

Alex was first photographed with her family in North Canton. As the Executive Director of the Massillon Museum and a mother of twin girls (age 5), Alex has seen many changes over the past five years.

“Everything was perceived through the lens of the pandemic, so I became a lot more introspective,” Alex said. “It influenced the way I managed the museum and engaged with my staff, artists, and the community. I figured out how best to communicate with patrons and take other peoples’ safety or feelings of anxiety into consideration. From a public perspective, I was sorting out how long the museum should be doing virtual programming. I feel like we were able to mobilize effectively and had great support. I'm proud to say that I was able to have a part in keeping everyone employed, but I felt a constant sense of awareness that this was always going to linger and forever change the way we do business.”

Throughout 2020-2024, Alex noted they saw a lot of shifts in their family life, including a lot of attention paid to their house through gardening and improvement projects. They also put more attention toward their time spent together and being more open in their communication.

Her daughters were in preschool when the shutdown happened. That fall, they entered kindergarten. “We made the decision to put them into a classroom instead of engaging remote learning,” Alex said. “We exercised precautions the best we could. They didn't have any gaps in their socialization or their learning, for which I'm really grateful.

My husband was among those whose job was impacted; his career of 25 years managing the Regal Cinemas ended in 2023. There was a complete shift in the movie industry and several of his staff were let go over a period of time. The writing was on the wall and eventually he was let go. He was caught in a spiral of not knowing where he fit in and was having this realization that he had been in an industry for over two decades that was no longer sustainable. He felt disconnected from the skill sets that the workforce was looking for in a new employee. It really affected his self esteem. I was at an interesting point where I was raising daughters with my partner, but also concerned about my partner's lack of self-confidence in his ability to find gainful employment."

Alex said that Josh losing his job opened an opportunity to welcome a new family member into their home. “We met and fell in love with a cattle dog, Mustard, who became Josh’s salvation. They quickly became staples in the neighborhood. Josh now has this new persona as a “dog dad” which I never imagined.

Josh started managing a Chipotle in February 2024. He sacrificed a lot so that my work didn’t have to change and so that I didn’t have to alter the responsibilities that I had as an active member of the community, being on several boards and being able to meet the needs of the museum. We had really honest conversations about how to balance someone else’s chance to pursue a career that melds passion with the practical needs of the other people in their household. My daughters have been privy to the conversations as they get older and they are more cognizant of what happens in a household."

Alex expressed that the pandemic has had lasting effects, and not all negative: altered perceptions of time, making it difficult to measure events accurately. “I used to measure everything by exhibitions, and then it was milestones that my children experienced. I'm an art historian by academic training, so that's how I make sense of the world. But now my recall is totally altered. In some ways that seems so far the rearview mirror. And in many respects, it’s still so present. I don't for a second fail to recognize the fact that we were in a privileged position to some extent, and some things were just a matter of dumb luck and timing. We had a home, great neighbors, and were able to continue to work. I felt grateful, but consistently recognized that we are forever changed from this pandemic.”

Larry / November 30, 2025 by autumn bland

Larry was first photographed during the Stay-at-Home order at his home in Brady Lake. It had been nearly one year since his wife, Kim, passed away after a long battle with lung cancer. After her passing, Larry had support from family members and friends who would help with meals, cleaning, and general social activity. As months went on, his visitors and assistance shrunk. By the time the Stay-at-Home order went into effect, his “community” was down to about five people.

Considered “high-risk”, Larry stayed home nearly 24/7 with the exception of necessary doctor appointments and errands. He had a kidney transplant in 2014, forcing him into a semi-early retirement at 62 years old. He developed diabetes after his transplant and had multiple mini-strokes that lead to a massive stroke in 2018. The stroke eliminated mobility in his left arm and he experienced challenged mobility in his left leg and several muscles on the left side of his body. All of these health challenges put him at incredibly high risk if he were to come in contact with COVID-19.

Throughout 2020, Larry received regular housecleaning, transportation, and meals from his stepdaughter and his sister. A local church added him to their meals list, which provided him with two meals a day, dropped off at his door at no cost. Once vaccines became available, he received the COVID-19 vaccine and multiple boosters, ultimately managing to avoid COVID-19.

From 2022-2024, Larry went through multiple stints in the ICU, rehab, and physical therapy. Very deep infections led him to getting his native kidneys removed. “I hate these places,” he would say. He spent several months in various hospitals and rehab facilities in the surrounding areas. He felt some were okay, while others were just out for profit and he often felt forgotten.

Larry has managed to stay clear of infections for quite some time now! “I see my buddy, Ricky every week. He picks me up and we go out to eat. Brother Ben and his wife Abby come by sometimes and clean up the house. I’m feeling okay. Not dead yet. I’m still mowing my yard and I’m doing fine.”

