In fall 2022, I traveled to three A-1 Comics locations to find out how the pandemic impacted workers and customers. I first met, Nick, a Sierra College student in his second year working at A-1 Comics, North Highlands location. In the photo above, he organizes and sorts comics.
At the edge of the lower American River, Lake Natomas is a staple in the community. The Sacramento State Aquatic Center is a great example of this. Community members come out to enjoy the lake with their families and athletes to train and compete there as well. In this 4-minute video, Sacramento State Aquatic Center employees and community members speak to student fellows, Aviana Loveall and Katelyn Vengersammy about the importance of having access to a clean and safe lake to recreate.
This video is one in a set of stories produced by a team of journalist fellows at Sierra College who were awarded grants from the California Humanities “Emerging Journalist” Fellowship. Read more about the team and their project here: “Banks and Bends: Communities, Water, and the American River.”
Produced and Anchored by Aviana Loveall | Reported by Aviana Loveall and Katelyn Vengersammy
Born and raised in Sacramento, Steven Bruegeman grew up with National Geographic on all the coffee tables and the kitchen counter. Almost everything in his life has been tied back to California ecology. After going back to school in retirement and getting a degree in Environmental Conservation, Bruegeman found Dolphin Scuba- the Sacramento scuba diving hub. Now a pro, Bruegeman takes on river clean-up dives and teaches kids scuba and Ecology Awareness. I interviewed him on May 11th at Dolphin Scuba. Continue Reading
The transition to a digital campus didn’t just impact classes- college clubs had to find their new footing in a remote world. Now, two years later the clubs of Sierra have experienced functioning remotely, on-ground, and in hybrid forms, and have a sense of what the future of clubs at Sierra holds. Continue Reading
Bends and Banks: Communities, Water, and the American River, is a set of five stories produced by a team of journalist fellows in Spring, 2022. The team includes four student journalists: Madalyn Wright, Vontress Ortega, Katelyn Vengersammy, and Aviana Loveall. They were all awarded through the California Humanities “Emerging Journalist” Fellowship with the Journalism program at Sierra College.
After seeing the increase in hate crimes towards Asian Americans during the COVID-19 outbreak, I wondered if one day I would be one of the victims I saw on the news. Working in a grocery store for almost 40 hours a week I was outside in the world for the majority of the time, putting myself at even more risk.
Continue Reading
As summer ends, kids start to dread going back to school while parents go back to their usual schedule of waking up, dropping their kids off and then going to work. For many, there’s not much to look forward to during the months of August and September. That is, until the beginning of October comes around each year. Continue Reading
Everyone has rough days, everyone has hard times, and everyone is more than happy to share them. But these seem to be all we talk about now! So, in an attempt to bring about more good feelings in everyone, we here at SilverLinings have devoted our show to seeking out peoples’ internal optimists.
We asked people for their real-life silver linings on a range of topics all in the hopes of brightening up the day. So whether you’re listening for a good feeling morning wake-up, or a late-night boost of optimism, you’re sure to find something here in peoples’ SilverLinings.
In this 5:32 minute video, Enjoy Life: A Teaspoon Story, married couple and owners of Teaspoon Roseville, Asa Yuan and Leo Ji, discuss the successes and challenges they have faced this past year while opening. The couple talks about their inspiration for opening Teaspoon Roseville, how they separate and share responsibilities, the effects of Covid-19 on their timeline, and the biggest struggle they have faced as Asian business owners in America.
Working as an electrician in Tennessee was something that grew old for Charles Armistead Reeves. This prompted him to travel from Tennessee to Hawaii in search of work and new experiences. Here is where he met Rose Lokalia Miguel in the 1900s. The two married in 1902, having nine children together.
The picture of a student crumpling under the normal pressures of higher education is a worn cliché. Yes, being a college student is difficult in the best of circumstances, but couple the confusion of the freshman experience plus a global lockdown caused by a deadly pandemic and no one would blame a student for caving under the strain. But not Elijah Mendez, a first year history major at Sierra College and an aspiring teacher. He isn’t letting the pressures of COVID-19 overtake him.
In this 15:17 minute podcast, Covid-19 through Older Eyes, three people from the local community: Erny (67), Anna (72), and Judy (70s) share their experience. They explain making changes in their lives to stay safer, working at Walmart and Door-Dash, missing spending time with friends, and care-giving elders themselves through the pandemic.
While to some, the pandemic is an inconvenience or something that others need to worry about, many over the age of 55 are worried about their heath and have made changes to prevent getting Covid-19. This is why their perspectives and what they are going though is so important. We all have family, friends, neighbors who are older and for some of them, it has been life threatening.
Their perspectives matter. Understanding their experiences can help others feel connected and have a better understanding of what the pandemic has been like for older generations.
Podcast by Susan Stewart