Month: April 2021

HOST INTRO: The gaming community has seen a significant change since the start of the pandemic. In 2020, Twitch, which focuses on video game streaming, has seen viewership top 17 billion hours, a full 83% higher than the previous year. More people are tuning in as a result of the quarantine. Christopher Quinche spoke to one Twitch streamer on how she overcame quarantine fatigue and joined the Twitch community.

AMBI: League of Legends Orchestral theme plays, and then fades.

TRACK: I’m here with Zhilou Huang in her Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst, as she prepares to stream the game Teamfight Tactics for the upcoming spring break. She is a Baruch College student and has been streaming since January. She provides insight on why she started and the energy she put into getting started.

AMBI: As Zhilou speaks, Star Guardian gaming music can be heard throughout.

ACT: ZHILOU: In the back of my head, I was like “why not, right?”. And quarantine did play a big role in it because at the moment, I had extra time. So, with that time, I decided to build my computer, get all the software ready, I researched everything about streaming and how to start. So, with all that, I started streaming and it suddenly became a hobby and I enjoyed it more.

AMBI: Star Guardian gaming music heard as background.

TRACK: As COVID restrictions remain in place, streaming gives Zhilou the opportunity to connect with her audience and provide a safe community for people struggling in the real world.

ACT: ZHILOU: I feel that Twitch as a community has grown a lot since the pandemic. I feel that with the streamers and the viewers both have a sense of satisfaction from streaming. Not only because of the tragedies but also how Twitch can build a community. And it forms bonds, and it’s pretty much a family community. I do feel that it is also a safe haven from the tragedies because people are dying all over the world and in a sense, Twitch is a place where people can talk about their feelings. They can bond with the streamers. They can ask each other how their day was.

AMBI: Star Guardian gaming music continues playing as background.

TRACK: Despite the recent tragedies, Zhilou finds comfort in her new streaming hobby. She has gained over 200 followers and has even received paid substructions. While she does not view her streaming as a job, she reassures that she will continue streaming for the community for the long-term.

ACT: ZHILOU: Because of that following, I feel that it’s more of a family. And for me, I feel that my long-term goals wouldn’t be what other people would think it would be. I just find it fun that I get to interact with people. That I get to play games that I enjoy. And see the same faces come by and say hi. What I want to accomplish for streaming is just a community where everyone can be friends, where we can be a family, where we can play games together and have fun.

AMBI: Star Guardian gaming music persists in the background.

TRACK: Although the concept of paid subscriptions on Twitch may seem unusual, many subscribers such as Leslie Uzhca view the site as meditative and stresses the importance of supporting streamers during the pandemic.

ACT: LESLIE: It’s important for us to support them because there are some people who rely on their content, who feel safe and happy when they stream. And it really makes you feel like you’re there with them. I laugh, I have fun. The streamer and the community make me feel really happy and they make me feel like I’m part of that community because they provide such a welcoming environment.

TRACK: Twitch remains a strong force in gaming. Since the beginning of 2021, 2 billion hours of Twitch content has been viewed. On a more personal note, active streamers like Zhilou have found comfort and purpose in their streaming, building community for those like Leslie and spreading positivity in a global crisis. For Baruch College, I’m Christopher Quinche.

REFERENCES:
https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/11/22220528/twitch-2020-aoc-among-us-facebook-youtube

HOST INTRO: The country was shaken on March 16th when news broke of a mass murder that occurred in Atlanta, which targeted Asian women who worked in massage parlors. The assailant was 21-year old Robert Aaron Long, a white man who said his motive was to rid himself of his sexual desire. This horrific attack was only the latest in a series of hate crimes against Asian Americans across the country and sparked a rallying cry/turning point for people to speak up and mobile around anti-Asian racism. Schneider Galeano visited a vigil for the victims in New York City.

AMBI: Natural sound from the vigil.

TRACK: I’m here with Sonam Lama after attending the Union Square vigil held for the Atlanta shooting victims, where hundreds of people have gathered to mourn. Sonam has been deeply affected by the tragedy, being that she herself is an Asian woman, and her parents are immigrants, which the victims were as well.