Oaklan / November 12, 2025 by autumn bland

Oaklan’s first portrait was taken the day he was born, which was during the Stay-at-Home order. His father stood in the window of their room in the new Summa Hospital maternity ward as he held his newborn son. While Oaklan perspective to offer, his parents (Michael and Trisha) remember this time well.

During the pandemic, many expecting parents were contemplating whether to opt for home birth rather than hospital births, due to health and safety concerns. “We didn’t want to be in the hospital, but when we actually were there, everything felt very safe and clean,” Michael said. “We saw maybe three people in the hospital. Even when we were admitted, you were not allowed to walk the halls without a guide, ensuring no additional risk of contact. Once I was there, I wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital until we were discharged.

We were very grateful for our midwife; she was our midwife for our first born as well. She was a great buffer between us and the medical staff, which was comforting. She knew us, advocated for us, had worked with us before, and was very aware of Trisha’s needs and birth plan.

Delivery was smooth and quicker than with the previous children. Within 24 hours, we were discharged. We got home in the afternoon, then Trisha experienced complications and had to go to the ER that night by herself. We didn’t know exactly what to do. Our one-day old son was now home without his mother who was nursing. I can’t remember exactly why, but we didn’t have formula from the hospital as an alternative. All of the stores were closed, because it was late at night at that point. It was nearly impossible to find a single place in town to buy formula. Thankfully, her complications were resolved within a day and she was able to return home.”

According to an article published by the National Medical Library, research showed that the maternity care response to the pandemic was non-standardized and frequently abandoned best‐practice guidelines. The findings of their study suggest that when health system functioning is threatened by a public health crisis, we fall short of optimal care.

To rectify this situation, the voices of childbearing people need to be systematically incorporated into care protocols and practices. This is an accepted cornerstone of high‐quality maternity care that, when overlooked, has been shown to cause dissatisfaction, harm, and underutilization of services.

Unfortunately, changes to maternity care practices during the pandemic were implemented largely without input from childbearing people. At times, this led to compromised and traumatizing care. Human rights violations that were documented during the pandemic include the following: refusing the right to a birth companion, interventions performed without medical reason (such as induction or cesarean section), enforced separation from the newborn without support for breastfeeding, inadequate personal protective equipment for health care workers and individuals seeking care, and limits or closure of decentralized community birth options. The priorities of childbearing people are not necessarily at the forefront of maternity care when health systems are functioning normally. During abrupt and widespread disruptions like the pandemic, this risk may have been amplified.

Michael thought back to 2020 and reflected. “The shutdown had its challenges with an infant, two-year-old and a four-year-old. The kids were bummed they couldn’t see anyone or do much of anything. Especially our oldest, with his outgoing personality. It was surprising to see how quickly they were able to adapt to safety protocols.

It was stressful with all of the unknowns. How long is it going to last? I was having constant anxiety about what this virus is, what it will be like if and when you get it. Especially because children were having such scary complications from the virus.

The good thing, though, was that we got to spend so much time together and were able to survive without being too disrupted with work and school, because I was working from home and the kids were not in school yet. We got to have this extra bit of family time. We were grateful for the extra time together."

—

National Medical Library article

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9111370/#birt12616-bib-0027

May, 2020
Summa Health System, Downtown Akron

Shaleeta / November 7, 2025 by autumn bland

Shaleeta was documented as part of the Essential series, highlighting her job as Summit County Manager, Maternal Child Health for the Summit County Health Department (SCPH). During her first interview, she spoke about the community's immediate need. “This has been a revolving door. I work every testing site we have. It was all hands on deck immediately,” Shaleeta said in 2020. “People are trying to live life through this pandemic, and for many, that is increasingly difficult. Some families didn’t have the means before COVID, and now they could be trying to navigate behavioral health challenges, homeschooling, unemployment, domestic violence, and everyday life stresses.”

Shaleeta moved into a new role at the SCPH as Director of Family Health. She reflected upon the evolution and solutions that she witnessed of the health department and the community they serve. “Summit County Public Health is trying to be an olive branch for the community,” she said. “The pandemic brought to the forefront that no one’s needs are the same. Everybody has their own unique circumstances. You have to show up for people differently.

Our emergency preparedness team made sure we worked with people representing different cultures so that each culture felt respected and safe. It wasn't generalized; It was targeted messaging. We made sure that the messaging was being relayed by way of a trusted source. That was important because there was so much myth going on with Covid. We needed to make sure that the information came from a trusted person in the community and we were always available as a liaison. It made us be more prepared and reliable overall.”

