“Yes, we argue, but we also laugh more now.”

What are your fears and/or concerns right now?

Alicia: As a dance artist and educator, I’m in the process of reimagining how to do what I do, while grateful to still be employed. This crisis has been devastating for independent artists. The depth of the inequities in this country and the world are alarming. I’m deeply troubled by the way it’s disproportionally affecting the most vulnerable. I’m outraged by the violence of racist acts and painfully aware of the worsening conditions for women, LGBTQ+, and immigrants.

Matthew: Not being able to see my mother. Selfishness in isolation. It’s difficult to process people dying alone without being able to engage in the rituals of death and burials.

What have you learned from living this new normal?

Alicia: We’re adaptable, but we need each other in order to do so with any sense of humanity.

Matthew: I don’t think it’s normal. Many people are living very different experiences. For us, there is time and space, but also a constant preoccupation with devices for communication, work, socializing. The way we live needs to change. We need to slow down.

Do you think anything positive will come from all of this?

Alicia: As far as our small family, we’ve grown closer as we navigate quarantine together. My daughter noted the other day that yes, we argue, but we also laugh more now.

Matthew: I hope we can learn to follow the example of countries that have dealt very effectively with this pandemic.

Alicia: And several of those countries are led by women!

READ THE STORIES

Click on any of the images below to learn more about what's on the minds of fellow Richmonders. From the pandemic to protests, our community has traveled through months of uncertainty, introspection and reflection. Sharing stories gives us an opportunity to learn, connect and grow with one another in the hopes of cultivating a more compassionate, open-minded and empathetic city to live in.