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.

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.”

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.”

Mateo / August 28, 2025 by autumn bland

Mateo was first photographed in July of 2020 as part of the Pride series. He has experienced many changes since that portrait was captured—Mateo reflected on his journey to transition while navigating being newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

“I don't know any other Type 1 diabetics that are also trans,” Mateo said. “I'm sure they exist, but I've never met anybody. I was in a very specific situation where I needed to find a doctor that was willing to deal with all of this. I went to the Akron Pride Clinic. They were super understanding and helpful. There was a bit of figuring out how much T I should take. My doctor walked me through the steps of what to expect. It was a lot of hormones, insulin is also a hormone. My body was rapidly changing. I had lost a lot of weight because I had undiagnosed diabetes. Testosterone can make you gain muscle mass, so I was gaining my regular weight back and also gaining muscle mass. I kind of blew up for a second there, which is completely fine, but it was just a lot.”

During the majority of the pandemic and his transition, Mateo was a public facing service worker at 3 restaurants. He said that due to needing to wear a mask and having a deeper voice from the testosterone, he felt more confident at work. Family interactions, however, were challenging.

“Because it was the pandemic, I wasn’t seeing my family often,” he said. I would go months without seeing my mom and then when I would see her she would say things like, “You look completely different.” That was kind of hard for me. I’m a momma’s boy, I’ll always be a momma’s boy. I would never not talk to her. My family could be more supportive. They’re not actively telling me to stop what I’m doing, but they’re also not acknowledging my transition.” Mateo expressed further that his family often dead names him and rarely use his preferred pronouns.

Being in a long term relationship during a transition was helpful for Mateo. His then partner, Hannah, was Mateo’s support system in the early stages of testosterone therapy. “She helped me understand who I was in ways that I couldn’t verbalize. I appreciated her being there during that time. I don’t know what the timeline of events would have been if she wasn’t there to encourage me, especially considering the way my family is. There are certain friends that voiced similar things as my family that gave me pushback when I was a teenager. I didn’t have the proper language for things back then. Teens now have the language to understand all of this.”

In 2024 Mateo started a job as a traveling chef for a large company which allows him to travel out of town, interacting with the public. “I have my own chef’s coat that says Mateo on it. People call me “sir”, its really cool,” he said. “I also have a lot more job security, which is nice. I’ve been doing more freelance cooking for people and I’m looking into getting my LLC.”

“I wouldn’t say there is some sort of an end goal as far as transitioning goes, but looking back to where I was four years ago and where I am now, I’m so much happier. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were many ups and downs. I appreciate my past for what it was, but I’m happy to be where I am now. Everything that I’ve had to go through, I would do it eight times over again if it meant that I could be here today.”

Emily / August 21, 2025 by autumn bland

The first portrait I captured of Emily was during the Stay at Home order. She was working as an RN at an Emergency Department and was 8 months pregnant with her second child.

The first portrait I captured of Emily was during the Stay at Home order. She was working as an RN and was 8 months pregnant with her second child. One month after that portrait, I photographed her at home with her husband, Zack, their son, Leo, and their newborn daughter, Charlie. Emily gave birth to their third child, Ellie, in January of 2022. At that time she was working in an emergency department but changed jobs upon returning from maternity leave.

“Each pregnancy has been very different,” Emily said. “With Charlie, I was so scared coming to work–for my safety and her safety. There were too many unknowns and being in the ER was extremely stressful. But, since people were afraid to come to the hospital, we weren’t very busy, which made things a little more manageable.

The third time around I felt more comfortable for my safety. We had learned a lot about COVID, and I was vaccinated and had a booster. However, the ER and hospitals in general were at maximum capacity. A new level of stress was rising because even our ICUs were full. I’ve never seen that happen before. It was exhausting.”

Emily shared that the pandemic was the most difficult and overwhelming chapter of her nursing career to date. She pressed on and was able to make a job change after maternity leave.

“Leaving the ER was something I felt was very necessary. Between the chaos of COVID and work, I was bringing stress home with me daily. It was a cycle I couldn’t continue. I was unsure at first but it was necessary,” she said. “Now I work part time in an outpatient OBGYN office. I still get to be with patients but it's a lot less stressful. My work schedule allows me to be at home more often, which is where I want to be.

I feel like my family needs me, my mental health is much better and I can be more present at home. Leo is six, Charlie is five and Ellie is three. Zack’s work has been steady and he has always been so supportive of whatever I need and whatever is best for the family. We are still in the same house and are enjoying our life here. We have ducks, chickens, goats, sheep, and ponds. We love being outside and we love being at home.