The housing crisis during the pandemic had a ripple effect on the health crisis. “People need stable housing, access to food, transportation, means to pay their utilities. If you can’t take care of your physical health or your environmental health, how can you take care of your mental health? Many people didn’t even know about us before the pandemic. My advice for people is to get to know us. We have so many resources and programs available and we serve the community in various ways.”

Shaleeta shared insight about some positive changes that came to be as a result of adapting to the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, many services and resources were only available at the SCPH building. Now, Teledoc appointments, virtual meetings, drive-thru testing and vaccinations are common.

“We try to diminish what fear may exist, because we don’t know what’s going to happen with the current state of our country. Public health and service workers are trying to provide as many resources as we can and as much comfort as we can. I think the pandemic showed that our community is resilient. We came together to do what we needed to do. Because of that, I don’t worry about what’s happening right now. I personally think we are doing better at showing up with intent for the community. I have hope because I think we still have that momentum. At the end of the day, we’ve evolved."

Oviya / November 7, 2025 by autumn bland

As a massage therapist & doula, Oviya experienced a major shift in her life as her income plummeted during the pandemic. “The clinic where I worked had to temporarily close and indoor table massage wasn’t allowed. To adapt, I built an outdoor space at my home and offered Thai massage sessions during the warmer months. In the colder months, my work as a doula was my main focus.

Covid times were incredibly charged; fear and suspicion showed up in my neighborhood. One neighbor kept making racist comments about the “China virus,”another began harassing people coming for treatment at my home studio, making it difficult to offer a sense of safety and sanctuary.”

Oviya said the tension became a catalyst, pushing her to find dedicated studio space. A few years after returning to clinic work post-shutdown, she transitioned to full-time on her own. Additionally, her work as a doula increased as the need for support grew due to many healthcare workers feeling tapped out, overworked and hyper vigilant.

“Many birthing families had to make decisions without the support they would normally have, though they birthed with incredible strength. The babies born during that time, many of whom I still follow and care about deeply, feel like little reminders of the continuity of life during uncertain times.

My understanding of the human body, especially the nervous system, has deepened tremendously. I witnessed how we are shaped by chronic stress, disconnection, and cultural upheaval. The return to "normal" was never really possible. For people w/ autoimmune conditions and marginalized folks, the pandemic seemed to intensify systemic dysregulation. Many clients returned w/ worsened flares, fatigue, and heightened sensitivities. The lymphatic system in particular took a toll. I saw increased stagnation, fluid retention, inflammation, and sluggish tissue.

Respiratory systems shifted too—chronic mouth breathing, collapsed diaphragms, and irregular breath-holding patterns are common. For some, this is physiological, but for many, it seems to be an imprint of shock and chronic vigilance, shaped by fear or bracing for bad news.

I’ve noticed a general baseline of up-regulation in nearly all clients. The systems we returned to (school, work, healthcare) haven’t evolved to meet the depth of what we’ve collectively experienced. Instead of slowing down to allow space for integration and healing, we’ve been pushed to move faster, absorb more information and stay constantly plugged into media streams. The mental health crisis is no longer theoretical. It’s in the room with me every day.

Oviya remains introspective about her experiences during the pandemic: "The pandemic reshaped me in ways I’m still uncovering. I’ve shed a lot of my conditioning regarding who I’m supposed to be, how I’m supposed to love, and what it means to be in a body that feels, desires, and grieves in complex ways. I lost a lot: stability, a sense of predictability, and some relationships. In the process, I gained a sobering view of how fragility and inequality show up in everyday life.

The body’s intelligence is immense, but it’s not infinite. We need to broaden our understanding of the word “healing” to include relational harmony, where we work toward collective healing and liberation. Basically, no one is well until we all are. Healing work is political, it is justice work, it is relational—not individual. So, it is imperative that I continue to refine how I save space for others without losing myself. Nothing is guaranteed; what we need most is each other.

Fran / November 5, 2025 by autumn bland

Fran was first photographed as part of the Portraits of Pride / Stay at Home series of portraits in the summer of 2020. At that point, they were working remotely and had plans to move to NYC in 2020, but ended up staying in West Hill. Eventually Fran picked up a second job working at a restaurant.

“I moved back to Akron a year and a half before the pandemic started,” Fran said. “I had a lot of mental health related challenges during the pandemic. I was trying to reconnect and plug into the community after being gone for about five years. The quarantine, in a way, helped me to personally reconnect with my family. But it was also really challenging because I didn’t have much of a social life here, so a lot of my time was spent studying and working. That was pretty tough.”

