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!”
Highland Square
November 2020