ACT: It hits home for me because a lot of the people we are seeing be targeted are elder Asian women, and I can’t help but think of my family, my mom, and dad, my aunts, and uncles. Family members who don’t speak English and are immigrants. So for me, that’s why I find it important to talk about anti-Asian sentiment, and I think it’s safe to say that’s how most of the AAPI community feel. 

TRACK: She says seeing the community express itself in this way feels groundbreaking or new.

ACT: We are first-generation, second-generation Asian Americans, and we see people who we care about get hurt, and Asians tend to hold it in. Elders think it’s best to save face and never express your hurt, so for us, we’re seeing all of these emotions finally come out with consequences.

TRACK: There were discussions about whether the event was a hate crime and the Atlanta police stopped short of calling it one. Jay Baker, the Atlanta County Sheriff’s spokesperson said the alleged murderer had a “really bad day,” which angered many people who saw it as minimizing the tragedy.

ACT: Part of me knew it had to be a hate crime, but it wasn’t 100% because I didn’t want to believe it was a true thing, you know? So I brushed it to the side but I did hear that 8 people died and after a couple of hours, I discovered that 6 Asian-American women were killed and there was a lot of grief and mourning, but then it quickly evolved to anger and frustration. 

TRACK: Although the Atlanta shooting was the biggest act of anti-Asian hate that has occurred in recent times, hate crimes against Asian-Americans have been on a steady increase from last year to now driven at least in part by the scapegoating of the community due to Covid. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University has examined that hate crimes against Asians have occurred in 16 of the nation’s largest cities and that the crimes have increased by 150% since last year.

ACT: Anti-Asian sentiment has always been a thing here, especially with White supremacy, they go hand in hand, but I think with Trump’s rhetoric [of COVID], saying the ‘Chinese Virus,’ ‘Kung-Flu,’ made people feel confident with being publicly anti-Asian. I think when someone in the position as president is encouraging people with the rhetoric that Asian people are the ones who brought the virus to the country, obviously people are gonna be encouraged to put words into action.

TRACK: President Joe Biden condemned anti-Asian sentiment and the shooting in his response to the event in a speech he gave at Emory University in Atlanta and said his administration was working to stop anti-Asian sentiment in the country.

TRACK: JOE BIDEN: ‘In my first week in office, I signed an executive order directing federal agencies to combat this resurgence of xenophobia. The Department of Justice is strengthening its partnership with the AAPI community to prevent these crimes, in addition to its other work to take on violent extremism and domestic terrorism. I’m calling on Congress to pass and get my — to get to my desk the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. 

TRACK: The national dialogue has spurred community organizing. Initiatives like Heart of Dinner, which deliver care packages to elderly Asians in the city, and Welcome to Chinatown, which is a grassroots initiative that helps fund Asian-owned businesses to further help the culture thrive in the city.

ACT: I’m very big on community support and starting small, starting local and I think to start off, we need to fund Asian American communities that don’t fit the model minority myth because if we’re being honest, the ones being affected are the poor Asian elders, Asians who are unhoused, who collect bottles and cans for a living making like $2 to $5 a day and then there’s just a whole bunch of immigrant and migrant Asians who don’t have a steady income.

TRACK: Like mentioned before, many talks about how White supremacy plays a big role in anti-Asian sentiment have taken the forefront.

ACT: The first step we have to do is dispelling the model minority myth by funding local communities and providing the right resources. The second would be tackling White supremacy because when someone says ‘stop Asian hate’ it should be ‘end White supremacy’ because White supremacy really is the root of all especially with the anti-Asian hate because we’ve always been used as the right-hand man to White people and that needs to stop.

SIGN OFF: For Baruch College, this is Schneider Galeano in New York City.

https://soundcloud.com/sebastian-botero-3/depop-how-young-adults-are-spreading-their-art-through-fashion 

 

HOST INTRO: And in fashion news, two Baruch students have begun creating their own products at home as a way to share their creativity and make a profit while doing so. Thanks to apps such as Depop, where users can buy and sell fashion related items, many people have begun to start their own shops by selling handmade or pre-owned products. Here’s Sebastian Botero with that interesting development.

