Coronavirus has changed numerous things in the world. In the exhibition “Pandemic Class of 2020,” Elias Williams, a New York City-based photographer, shows how the virus has affected academic institutions, and in order to do that, he delves into the lives of students who have suffered from a coronavirus outbreak.
One of the most rewarding moments for most graduates is “the traditional, in-person commencement.” However, due to the pandemic, Hayward Leach, sitting on the stairs in the picture taken by Williams, graduated with an MFA in acting at Juilliard School of Drama. According to Williams, “Towards the end of his final year at Juilliard there is an acting showcase which is normally done in person for people in the acting industry, however, they had to be done virtually on Zoom.” More restrictions come into play for Leach because the acting industry does not have jobs at the present time. Leach, whose future seemed promising, is now living in a time of uncertainty with his degree in acting.
In another photo taken by Williams, Roman Vasquez, 14, is in a blue graduation gown with the mask on. When New York City public schools closed down in March, Vasquez was left dismayed for many reasons. First, Vasquez could no longer hang out with friends. Second, he was expected to enroll in Bayside High School’s Sport Medicine and Management program in April. However, due to the pandemic, all of those opportunities had gone missing. Coronavirus has taken a lot of things away from students — who are the future of this world.
Lastly, among ten photos presented at Times Square, the photo of Manuela Estefany Espinoza stuck out to me. Espinoza, who graduated from Dewitt Clinton High School, passed away in May at the age of 18. Espinoza had a lot of dreams. Finishing high school with a 4.6 GPA, she wanted to become a social worker or a lawyer. Her older sister Shanell said, “She wanted to go to SUNY but she didn’t want to leave our mom alone.”
Due to the pandemic, humanity has lost many things — such as jobs, academic opportunities, good times with friends, in-person graduation ceremonies, etc. However, out of those many things, the most precious thing people lost is the lives of people who died from coronavirus. The exhibition “Pandemic Class of 2020,” which is displayed at the major commercial intersection, has allowed me to take a peek into the people affected by coronavirus. Too often, I forget that the virus is still raging out there and tend to look at the growing number of deaths indifferently. The photography by Williams is a wakeup call for a person like me who is getting used to the quarantine. Coronavirus is an ongoing battle that does not know its end.