As Fran continued to reconnect, they attended and participated in a multitude of community demonstrations, City Council meetings, the Akron Civil Rights Commission and the board of the West Hill Neighborhood Organization. It did not take long for Fran to become fully immersed in the local community and deepen their passion for making positive change in Akron. In 2023, Fran led a grassroots campaign for Council At-Large. They had 330+ small dollar donors, 6,000 votes, and placed fifth in a field of nine.

In January of 2025, Fran launched their “Love Thy Neighborhood” grassroots campaign for City Council Member of Ward 1 and had immediate outpouring support from the community. They won the May Democratic primary by 51%; won 11 of 12 precincts and had more votes than both opponents combined.

Fran reflected on their life over the past five years. “Personally, I went from trying to reconnect with this city after being away for five years to now being prospectively one of the leaders of the city in a district where I’ve lived, gone to school and church for most of my life. It’s been quite a ride, but a very intimate and beautiful awakening.

I think the pandemic taught me a lot about what it means to maintain relationships with people and that we all need a lot of patience and care. Being in the position that I’m in, running for a city government position and organizing around a lot of city and neighborhood issues over the last five years, I think it has drawn my attention more and more toward everyday issues like affordability, and our ability to provide for and connect with our neighbors.”

Justin / October 26, 2025 by autumn bland

Justin was preparing to graduate from law school and take the bar exam in the spring of 2020. When the Stay-at-Home order forced everything to be remote, Justin’s plans to have a career as an attorney changed.

“The legal career that I had anticipated was totally derailed. The bar exam was postponed numerous times, and the graduation that I had looked forward to celebrating with my friends and colleagues went virtual. I found myself with much more time on my hands. That is when Lepley & Co. began. First, a blog, in April of 2020, and then by May, it had transformed into a "pop-up" plant stand outside our Goodyear Heights home. It quickly evolved into something more substantial.

I am fortunate that I was able to stay connected with those closest to me. The biggest personal effect of the pandemic was a quiet mourning of how I thought life was going to go. Although I loved the new journey I was on, I still felt a sense of missing out on a legal career.

Starting multiple businesses during a time of economic turmoil posed unique challenges which caused us to be adaptive and creative at every decision, pivot, and failure. But it also made EVERY decision harder than it might have been, from sourcing products to navigating business in a world that had been so disrupted.

The biggest personal change that I experienced was a new relationship with Akron. We bought our house in 2017. I had gotten to know the city over those few years, but having commuted to Cleveland for School, I didn't get to know the people that make this city so special. That all changed during the pandemic. Ironically, an event that made everyone social distance gave me the opportunity to meet my neighbors in the front yard, talking about plants. In August of 2020, it led Lepley & Co. to join the vibrant community that is Northside Marketplace. Our local Councilwoman congratulated me on our new business. I met Autumn (the artist behind this series), who, I might add, just photographed my partner and me at our wedding this month. It created personal connections that I don't think would have happened had the pandemic not occurred.

There is no world where I would have imagined the life that I am living now. I get to wake up every day and live my passions. From that humble plant stand, sharing mint plants with my neighbors, our portfolio has grown to include Lepley & Co. (now a full-service plant and florist shop); Northside Marketplace (which houses about 140 unique entrepreneurs); Nomz (the bar and restaurant inside the Marketplace); Rubber City Comics, and we participate in a host of philanthropy and community building efforts through the Lepley & Co. Cares Fund. In total, our team comprises over 30 individuals who make what we do happen every day. I cannot say that I am grateful for the pandemic, as it caused so much devastation for so many. But I am grateful for where life has gone. With so little control in this life, our happiness often comes down to what we can make of it all.

I am grateful to Autumn and Portraits of a Pandemic, not only for sharing a piece of my story but for building a community of its own by sharing the unique and beautiful stories of my friends and neighbors. Everyone has a story that is worthy of being shared.”

Sagarika / October 24, 2025 by autumn bland

Sagarika was first photographed outside of her apartment building in Highland Square. She was working remotely as a management consultant. One year later, she was photographed with her (then) boyfriend at the same apartment building. Sagarika still works for the same company and has received two promotions. Additionally, she received the “30 for the Future” Award from the Greater Akron Chamber.

While her job remains fully remote, Sagarika spoke about the feelings of isolation. She tries to co-work with friends and stay involved in the community as often as possible. “The isolation definitely took a toll on my mental health; being away from family, especially in the peak of the pandemic was difficult as we read about the rising cases and couldn’t do much except be virtually present through good and bad times. The isolation made me realize the value of positive human connection,” she said.

“I was able to embrace Akron wholeheartedly after things started opening back up. I got involved with several local organizations and made lifelong friends. Fast forward 5 years, I feel like I am part of the Akron community. I’ve participated in countless PorchRokr events, Akron Honey Market Days and Pride events. It is very heartwarming to see a friendly face wherever I go in Akron.