 

AMBI: (Arianna screenprinting an order)

 

TRACK: I’m here with Arianna Abdul. She’s a student at Baruch College who has begun designing and distributing her own clothes out of her garage in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. She’s one of the many young adults who have started selling their own goods through the use of Depop. Today, she’ll be introducing us to her brand, 6oblin Apparel, which has a 6 instead of a G, while discussing how a typical order is made.

 

ACT: ARIANNA: 6oblin Apparel sells screen printed tee shirts and hoodies which are all designed and screen printed at home. The process is pretty long but it starts out with a design that I’ll usually hand draw. But once I have my design, I’ll probably transfer it to a computer program. I tend to use Photoshop and once I’m happy with my design, I will transfer it onto different templates to see how it looks on different colored hoodies or tee shirts and different styles.

 

TRACK: After revising the design, she’ll print it and transfer it to a screen to start the exposing process. This is often very time consuming, which can take up to 24 hours. It starts by having a certain size screen and pushing this substance called emulsion onto it. It’s best done in a setting where there’s no exposure to light in order to prevent it from being ruined.

 

ACT: ARIANNA: So once you push on all your emulsion, you let it sit for 24 hours. You’re ready to take your drawing or your design that’s on your clear piece of paper, you put it on top of your fully dried emulsion screen and you let that expose in sunlight and the UV rays will allow my picture to burn onto my emulsion screen. I will clean up the screen, wash it and when you wash it, your design will be burned into the screen and you’re ready to transfer all your ink or any colors that you want to put onto a shirt or piece of clothing.

 

TRACK: She says that the actual screen printing itself isn’t that time consuming, but in fact the opposite. Once the stencil is completed, all you have to do is push the ink through the stencil a few times and undergo the process that is called “curing.”

 

ACT: ARIANNA: And then after you transfer your ink, you wanna cure it, which you do by adding heat. You can either use a heat gun or I personally use an iron because that works the easiest for me and I mean I’m pretty much doing everything at home from my garage, so it’s what I have accessible so I like to use the iron.

 

TRACK: The concept of designing and selling your own clothing items and accessories straight from home has become popular as of late. In the past year alone, Depop saw a 300% increase in items sold and with quarantine preventing people from physically visiting stores, it has allowed people like Arianna and Ariel Sklyarevskiy (sclarefski), another student from Baruch, to open their own shops and share their creativity through fashion. Ariel creates handmade jewelry and pottery from Staten Island and uses her shop as a way to express and share her hobby with her customers.

 

ACT: ARIEL: I decided to start my shop as a way to get my art out into the world. With the added benefit, of course, of a little extra income. I’d be making my products regardless of if I were selling them, just as a hobby because it’s something I enjoy doing. So it’s always a good way to give my art a home.

 

TRACK: While many people like Ariel only do this as a hobby, others such as Arianna would love to expand and become an even bigger brand. Popular streetwear brands, such as Supreme, started out as small businesses that grew into coveted and iconic fashion brands, which is what inspired Arianna to start 6oblin Apparel. If the opportunity arose, she would love to turn this hobby she loves into something even greater.

 

ACT: ARIANNA: And it would be a goal to expand 6oblin Apparel and be a bigger brand because I mean I’m doing something I love and something that interests me and if I can make money off that, that would be great. And I mean if I was to expand I’ll add in more things like hats, pants, bags, just streetwear in general. All those fun things, you know?

 

TRACK: If you’ve ever thought about designing your own clothes or opening up your own shop on Depop, now’s the time to do it. Don’t forget to check out Arianna’s shop, @6oblinapparel, that’s with a 6 instead of a G, as well as Ariel’s shop, @arielskly (spell out s-k-l-y.), to pick up something for yourself or a friend. This has been Sebastian Botero for Baruch College from New York. Thank you.