When I think back, I don’t regret anything. I love the experience I got to live. If COVID never happened, would I still be working in the Emergency Room? Maybe. It made me think that everything is for a greater purpose. Where I’m at now is the most stable I’ve ever been in my life. I did the best I could and now I’m where I’m supposed to be.

It makes me feel like this wasn’t all for nothing.”

Amanda & Erin / August 8, 2025 by autumn bland

Amanda and Erin were first photographed in the summer of 2020. “In that photograph, it was just us and our dogs, which was not reflective of what our life typically looked like,” said Amanda. “Our son Austin had left to live with his dad and Erin’s dad Larry was in the hospital, then rehab, recovering from a stroke. I think of when you took our photo, we had a lot of love and we were very happy, but we were so alone in a way that we hadn't been alone. Everybody that we were responsible for was out of reach.

“Austin was having some trouble in school, but was college bound. Then the pandemic hit and it just undid everything,” Amanda said. “He stayed with his dad for spring break and then sent us a message saying, “since school is gonna be virtual, I'm not coming back.” He struggled with substance abuse, ultimately having a near fatal fentanyl overdose in December 2020. He went to rehab and was the youngest person there.”

Erin’s dad, Larry, came home in September of 2020 and they were able to continue their intergenerational lifestyle. Additionally, Erin and Amanda took in their three grandchildren after their daughter continued to struggle with her mental health and was exasperated by the pandemic.

“We had to tighten down and make sure not to get people sick. Lots of health and safety to keep in mind with Erin’s dad’s health and having three children in the house.”

Erin and Amanda were working full-time remotely through the majority of 2020 + 2021. Erin changed jobs when her employers were requiring people to come back into the office. “There was a huge push for everyone to come back in the office, which was counter-intuitive considering the next wave of COVID was happening,” Erin said. “It was too risky for my dad’s health, so I went back to consulting while taking care of my dad and I started job hunting. He was always so supportive and would ask how the search was going. The day I got the call that I landed my new job, I was able to tell him. He was so happy for me. That same day, he passed away from complications from his stroke. It meant a lot that I got to share the good news with him before he passed.”

Amanda worked as the Executive Director of Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce for one year when the shut down went into effect. “It changed the entire concept of what our organization was, but it was the best thing that probably could've happened. We always said that we are more than a networking group, but that was all that we really did, and then all of a sudden we couldn't network. We stepped into the space that we knew that we were in around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging training.”

When asked about the impact the pandemic had on the LGBTQ+ community, Amanda and Erin replied, “Some impact that we know happened was increased isolation, how hard that was, and how it might've prolonged folks coming out, especially younger ones. How it might've kept trans people from being able to access the care that they needed, especially to make their social transition. One thing that became prescient during that time was basically living through a plague. The HIV activists and those continuing to live positively with HIV had the recognition that within the queer community and queer spaces we have many immunocompromised.”

Life throughout 2020-2024 was eventful and scary, but full of love for Erin and Amanda. Their son Austin lives close to them and continues to work hard on his sobriety. All three of their daughters’ children continued to live with them and are thriving. Though Erin’s father passed in 2022, his memory is very much alive. Both women are still working and have started to enjoy a more social calendar since 2023.

“I think society is forever changed,” Amanda said. “There are moments of great intensity where you do not know if you’re going to make it through. Larry, through the stroke, losing him. Austin in rehab. Not knowing where our daughter was. Those were all really intense times. Everything was heightened because of the national tragedy we were all a part of. You really don’t think you’re going to make it through and then you do. I think one of the quotes that always stays with me is: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” You don’t know what’s on the other side, but you come through one way or another.”

Helen / August 1, 2025 by autumn bland

At 100 years old, Helen is the eldest participant in Portraits of a Pandemic. Over the past decade, she has lived with her 84-year-old son and his multi-generational family in their Austintown home. Helen’s lifestyle did not change throughout the course of the pandemic; She had a few small bouts of illness, but overall managed to stay unfazed. It could be argued that, by not having a strong understanding of the virus, she was able to avoid it. When asked about her memory of the Covid-19 pandemic, she said: “I think I didn’t get sick because my family was too ambitious. They didn’t have time to catch a germ.”

Al & Terry / July 7, 2025 by autumn bland

Al and Terry were photographed in the summer of 2020 with their dogs in their backyard. “That portrait was bittersweet because that was the day we had to put our dog Maynard down. We cherish that photo,” said Terry. Al and Terry have been together for 31 years and both retired before the pandemic. When I asked about their experience during the pandemic, they said: “We were basically stuck in the house, yet it wasn't a negative experience. We just sort of rediscovered each other and we enjoyed each other's company, so we didn't feel at a loss. It just confirmed the bond we have as husbands and as friends.”