I’ve reached some of life's biggest milestones at historic Akron landmarks. I fell in love with my now husband. Our bond grew stronger during the pandemic and we got to explore a lot of the Summit Metroparks trails together. We got married in the Metroparks at 3:30 PM. Akron will forever be part of our story.”

When asked about her overall takeaway from the past five years, Sagarika expressed a wide range of feelings. “A lot of historic/"once-in-a-lifetime" things have happened in the past five years, and I feel like our youth was lost in these chaotic times. It stagnated my growth and I am tired of being from the generation that has to experience all these "once-in-a-lifetime" catastrophes.

Participating in this project helped me find some good friends and provided a sense of virtual community when there were no other alternatives available. I realized that community is everything, especially as the world changes rapidly; it is very important to find your people and be there for them!”

Julia Miao, MD / October 23, 2025 by autumn bland

Dr. Miao was photographed in June of 2020. As a resident physician in emergency medicine, she worked alongside many others on the front line. “The mortality rate was very high. There was little information about the virus and we did not have ways to test for it or treat it,” Dr. Miao said.

Shortly after her residency was completed, she moved to Richmond, VA to work in a tertiary care community hospital where some people would travel from three hours away for medical care. In late 2021-2022, there was another large surge in Covid cases, though rapid tests and Covid-19 vaccines were widely accessible. “When we saw that second big wave of cases, it was really bad. Thankfully the mortality rate was lower than the initial wave of cases in 2020, but we were still intubating people.

Being Chinese, I was getting racist remarks from the people I was trying to help, it was very demoralizing. There was a lot of skepticism. Some thought the Covid shot was the reason people were getting sick. I feel like the ER is like the pit of the hospital—overflowing with patients, understaffed, and we didn’t have enough beds. Sometimes people were in a hallway bed for multiple days. We were having to run codes in the hallway, shocking people in the hallway, pushing meds in the hallway that should not be done outside of the room. The way hospitals staff is for profit. Less physicians equals more profit.”

Dr. Miao expressed her feelings of extreme burnout, sharing that in 2022 she saw a psychologist for the first time in her life. “After a couple months of therapy, I realized that the way I felt was not because of me, it was because of the system. This system is not right. Patients were neglected and I was seeing terrible things every day. Hospital administration would say we needed to have a better bedside manner, but they weren’t addressing the bigger issues at hand. It’s actually taboo to seek mental healthcare as a physician. A lot of physicians will pay out of pocket to seek mental healthcare so it will not be disclosed on their application for licensure.

The pandemic made me realize just how divided we are as a nation. It highlighted to me how much we're letting politics get in the way of important work. I don't believe politicians should be impeding the work of scientists and physicians, nor should they be propagating the spread of misinformation and pseudoscience. Unfortunately, this is a concerning trend that is only getting more prevalent today. It's sad to me that even in the face of a worldwide pandemic where people are dying at alarming rates, when Healthcare workers are risking their lives to help those in need, we still cannot unite together to fight a common enemy. As a nation we need to prioritize listening to experts and those on the front lines doing the hard work. It's not OK to openly undermine scientific evidence and expertise when you're in a position of political influence, especially without credible sources. It only leads to endangering public health.

I think I speak for most physicians when I say we're all worried about the future if we continue to allow those without any scientific or medical background to give medical "recommendations" that are not at all rooted in science. It also leads to massive burnout as it makes our jobs so much harder when trying to treat patients who now question us for actually trying to deliver evidence-based care.”

June, 2020
Emergency Department, Akron General/Cleveland Clinic

Dan / October 23, 2025 by autumn bland

Dan was first photographed during the Stay at Home Order outside of his employer’s building, Job and Family Services, where was a Case Management Specialist II. In late 2021, his employers were requiring staff to work in the office. Dan requested to work from home full time, which he was eventually granted. “There were too many hoops to jump through and HR was not cooperative,” he said. “It was draining and tiring, I didn’t feel valued.”

On a personal level, Dan spoke about the challenges of isolation during the pandemic. “It was very isolating. I can’t drive, there weren’t social events, there was nowhere to go. It limited my dining out, which was and is a dominant part of my personality. I also didn’t want to get my grandparents or my mom sick. I relied on social media and other online avenues of communication like fantasy sports and video calls.

In early 2022, Dan began working for Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities as a Case Load Assistant. He assists multiple counselors in a variety of ways; making sure cases are in compliance with state and federal guidelines, helping with outreach, and more. Dan has also completed a leadership program through this work. At the time, the employees were in a hybrid work-flow and were able to downsize to a smaller office space. That all changed in early 2025 when Governor DeWine made an executive order that all government workers must return to the office full time.