REFERENCES:

https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/resale-growth-during-covid-19-sellers-engage-in-quarantine-clean-out-frenzies/2020060849257

HOST INTRO: 

Quarantine has driven many to find something to do at home. A Chinese mother of four kids found some peace in a singing app where she can shout her troubles away, even if it is just for a few minutes.

AMBI:

Mother singing in the room.

(FADE DOWN AS TRACK BEGINS)

TRACK:

I am here with Mrs. Mai and her family in Brooklyn. She is singing on an app called “Quan Min” (全民) that does more than just record songs. She has found herself spending more time on the app than she would before the pandemic. It becomes a sort of like an exercise to sing in the morning and after school hours.

ACT: MRS. MAI:

Can’t go to work, in the middle of being jobless, and bored. Besides watching tv, it’s Quan Min. There is nothing else to do.

TRACK:

Having posted around two hundred songs, she says she also enjoys the other aspects of the app.

ACT: MRS. MAI:

You can go on live and teach people to sing if you have the talent in singing and interest in music. A lot of people go on live to earn money. You can go on live indoors, outdoors, and take people to enjoy nature. A lot of people watch those and earn from the coins the audience gives.

I like to watch outdoor live. Something like tourist attraction places or villages or mountains and river live. It’s quite fun.

Look at the scenery. Fishing. The details of life.

TRACK:

She finds herself enjoying nature behind the screen while she is stuck at home. The details of the average life add to her love for the app.

ACT: MRS. MAI:

Making breakfast in the morning, marinating things with his wife, doing fieldwork, and watching people fish.

TRACK:

This app also comes with mini-games. 

ACT: MRS. MAI:

There are many little games that I’ve never tried out. But I did go to one with planting flowers. Depending on the amount of water the flower is given, there is a 10 RMB reward. I just water the flowers. There are ones with toys. A lot of people play, but I don’t.

TRACK:

It has already been a little over a year since Mrs. Mai started using this app. Her youngest daughter takes after her and sings her favorite songs from time to time on the app as well. Mrs. Mai also got her second youngest, Mandy, to try it out too. However, that did not go as well.

ACT: MANDY:

I don’t quite like it because it’s a waste of my saliva.

TRACK:

As for her son, Matthew, he does not have a good impression of her singing.

ACT: MATTHEW:

I hear it every morning. I’m like no please I wanna sleep.

TRACK:

Whether if it is a quiet hobby or a noisy one that would affect other people’s lives, it helps people fight boredom. And we all need something to love during hard times. For Baruch College, I’m Yiyuan Mai.

Host Intro – Ever since the Coronavirus hit last March, local businesses such as Ma and Pa shops have greatly suffered and struggled to get back on their feet. In the interim though, many people have taken matters into their hands, specifically through baking. With trends that ranged from sourdough to banana bread, Nina Ottensoser spoke to a friend who can attest to this uptick firsthand.

Track – I’m here with Molly Spira in her home in Woodmere, New York, as she finishes whipping up her final batch of whip cream to place on the strawberry shortcake mason jars she is delivering for a local birthday party later this evening. 

Ambi – Mixer coming to a halt and Molly getting the final remnants of whip cream off the whisk. 

Track – During the pandemic, Molly began baking on a daily basis. What started out as a hobby, turned into a business where Molly could lend a helping hand to families in need, all while doing what she loves most. She is here today to discuss her inspiration, how it’s going, and what she hopes to accomplish in the future. 

Act – Molly – When quarantine started and everyone had to adjust to being on lockdown and finding things to do I really started picking up baking just as a means to occupy my time. I was looking on instagram and I was finding cool and interesting recipes and that was really the incentive for me to start playing around in the kitchen, and then things ended up really tasting delicious and I ended up having a really good time. And I think one of the biggest advantages to starting during Quarantine was that I had so much flexibility and free time on my hands and I didn’t have to worry about logistics of really doing anything else within my schedule so i was able to practice my techniques and work on skills and really develop my skill set in the kitchen because of the dedication I was able to give to it.