A couple of years ago, Terry was diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer and has responded very well to the treatment. Al has been diagnosed with a heart condition, called cardiac amyloidosis and is part of a trial study at the Cleveland Clinic. “He goes once a month for an infusion of a drug, which just got approved by the FDA and is very expensive ($405,000 per injection). Of course, insurance companies are fighting this expensive treatment, so most patients can't get the benefit. We just deal with it right now. We’re trying to support each other and we're both doing okay. We still go day by day, but we haven't cut back much on activities or anything,” Terry said.

Al and Terry volunteer for a group called Stage4, a ministry of St. Luke’s Anglican Church which provides comfort bags for cancer patients in the Akron and Medina areas. “The bags are filled with things a patient could use, especially during treatment,” Terry said. “Blankets, a journal, water bottle, puzzle books, stress balls for neuropathy, and more. We write a little note that goes in each bag.”

With volunteer work being a passion for Al and Terry, they are still continuing their work with other organizations. Terry has been volunteering at Goodwill. Al reads to the blind and is part of the a ukulele quartet. “We have a ukulele, harmonica, and bass guitar and sing. We perform at independent living, assisted living and memory care units. It's such a good feeling performing for these people.” Al said.

Al and Terry shared a few closing thoughts about the past four years for them. “For us, a sad part of the pandemic was that a lot of our favorite places never came back to their full selves. Something as simple as our little Chinese restaurant is now strictly takeout. The pandemic destroyed a lot of small businesses. We try to support the little guys, but many didn’t survive. On the other hand, we did (and still do) enjoy just sitting outside at home. It’s very peaceful and relaxing in the nice weather and we love our home.”

Bonnie / July 1, 2025 by autumn bland

Bonnie was among the first of the Essential portraits documented during the Stay at Home order. As a letter carrier for USPS for nearly 30 years, Bonnie was grateful to continue doing her job without too many changes. “I was thankful to still be working so I could be out in the fresh air,” Bonnie said. “But it was like a ghost town—Businesses were shut down, everybody was home. They mandated masks in the office, some people were getting sick and we got a bit short staffed. I never got sick, and I think not being in an enclosed space helped a lot.”

Early in the summer of 2020, Bonnie was attacked by a dog while on her route. “This dog was in an open garage on a leash, but managed to get out and came charging at me. I carry some of my mail in my arm, against my chest. That’s where I got attacked—he jumped on my chest and bit my hand. You cant stitch a dog bite and it took forever to heal because the bite was so deep,” she said. Bonnie was out of work for two months—she used sick time but never applied for workers’ compensation. During her time recovering, her youngest daughter was living at home while finishing her college education at The University of Akron.

By mid-July of 2020, Bonnie was back to work full time and on the same route. The dog that attacked her was still an active part of the route, which was terrifying for Bonnie. “I was traumatized. I was scared to death to go up to that house every time. If the front door was open, I wouldn’t go near the house.”

Bonnie expanded on how her work has shifted. “Things have really changed, and I don’t think it’s because of COVID. We used to be really respected, we were essential. Now, we are treated badly—not by the community, but by the supervisors. There is a lot of micromanagement. This work used to be about customer service, but now it’s all about the numbers. We are tracked on GPS and heaven forbid we spend more than nine minutes at one location. We can’t even talk to customers anymore. It’s really sad.”

Bonnie celebrated 31 years with USPS in May of 2025. She is eligible for retirement, but will continue working a bit longer to ensure house payments can be managed. As a single mother of two daughters for 23 years, finances had been tight.

When asked about her personal pandemic experience, Bonnie replied, “I can’t remember much, it feels like a lifetime ago. If my mom would have been around during COVID, it would have been really hard. She passed a year before the pandemic. I miss her so much, but I’m kind of glad she was not here during COVID. My older daughter is expecting her first child, my younger daughter has a great job in Cleveland and her own place in Lakewood. Overall we are doing well and although this job has changed, I’m happy I can continue working.”

RobbyGee / June 30, 2025 by autumn bland

RobbyGee has been photographed multiple times throughout the Portraits of a Pandemic series. As a survivor and thriver living with HIV, RobbyGee has centered his life around providing peer support online, in person, nationally and internationally. He said that one of his greatest concerns continues to be the lack of communication about resources between peers and support agencies.

“I was diagnosed with GRID, now known as HIV, in February of 1983,” RobbyGee said. “At age 17, I was fresh out of 12 foster homes and homeless with no support system besides my faith. Contracting HIV was another devastating blow in my young life, which already felt broken. However, I began to develop strong coping skills. I accepted that my HIV was not going anywhere, and I decided it would not overtake my life.