“There were certain stipulations that would allow people to work from home,” Dan said. “My mom is my main support system, caregiver, and means of transportation, but she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2024, can no longer drive and has had other limitations.” While it took some effort to get approval, Dan is able to work from home full time. As his mother’s brain cancer has progressed, Dan is able to be at home with her while still working. “It’s been an unfathomable hell forced on my mom and our family. Unfortunately, treatment is no longer working. We now brace for the inevitable over the coming months.”

Dan gave his perspective of the pandemic: “Virtual workplaces have been a big advantage coming out of the pandemic. Video meetings and teledoc appointments are the norm now. It existed before, but now it is much more accepted.

As a person who has transportation limitations, widely available at-home delivery options are a big service to point out as a result of the pandemic. The ability to have groceries delivered to the house is huge. Some people want to put all of this back in the box and go back to the way things were, but I’m relieved this accessibility is more prevalent and normal than ever.”

Despite these improvements, Dan said that physical accessibility has remained generally the same in Akron. The lack of accessibility in parking in Highland Square is still prevalent, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the shops and restaurants, especially as the main parking lot continues to be blocked off by the city at night.

As Dan reflected back to the first portrait captured in this series, he mentioned: “It was cool to feel involved in something when the world was shut down. In retrospect it’s like being a part of Akron history. It was something cool when nothing else was going on. It provided a little bit of spark and hope. Also, I’m glad I grew facial hair since the first picture was taken, my face is gonna look a lot better in the Postscript portrait.”

—

Pandemic Postscript dedicated to Theresa Plappert. 06/21/1962 - 09/08/2025

March, 2020
Summit County Job & Family Services

Bronlynn / October 14, 2025 by autumn bland

Bronlynn’s first Stay at Home portrait was captured outside of her apartment building, the former YMCA located downtown. Her second and third portraits were captured just around the corner, at Lock 4 park, one of her frequented spots where she can be caught reading a book while enjoying a coffee from Akron Coffee Roasters.

For Bronlynn, the pandemic allowed her to spend time better understanding herself and realize what fuels her. She has taken time to discover how to find, and refine, her voice in the world. “I live my life by these three pillars: Never stop creating. Never stop learning. Continue to help others,” said Bronlynn.

In July of 2024, Bronlynn started a new job at the Cleveland Foundation. “I reached a point where something was off with my three pillars and I needed to separate my work self from my community self,” she said. “It was too intertwined and I was sacrificing my own mental health.

Taking the leap to the Cleveland Foundation gave me the opportunity to learn different skills. A community foundation operates very differently from a private foundation, and with that I’m learning an entirely different culture in a different city than the one that I grew up in. That has it’s positives, but it also has challenges. I feel a little bit more removed from Akron, which is kind of liberating in a way because I’ve been readjusting my relationship to this place in a way that's much more healthy. But it’s also sad because I don’t know what’s going on in my home to nearly the same extent.”

Bronlynn expressed that this change gave her the break she needed—helping her restore her mental heath, grow in personal relationships, and create art. “I was struggling to find my voice around my art and not feeling like an artist. Since then I've picked up pottery and printmaking. I had a big solo show in a gallery. Another show at a coffee shop that was showcasing my printmaking for the first time and then I did a entire show around my market haul photos.

In January of 2025, Bronlynn’s mother fell ill with pancreatic cancer. “It happened so rapidly. In February they said we had six months, and she passed away weeks later. It was the day before my birthday. Although it was a short period of time between the diagnosis and her passing, we did get to work through some of the complicated aspects of our relationship. But it’s hard to think that my mom will never see me get married, she will never see me get my PhD or finish a book. I'm now the owner of her home. She will never see what I've done to it [the home]. I thought I would never go back to this house and here I am returning to it and making it my own. She will never see all of these other things that I do with my life.

This experience of losing her has reshaped my life in a way that the pandemic did. I turned 30 at the start of the pandemic and discovered a whole other person beneath the surface. Now I'm 35, my mother has passed away, and I'm like “oh, there is a whole other world beneath, with more layers that I didn't know were there.” I have shifted jobs. I'm in a different relationship than the one I was in in 2020, I am about to move into the home that I grew up in, but also the first home that I own outright. It’s a weird place to be and I’m still in the midst of processing it all.”

John / September 30, 2025 by autumn bland

West Akron natives, John and Bev Earnest were first photographed as part of the Stay at Home series in March of 2020. A follow-up portrait followed just a few months after, when Bev retired from Summa where she had worked as a surgical tech for 48 years. The Earnests celebrated their 50th anniversary and Bev’s retirement with a block party. They have such a big footprint on the city, they needed a whole block to host their family and friends!