Track – While Molly spent a few weeks of perfecting certain recipes in the kitchen, she had been posting pictures of her creations on instagram for her friends to see. Upon seeing them, a family friend of hers reached out and told her that she wanted to order some cakes for her friends upcoming 50th birthday, because all the local restaurants and bakeries were not yet open. 

ACT – Molly – When Cindy first reached out I was definitely caught off-guard  and I was worried because I had never done an order for anyone other than my family and it just meant a new added layer of pressure, but I decided to do it anyways and give it a go. And within a few days she got back to me and she was so appreciative for me helping her out in general, but she also said that it was a major success and everyone really thought they were delicious and enjoyable so it definitely gave me another boost of confidence. 

Track – She goes on to explain how offering a helping hand to someone in need during such unprecedented times, is what really inspired her to keep it up and expand.

ACT – Molly – It was really the act of helping someone else and giving my support in a way that I could during these crazy times that really meant more to me and just felt more rewarding than what I had been doing the last couple of months just working on my  techniques and working on my skills. I knew that this could be a way, additionally, for me to make money and for me to contribute in a way that I could, but really just being able to give the community back something in a way that worked for me was the best part of this whole experience and starting a business just felt like the most appropriate and manageable thing that I could do. And it was a way to give people yummy food so that was definitely something no one would pass up upon. 

Track – A customer and friend of Molly’s, Sarah Leiberman, joins us today to share what the experience  of ordering goods from Molly and working with her has been like. 

ACT – Sarah Leiberman – I love ordering baked goods from Molly because her desserts are delicious and they’re baked with love and warmth and she puts so much time and energy to perfecting her desserts. And she’s doing so much good for the community by bringing that warmth and love into everyone’s homes. There’s nothing better as her close friend than to watch her grow her business and to be successful in it and to bring happiness to so many people, and that’s why I love supporting her. I know that my money is going to a good place and that she’s doing good for so many people. 

Track – As Molly plans for the future, and hopes to reach new heights and amounts of people with her baking business, she remains grateful for the people who have helped her get to where she is today. Molly feels lucky to have provided some light during such dark times. For Baruch College, I’m Nina Ottensoser. 

HOST INTRO: Teachers across the country have attracted scrutiny through the polarized views of whether students should return to in-class learning or remain virtual. Crystan Salucci spoke to one teacher who has had not only a different experience, but who has acquired viral admiration through a video one of his students uploaded of him on the social platform: TikTok.

AMBI: Nat sounds of pouring coffee into a mug. (FADE DOWN AS TRACK BEGINS)

TRACK: I’m here with Mike Barton at his home in Huntington Beach, CA as he brews himself a cup of coffee. Mike is a math and business teacher here at La Quinta High School. He has been teaching his students online from his kitchen table for the last year and a half.

ACT: MIKE BARTON: What I love about being a teacher is being around the students and actually-learning with them, and learning under a different capacity. Though I never thought I’d be a teacher, and I wasn’t “Mr. Studious” all the time, I just really-embraced as I got older appreciating learning with the students, and then also coaching and being around them.

TRACK: He says teaching from home lacks what he loves most about teaching: being in the classroom with his students.

ACT: MIKE BARTON: You can’t directly give that personal touch to the students individually. You realize that they’re not reaching out as deep as they should be because they’re in the situation that they’re in. So, I think not being able to literally and physically walk up to a student and stand next to them and help them, kind of guide them through a problem and talk to them and nurture them while they’re doing it is, I think, candidly missed.

TRACK: Despite the overwhelming backlash teachers have received over the last year, he says he hasn’t experienced any scrutiny himself but, respects the teachers and families who are avoiding in-class instruction to ensure safety.

ACT: MIKE BARTON: A lot of families are stuck in their apartments and stuff, there could be 1, 2, 3 families stuck in an apartment with grandma, and they can’t afford to get grandmother sick. So, they’re paranoid as hell, as well as being a very compliant culture when it comes to coming back school. So, you got to honor and respect the people that want to be ultra-safe for coming back to school, but I think most teachers really-want a normal classroom again. I mean, it’s a challenge to, you know, be by yourself all the time.

