For my photo essay, I plan to explore the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in New York. My family’s pizzeria and Italian restaurant have been dramatically impacted by the pandemic. I would like to explore and document the specific ways that small businesses, especially family-owned businesses, have had to adapt to the constantly changing circumstances.
From my father wearing a mask more than 12 hours a day to my grandparents not being able to work during regular hours, I would like to photograph my family’s experiences over these past months. Westchester, NY was one of the first COVID hotspots, with my family’s restaurant shutting down during the first few weeks of the pandemic. The ways that small businesses have had to adapt in order to compete with many larger corporations have been crucial over these past few months. I look forward to exploring and documenting the struggles and adaptations that small family businesses have made in order to survive, both literally and figuratively.