I had different plans before I was diagnosed, but this has helped me find my true calling in life. In my 42 years of life with HIV, I've lost over 120 friends and associates. I stopped counting in 1999. The loss was too much.”

In January of 2019, RobbyGee founded a grassroots HIV support group in Akron, called SSOULE Group, which meets monthly. In between meetings, he connects one-on-one with each attendee to offer support, information, and resources. “Nothing can replace the feeling of helping people. Until the day I leave this world, this is what I’ll do. It gives me a sense of purpose.”

After the Stay-at-Home order went into effect, two of RobbyGee’s sons (Andrew & Matthew) moved in with him. Andrew, a licensed CNA, remained consistent as RobbyGee’s caretaker. He is currently a community health worker, home health aid, CPR first aid instructor and is also in nursing school. Matthew had some struggles with mental health and addiction, resulting in a less consistent and more dangerous lifestyle for a large part of the pandemic. RobbyGee would often worry his son was in trouble or in danger. “Matthew is clean and sober now,” RobbyGee said. It took 10 years, it was a lot of work, but he is doing amazing now.”

In August of 2023, RobbyGee and his two sons had the opportunity to move out of their apartment and into a home in North Hill. They had been searching and waiting for a long time, hoping to get into a safer area with more room for the three of them. RobbyGee stated that over the years living in their apartment building, he witnessed 8 dead bodies, but now that he lives in a home in a safer area, he feels very blessed.

"I didn’t think I’d live to see 40, and I can’t believe I made it to 60! God is keeping me because of the work I do. God and me have an understanding that he will let me know when my time is coming—He told me about 5 months ago that it’s coming. I have beat death for so long and I’m not afraid to die."

RobbyGee sees his passion for helping others as a way to honor the memories of all those he loved and lost, with the ultimate goal of us all to living to see the end of the HIV epidemic. While much of RobbyGee’s work with the community has been volunteer-based, he has also been working for the Summit County Health Department for more than six years.

RobbyGee reflected on his overall thoughts about the pandemic.

“The pandemic was scary because it reminded me of the beginning of AIDs back then, with so many people dying and not knowing how to handle it. I remember when I got COVID. I already had 3 infections, and then I got COVID. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks. My sister had been watching my Facebook though I didn’t know. As soon as I got home, she called me and we talked for 2 hours. Just to hear her voice alone, it was just amazing. I never got to meet my sisters. I don’t know why they chose not to meet me. Them knowing that I was gay and that I had HIV made it that much harder. I was hurt for a very long time and had given up. Now, I am planning to see my sister in Virginia. She knows I’m gay, but she also knows I’m doing God’s work. I just wanna put my arms around her and never let go.”

We don’t just survive today, we thrive today! We are our brother's keeper.”

Iman / June 23, 2025 by autumn bland

Iman and her newborn son Indigo were first photographed at their home in Cleveland in the summer of 2020. Shortly after, Iman realized that this home was not a safe place, so when Indigo was 3 months old, they moved in with a friend in North Hill. As a single mom with limited resources and no reliable options for childcare, Iman would pick up temporary jobs whenever she could, while still seeking permanent housing for her and her son.

“We stayed in North Hill for a year nine months. After we left North Hill, we were in a shelter for a week, then moved to a different shelter for a couple of months while we were waiting for our paperwork to go through,” Iman said. “The first shelter was a little rough, but the second one was actually kind of great because it was apartment style. You had your own bed and bathroom and then we just had to share a common space with another family, which was just the living room and kitchen. So it wasn't too bad.”

I asked Iman about the process of finding housing, and she explained: “For CMHA Section 8, you have to go to the movers class and then complete a RFTA packet that you and the landlord fill out. It takes about 30 to 45 days to actually be processed, sometimes it can take longer. Once you go through that, they do the inspection and you can sign the contract.”

Iman has gone through the Housing Choice Voucher Program twice for her housing. “The next place, hopefully we can stay for a little bit,” said Iman. “I'm not very keen on the area, it’s just what I could take right now. It's in a red zone, so it's not really cared for, unfortunately.”

For Iman, the pandemic felt like an opportunity to pause and reflect “It really helped me because it was the time of my life where I needed to slow down. Between having Indigo and a lot of stuff going on with my health, it was like a blessing in disguise in some ways, giving me more time to focus on my health and my baby. That's my theme now. I’ve been working with this fibromyalgia specialist and he's helping me understand what I need to do to continue to allow my body to restore some of its energy. I'm taking the time to get healthy and focus on me, because it's been so challenging to maintain work and family life. It’s been recurring themes: listening to my health journey and slowing down and pacing myself.”