TRACK: He says although he received overwhelming admiration for the TikTok of him teaching from the hospital after being stung by a stingray, it is a situation he considered to be fairly-simple.

ACT: MIKE BARTON: I think in all honesty it was just an admiration, it was just a situation that happened, and it was just, to be honest with you, it was more of a hassle to get a sub than it was to do what I was doing. And I figured if I could be anywhere teaching virtually, why not just kind of be there and just to kind of give them that asynchronous time they were doing.

TRACK: As the struggle continues between virtual and in-person classes, teachers everywhere continue to adapt to these unprecedented conditions while educating their students to the best of their abilities. For Baruch College, I’m Crystan Salucci.

HOST INTRO: The year of 2020 has highlighted many topics of discussion such as racial issues, income inequality, and mental health. With the pandemic putting a huge emphasis on mental wellness more students and faculty are finding ways to increase awareness around it and are trying to make sure students, specifically students of color, are supported and seen. Osvaldo Garcia speaks to college students and faculty about the intersectionality of race, income, and mental health. 

AMBI: Nola, (Massaran Cisse’s support animal) meowing in the morning. 

TRACK: I am here with Massaran Cisse in her dorm room at Ithaca College as she is comforted by her support animal Nola. She identifies as a Bi-sexual African American student and goes to the small liberal arts college in upstate New York. She was willing to share her personal experiences being a black queer woman in a predominately white school, and how it has affected her overall mental health. 

ACT: MASSARAN:  It was pretty late, but I’ll tell you, it was freshman year of college. This is when I took it (mental health) more seriously. I’ll say at the end of highschool, my Dell scholarship gave me three free therapy sessions. I thought “I’m broke” and my parents could not pay so I took advantage of that because I noticed something was wrong mentally that my parents were not able to see.  

TRACK: While Massaran became more aware of her own mental health, the same could not be said for her family members from the Bronx, who are originally from the West-African country, Ivory Coast. They do not believe in mental wellness. 

ACT: MASSARAN: Mental health was not talked about. They mainly identify with something religious, such as “maybe the person is possessed, that’s why they’re going crazy” or  “they have depression, maybe they are not praying.” 

AMBI: Singing of birds and wind on Ithaca campus. 

TRACK: Since Massaran goes to a predominantly white school, it was exciting for her to hear that her counseling center was going to hire their first black therapist. 

ACT: MASSARAN: All the black people were like “oh their finally listening to us”, so I signed up. I have been depressed since I have psychothemia which causes me to have depression that lasts 1-2 months. I can fall behind two months worth of school. 

TRACK: However, even with a black therapist, Massaran felt that the experience was subpar and that the addition of a black therapist was performative. 

ACT: MASSARAN: As a therapist, you shouldn’t make a client feel like everything is being timed, because now I feel like sh*t, I don’t feel like this is really helping me. This was just put there to say they are helping us. But it really wasn’t helping me. After that experience, I never went back. 

TRACK: Cindy Lin, an Asian-American student at Hunter College has had a similar experience as Massaran when it comes to mental health in her community. 

ACT: CINDY: The whole idea of getting help for mental health is non-existent. We believe in doctors, if we get sick we go to the doctor, but when it comes to mental health, stay home and cover it up. 

 TRACK: Cindy explains the stress that the rise in Anti-Asian sentiment has had on her mental health. 

ACT: CINDY: There’s just that looming fear of somebody messing with you while you’re going about your regular life. I’m going to work, or going home, or like going outside to eat, or even working outside. These are normal things that I should be able to enjoy without being scared. 

TRACK: Alicia Bosely identifies as a white queer cis-gendered woman and has a background in psychology. She is a professor at Hofstra University and practices therapy in the New York City and Long Island area. She shares solutions that need to be made as both a therapist and a faculty member to help students of color with their mental health. 

ACT: ALICIA: One big thing is to have more therapists of color. Historically, psychologists and therapists have been people who look like me, and some people of color are comfortable with someone like me and others aren’t and that’s okay.  