Over the past few years, the pair have been enjoying Bev’s retirement, but John started down a road of health struggles. He was experiencing a myriad of symptoms, but doctors were struggling to pinpoint the cause. Eventually he asked to get an MRI, which revealed a tumor.

“I’ve got a squatter in the penthouse,” John said. “It’s crazy how your life can change in a millisecond. A tumor has grown and consumed my medulla. Because of the location size, it is inoperable. They cannot do a biopsy. The risk is far higher than the reward. It would be like sticking a fork into the light socket. I don’t want me to be altered, so I just chose not to poke the bear.”

Bev expressed the fears, confusion, and stresses she has been processing since the diagnosis. Surrounded by people who want to help, but also want information, leads to many phone calls and messages. The two are worried about what the outlook is for John’s health, but still trying to enjoy the time they have together. July 21, 2025 marks their 55th wedding anniversary.

John’s reflections go beyond the pandemic. He reminisced about his wedding day, graduating from beauty college in the 70s, winning many awards in beauty competitions, and traveling for beauty shows. One of his biggest accomplishments in his career was that he was the first independent Black man to own a salon in the M. O’Neil Company in downtown Akron in the 80’s. The salon was called Black Hair Is. Earnest ran his own business for 50 years. The day he found out he had brain cancer was the day that he retired.

“The reward for my services is not the pay, I pride myself on giving my clients exactly what they want. I honed my skill so well that I’m able to listen and provide this service to every client. In my profession, we become robots because we are working with so many people, herding people in and out of the salon. We forget that we need to actually listen to what the client wants, and I’ve been consistent with that.”

“My favorite quote is from Mark Twain: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” I found my why a long time ago and didn’t realize it. I continue to make friends that are solid friends. I have friends from 70 years ago that are still friends today. Children love and gravitate to me and never forget me. I consider myself a blessed man, I wouldn’t change a thing about my life.

To this day, I'm still able to communicate. I'm still able to walk, hold my wife's hand, look her in the eyes and know who she is. I'm not giving that up. Quality of life for me is more important than quantity. It’s time to get busy living and not busy dying.”

Evelyn / September 30, 2025 by autumn bland

Evelyn was 9 years old when the Stay-at-Home order went into effect. In the fall of 2020, she entered fourth grade at a new school. “The pandemic felt like you were trapped at home,” Evelyn said. “When I started 4th grade at a new school, I had to start online and I did not have any friends, so it was very difficult. I felt like I did not really learn anything while having class online. I remember waking up and just wearing pajamas to class and angling my Chromebook camera during PE away from me, so I would not have to do the exercises. I would eat in class during zoom calls. If the pandemic had lasted forever, I would be stupid today because we were not learning anything.”

When Evelyn looks back at the pandemic, she feels like it went by quickly. She reflected on some key things she recalls from 2020. “I think of masks—they were itchy and never fit my face right. Everybody was into Anime, and Tiktok was just getting popular. People were wearing crazy outfits with lots of colors and frog hats, and heavy make-up. I wanted to follow those trends, but today they are cringe. I think we should go back, because people seemed more free back then and we need to embrace the weirdness. Everyone was stuck inside and you could do whatever you wanted, versus today where I feel people are more into conforming to a standard.”

Imokhai / September 29, 2025 by autumn bland

Imokhai was first documented in June of 2020 as part of the Essential series with for his work with Freedom BLOC. He had just graduated from law school and was ready to take the bar exam, which kept getting delayed due to COVID. In September, Imokhai was finally able to take the exam. “It was a wild time,” he said. “In the midst of all the delays, I was debating on what to do. People weren’t hiring during COVID but I thought I might as well finish this out. I kept wrestling with what to do. Then I passed the bar the first time and worked for a global law firm, which was a good opportunity. I started off making crazy money, got a downtown Cleveland apartment, it was fun for a while. I got to try a lot of new things, new restaurants, clubs, go to parties. But eventually it stopped being fun and it wasn't as fulfilling as I thought it would be.

I wanted to be a trial lawyer. I wanted to be working with people, but I found myself at a job where I was working with corporations. There were 200 attorneys at this law firm just in the Cleveland office and only four of us were Black.

Then you start to learn about the clients we were defending and you find yourself on the wrong side of things. The firm represented big tobacco companies that were manipulating consumers for profit. People were dying. I got wrapped into work on a bribery scandal in Ohio. This was evil. Behind the scenes they’re just trying to siphon consumers and take all this money just for profit, but every day people are suffering.

I was billing $450/hour. It felt like dirty work. I tried to make up for it by doing a lot of pro-bono work all over the country. I got a lot of opportunities to help people but it didn’t fill my cup.”