Liz / June 1, 2025 by autumn bland

Before the pandemic, Liz Barton was working full-time at the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology and her husband, Mike, was running his own landscaping business. The pair had two young children and were managing to maintain a small farm with a vendor space at Haymaker Farmers’ Market weekly. After the Stay-at-Home order in March of 2020, the Bartons were all home together, giving them the opportunity to work more on their farm as a family. Mike dialed his small business back and put the majority of his focus on the farm, which is something he had always wanted to do. “2020 was like the impetus of that,” Liz said. “Experiencing a pandemic and realizing that life is about doing the things you wanna do and not just always saying you'll get to it.”

Liz continued her full-time work, switching to a hybrid work schedule. By 2022, they closed the landscaping business, giving Mike the opportunity to have a full-time commitment to Barton Farms and Gardens. “We were already doing the farmers market and had an audience and some pretty loyal customers. Mike loves nothing more than being at home, gardening and farming so he was in his best element. We were all home together, which is what he really loves, too.

I feel that we were lucky that our kids were so young during the shut down, so it didn’t effect them much. Mike was home so childcare wasn't an issue, which was the biggest issue for a lot of people.”

As the farm scaled up, the Bartons were getting more involved with the community. They host an annual plant sale on their farm and had the honor of hosting the Haymaker Harvest Dinner on their property, which is a fundraiser for the farmers market. “It was rewarding because so many people that have been customers for a really long time and were able to come out and experience this farm to table dinner.

As president of Haymaker Farmers’ Market for 11 years, Liz spoke about her experience in that role during the shut down. She reminisced about the camaraderie of the board and volunteers from the market, saying that the market only had to close for one weekend while they came up with a solution to continue operations. “We created a drive-through market at the church where board members would volunteer weekly. People could order in advance or could just drive through the line. If it was available, vendors would put stuff in your trunk.

Something that the pandemic taught people was farmers in the community still had products that the big stores didn’t. A lot of farmers and small farms did well during the pandemic.This is what community is all about. We came together. The pandemic had obviously so many awful elements—lives lost, businesses lost. There's a lot of terrible elements, but there was this community effort to do good things and I think that it inspired people.”

Maureen / September 28, 2021 by autumn bland

In March of 2020, Maureen was photographed with her husband Jeremiah and their son Julian. Maureen was a teacher, just beginning virtual teaching while Jeremiah owned a piercing shop, Good Life, which had to be temporarily closed due to COVID mandates.

“I was having serious anxiety and panic about teaching,” Maureen said. “By early March I stopped working for the most part because I was debilitated by anxiety and depression, which turned out to be a direct result of burnout. I remember thinking, “I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't function. I can't get out of bed. I'm so anxious. I'm having panic attacks." I'd never experienced any of that before.” Maureen decided to take work off through spring break, when suddenly the Stay at Home order was put into effect.

“The timing was great. Jeremiah decided since he was already laying everybody off and figuring out what the new world looked like, he'd take care of Julian while I taught upstairs,” she said. “It was just like this symbiosis that worked out with our schedules. Then the school year ended, and I was able to take care of Julian so Jeremiah could reopen the shop.

I felt like the universe was conspiring to help me and I don't want that to sound insensitive because it was also a really scary time for the whole world. People died and people suffered, but it came at this moment where I didn’t know what was wrong with me and I needed time to figure it out. I needed my grind to slow down, and that's what I got.

I decided not to go back to teaching and I felt instant relief from my anxiety and depression. I felt this freedom to explore things that I always was interested in but could never do because I was teaching 60 to 70 hours a week and trying to be a good mom and manage all of these things. I started being able to dream again.

That summer I decided to go on a journey to become a gestational surrogate for two men who felt like family from the first time we met,” said Maureen. She and Jeremiah met Kevin and Eric and connected immediately. Soon after, they began their journey together.

In January of 2021, they transferred one embryo. At their 7-week scan, Maureen, Eric and Kevin were shocked to learn the embryo split twice and that they would be expecting triplets!

Maureen gave birth to three healthy triplet girls in September of 2021. Since then, Maureen and her family have been a regular part of Kevin, Eric, and the girls' lives.

"My mom loves them so much so she and Jeremiah both pay visits. Julian comes with me and he thinks of the girls as his cousins. We get to see them quite a bit.

I couldn't have done this without the support of my family and these guys who wanted to take this journey with me. It’s really cool that even though this is my story, all these people were such important characters in it.”

I really do credit Covid for freeing up my life and giving me the space to dream of new things. I can do more with this slower life, where I can say yes to things again.”