TRACK: A 2019 poll from Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors highlighted how 70 percent of the staff were white and 75 percent were cis-white females. She continued to use current examples such as the anti-asian attacks and the Black Lives Matter protests to explain why more therapists of color are important. 

ACT: ALICIA: Someone who is experiencing anti-asian sentiment right now with all the things that are going on in the pandemic might be better supported by a therapist who understands that. I don’t think that is a threat to anyone else, just that we all have a role. 

TRACK: The experiences Cindy Lin and Massaran Cisse have shared, highlight the added conflicts students of color deal with when trying to get comprehensive mental health care. Faculty and therapists like Alicia Bosely are addressing these disparity issues to create more equitable mental health resources for POC students. For Baruch, this is Osvaldo Garcia in New York City.

QUARANTINE LIFE IN THE EYES OF A PRE-NURSING STUDENT

Dahianna Murillo

HOST INTRO: 

During this pandemic students have experienced a shift in their lives that is leaving many of them to reflect. Dahianna Murillo is here with a good friend, Danielle Dinglasan, on how the pandemic has affected her in her studies and personal life. 

TRACK: Danielle is a student at Stony Brook University who is going into nursing. Like many, she is taking remote classes. And as we sit and take in the sounds of nature we’ll discuss how everything’s been like for her. 

AMBI: NATURE SOUNDS

ACT : DINGLASAN: So the pandemic has actually affected me in multiple ways. One of them being how when I was currently dorming in college and then all of the sudden when the pandemic happened we were just forced to evacuate and we had to like bring all our stuff. In addition since my sister also became online we had to figure out in terms of space and stuff, like how are we going to organize based on like which area is my area to study and which is hers, and then at the same time since sometimes our classes do coincide with each other how will that play out.

TRACK: She goes on to explain how her mother’s job has impacted her views on nursing. 

ACT: DINGLASAN: My mom is also a nurse, I’ve seen it through her how like the different phases of the pandemic affected how she was working and things such as PPE and things like that, and in her case especially as she works in a nursing home she has to deal with elderly patients who are one of the most high risk groups when it comes to COVID; and how it affected me in terms of someone who wants to pursue nursing in college, it just made me have a lot more admiration for them.

TRACK: With the nursing application process having already passed Danielle tells us how it went for her.

ACT: DINGLASAN: During the interview portion of the nursing application process it’s usually held in person but in this case it was online and it was held in zoom and it was definitely a different experience. I guess in a way it was a bit more relaxing, I wouldn’t say I was so relaxed, but since I was in the comfort of my own home while they were interviewing me I didn’t feel as stressed.

TRACK: Danielle now tells how she has been keeping her mental health in check.

ACT: DINGLASAN: Mentaly wise, I’m very grateful to say I have a very supportive system at home and that it wasn’t too much of a toll in terms of my family and stuff, they’re all very supportive. Another thing that I like to do is to just avoid watching the news too often. I still think it’s important to be aware and know what is going on, but sometimes the constant reminders of what’s going on can take a toll on yourself.

TRACK: She also tells us about one of the many hobbies picked up in quarantine.

ACT: DINGLASAN: I’ve been home for pretty much the entire time of the pandemic there are definitely a lot of things I’ve picked up. One of them was actually cooking. One of the dishes that I learned how to make is pad thai. The first time I made it wasn’t that good, honestly it was pretty bad, but the second time I made it it was actually pretty good and I got to say I’m proud of myself. Something else, while it’s not a dish it’s a Filipino snack called Bilo Bilo, so yeah. Those were two dishes that I learned over quarantine and feel confident about. 

TRACK: Danielle will continue to study towards her degree while also making the most of quarantine by enjoying time with family and doing other hobbies. For Baruch college, Dahianna Murillo.

SoundCloud Link

 

Host Intro (not included in the recording):

Over the course of the pandemic, much of the economic pain was felt by restaurants. The New York City Hospitality Alliance says that there are about 25,000 bars and restaurants in New York City alone and in 2020 about 5,000 of those closed. Despite this, Javier Zuniga spoke to a couple of individuals who said that their restaurants are thriving, lets see what they did.