With the desire for a more community-centered life, Imokhai moved back to Akron in September of 2022. “I learned more about politics, culture and developed my own real analysis about what is actually going on,” Imokhai said. While still working at his corporate job, Imokhai continued his work with Freedom BLOC and other organizers in the community. He was heavily immersed in the community efforts to bring justice to Jayland Walker’s murder. He applied to be on the Akron Citizens' Police Oversight Board. Though he was qualified, passionate about this work and had a lot of community support, he didn't get on the board. Two months later, a grand jury ruled that all officers were cleared of criminal charges for Jayland Walker’s murder. “I was disillusioned with this corporate life. Disillusioned with this idea that you can work at these systems and to try to make some change. I just really wanted not to not be so tied to the system.”

In June of 2023, Imokhai quit his corporate job and started his own law firm in Akron: The Okolo Law Firm. “It's been a struggle. I don't make nearly as much money as I made at the law firm, but I'm so much more happy with my day-to-day. The money is not as important as living a life waking up every day feeling more alive and feeling like I'm actually doing something I want to do,” he said. “I’m not just some shell of a person, I’m actually a full human being.”

Imokhai also started a program called People Feeding People, which consists of 7 core people who travel around Akron weekly to pass out free groceries. The program is growing and gaining momentum.

“I'm doing work that I thought would be so cool to do. Following the lineage of folks like The Black Panther Party, Malcolm X—I found it important to continue this radical tradition fighting for freedom of deliberation of people. These things are possible to change with organized people and organized resources.”

Imokhai spoke about the clarity he gained over the past four years.

“I think for me, I got a better sense of clarity on who I was and who I was potentially capable of being. I just felt like the direction I was going prior to the pandemic was not where I was meant to be going or where I truly wanted to go. I really believe in the concept “I am because we are”. This is a collective experience here and no one person can survive on their own. We need each other. If your survival is dependent on someone else’s lack of survival, that seems really shitty. We should change that.”

Curtis / September 19, 2025 by autumn bland

Curtis was first photographed in June 2020, as part of the second phase of the Essential series—people who were community focused. His role was Director of Operations for The Well CDC, a community development corporation devoted to creating shared neighborhood prosperity through housing, economic development and placemaking initiatives.

“In my role, I was responsible for employee wellbeing and operations at The Well,” he said. “During the pandemic, I was studying and revising policy procedure. I was visiting the Summit County Public Health website daily. I had to suspend some employment. We were just trying to survive. It certainly made me anxious, but I understood the responsibility that was necessary.”

Curtis has a devotion to volunteerism and service to Akron, which was all put on hold or reconfigured as a direct result of the pandemic. He was named President of the Akron Urban League Young Professionals in the beginning of 2020 and held that position for 2 years. “I had just gotten started in this role and then the shutdown happened,” he said. "We had to change expectations, and change entire plans for the program. We couldn’t collaborate in person and had to interact through a different medium (video meetings). It was certainly disappointing because we started the year so strong—visibility, programming, we were executing at such a high level. I can’t say I finished strong, but I finished, nonetheless. If nothing else, I think legacy matters. The program is still thriving.”

In February of 2023, Curtis decided to leave The Well and take a year to do freelance consulting, focused on Black-led and grassroots nonprofit organizations. “The pandemic produced a lot of self awareness. The isolation forced people to reconcile with themselves. I decided it was time for me to move on to the next chapter. I was a part of something incredibly special at The Well. I look back on that time and can see that we grew something together. The people and programs I was directly responsible for have thrived in my absence. It’s a gift and I am grateful.”

Curtis started a job as Senior Fellow, Communities of Practice + Convenings of The People’s Practice at ThirdSpace Action Lab in March of 2024. “I staff the field-building efforts in our community development project, The People’s Practice. This is a unique opportunity to join a place-based, racial equity learning and design lab as part of an important national effort; contributing primarily to the national summit and regional action planning strategy and execution.”

For Curtis, much of his reflection is about transition and grief. “Transitions were swift across the board,” he said. "Policy and procedures, interactions with people, commitment with service to Akron. Grief isn’t always defined as loss, though I did experience a major loss in my life in the fall of 2020. Dr. Diana Swoope was a pastor, mentor, and a very prominent voice in my life. Every time I had to make a life decision, I would ask her to breakfast, AKA "consultation." Her spirit shows up in more ways than one. I’m always glad to celebrate her and say her name often.

I was brought up in the Black church where hymns hold significant value. Many of which have not left my mind. One of my favorites is "Hold to God's Unchanging Hand," which simply says, "Time is filled with swift transition." The pandemic taught me this one thing above all else.”

Autumn Bland