Track 1:

I’m here with Woo Song Chung, a senior at Stony Brook University who has worked throughout the entirety of the pandemic at a Korean fried chicken restaurant called Bonchon Chicken. Just like many other essential workers, Woo Song had to work out of necessity in order to pay for her living and college expenses. As Woo [Song] begins to talk the door dash bell goes off, signifying a new order that just came in.

Ambi 1:

Door Dash bell ringing

Act 1: Woo Song

I grew up in Korea, but I immigrated with my family back when I was around 8 years old and at some point, they went back and even though they have supported me financially for a couple of years I decided it was time to become more independent and support myself. And I also have to pay for my college tuition which is why I decided to continue working despite everything that is going on.

Track 2:

She recalls what it was like commuting to work during the height of the pandemic and how New York City is slowly shifting back to normal.

Ambi 2:

Sound from food being packaged.

Act 2: Woo

I remember when I was commuting to work, I would have to take the bus and the train and I would just not see anyone there and it was really surprising to see because I have never seen New York City like that. And also as a woman, it was really scary because anything can happen to you and no one would know since nobody is outside. But it’s good to see that now that the restrictions are being eased a little more people are outside, so I feel more safe now.

Track 3:

The unemployment rate peaked at 14.8% in April 2020 which shows the severity of the disruption on people’s finances. While Woo Song was fortunate enough to keep her job in the restaurant industry, she still felt the financial impact that Covid has had on her.

Act 3: Woo

Back when things were normal, I would make a large percentage of my pay from tips. But since indoor dining closed, I wasn’t able to make that much money and my bosses saw this and they gave us raises for the time being which is something that we all really appreciated because everyone else [was] losing their jobs and having a difficult time, but this is something that made me more loyal to my boss because they took care of us when we needed it the most.

Track 4:

With indoor dining closed, the restaurant had to adapt by implementing covid precautions and relying on online sales.

Ambi 3:

Receipt machine and phone going off, as well as background noise from kitchen staff

Act 4: Woo

Surprisingly, we actually hit record sales during the pandemic, and I think one of the reasons why is because we were one of the few stores that were actually opened during the whole time. And throughout the pandemic, we tried to make things easier for our customers through more online orders, we also offered curbside pickup and we constantly tried to sanitize everything.

Track 5:

I also spoke with Veraya Peechaphand who helps manage her family’s restaurant called Mee Thai Cuisine in Park Slope Brooklyn. They have experienced an unexpected rise in sales during Covid which is contrary to the narrative we hear about how restaurants are doing today. 

Act 5: Veraya

With restrictions in place and outdoor dining being more unprofitable, we started relying more on online orders. We already had Grubhub and Seamless, but we also had to sign up for Uber Eats and Door Dash. Doing this allowed us to thrive during the pandemic since our food is takeout friendly and we’re optimistic on our outlook as restrictions are lifted.

Track 6:

The jobs of many essential workers entail having direct contact with the public, which puts them at a greater risk of catching the virus. Despite this, Bonchon Chicken has remained covid free.

Act 6: Woo

No one caught covid, but a couple of people did have scares. One of the employees actually her family caught Covid so she also made sure to quarantine herself and get tested before coming back to work, but yeah thankfully no one has caught it yet and hopefully no one will catch it and everyone should stay safe.

Track 7:

Having witness New York City at its worst, the easing of restrictions provides Woo Song with glimmers of hope of a return to normalcy.

Act 7: Woo

Last week we actually opened up indoor dining again because the restrictions have been lifted. So, we have been getting more customers so it’s keeping me busy, but it’s still not as much as before since there is more competition around. Regardless of that I’m still really happy to have a job and [I am] really glad that everyone is staying safe.

Track 8:

Woo Song will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in biology and intends on going back to school in hopes of becoming a registered nurse. For Baruch College, I’m Javier Zuniga.