Humans of Community (Un) Masked

As the election season closes in America, the nation was not only a witness but a victim to a horrid act caused by a community of its own citizens. On January 6, 2021, a riot consisting of thousands of trump supporters and his allies stormed the United States Capitol in an effort to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election: vandalizing, destroying property, and assault. Despite their acts o...

Lizbet Guzman is a bookkeeper for a textile company. She is originally from Isabela, Puerto Rico, but moved to Florida in her early 20's to start a better life. Guzman wears her mask diligently because of her job. “I do wear a mask. I wear it when I am in public places, like my job and the store," she said, "I wear the mask to protect myself and protect others.”  Most of Guzman's friends...

Wearing a mask every day can make it dirty. However, Neveah Fertil, a senior at South Broward High School, has come up with a suggestion to keep everyday masks clean and fresh: tea tree oil. “I put a little on my mask to make it smell good,” said Fertil.  After she washes her mask, Fertil likes to add a hint of tea tree oil to the outside fabric of her mask so it has a nice and relaxing sc...

Even before the pandemic, Ashley Gauthier had to wear a face shield, hair net, mask, and medical gown to work. So, wearing a mask every day wasn’t a big deal to her.  Gauthier is very diligent in wearing her mask, especially at work, where she comes in contact with people every day. But, she’s surprised how many patients aren’t careful. “Being a scanner at an allergy office, I see so...

Although wearing a mask has become the new normal in today’s society, Maykelin Meza tries to get through every day without being affected so much. “Wearing a mask too long makes me feel like I can’t breathe and that’s not so fun,” said Meza. Even though it makes it difficult to breathe, she wears one every time she goes out. Her dad recently had a kidney transplant and she fears tha...

When it comes to wearing a mask Isaac Velez is always on board. He does not play around with his and his loved one’s safety.  As an essential worker at Pollo Tropical, Velez not only comes into close contact with people but also their food. Wearing a mask ensures other’s safety.  “Of course, in our household, we do not participate in the mask-wearing,” said Velez, “but, whenever we step outside th...

Brian Anderson is a 45-year-old hard-working man. As the owner of his own company, Broward County Fence, he sees people every single day. Anderson is a rule follower and believes it’s right to follow the mask mandate, so he wears his mask wherever he needs to. Not only does he not want to get in trouble, but he also does it out of respect for people who are afraid of getting COVID.   “T...

Anthony Reyes, a 17-year-old, runs through a mental checklist every time he leaves his house. Keys? Check. Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. “But now I have also added masks to that list,” said Reyes. When COVID-19 first started to spread, he did not care much for wearing masks. That all changed a few weeks ago when both of his parents caught the virus. Now, masks have become a daily part of his...

For 61-year-old, Peter Cristancho, wearing a mask is a matter of life or death. He has asthma, so if he catches the virus it would be fatal. “I have COPD which so it’s definitely scary and I could land in the hospital,” he said.  Cristancho is a debt collector who works in an office with four other people. He is very susceptible to COVID.  “Well, I need to be more careful and restrict...

Michael Haddad, a senior at South Broward High School, feels that face masks help control the spread of COVID-19, and should be worn. “It is important to wear a mask when around people outside of your house, especially in an indoor place where it’s hard to stay away from others,” said Haddad, He believes that masks and social distancing are essential to preventing more coronavirus cases. ...

Ana Munza wears her mask in public, although she doesn't like to. She only wears it when she is entering a store. Most of Munza's friends wear mask because they don't want to get sick with the virus. She uses the normal mask that doctors and surgeons wear. Munza finds them uncomfortable because they muffle her voice as she speaks. "I hate them, they make me itch and I can barely breathe,"...

Kaya Garbutt, a student at South Broward High School, says she does wear a mask, but not often.  “I don't wear it often, because I don't go anywhere unless I have to," she said, "I usually wear it to stores." For her, wearing a mask changed her interaction with people.  "I do find myself making more eye contact because it's a bit unusual talking with a mask on," said Garbutt.   She...

Marlene Joachin, a 23-year old, wears her disposable surgical face mask and her green Public logo mask provided by her employers. “It seems like the mask has been my enemy since day one,” said Joachin. She does not wear her mask when she is with her friends and family because she feels safe around them. However, the virus can be transmitted from someone who doesn’t show any symptoms according...

Like most 13-year-olds, Carley Mincher is a Tik Tok addict. When the pandemic arrived and masks were a must-have, she turned to her addiction for an answer. ''I looked up a bunch of mask videos and tried to make one," she said, "but it was a complete fail." Mincher doesn't mind wearing a mask, in fact, she loves it. Her favorite mask is a blue sky one that her friends gave her. Something that...

Before COVID-19, Rianna Beharre, a freshman at Miramar High School, thought of masks as a fashion statement or for hospital purposes. She never imagined it would turn into something so widespread. It was a major surprise to her of how a common object turned into an essential item so quickly. “I was shocked at how the use of a mask can change in a matter of two months,” she said, “but for i...

In the 25 years that Kareem Azim has been a police officer with the Miami Beach Police Department, a mask is not something he thought he would regularly have to remember to bring or wear. But not anymore. “Bringing my mask is a part of my everyday routine now," said Azim.  Now, Azim and his fellow officers must be very diligent in wearing a mask, because the chief and department have made i...

Every day when he goes to work, Pierre Jean-Francois pays a dollar for a mask. He says it's a struggle because you can't do anything without it.  "I feel like wearing a mask is agitating and easy to forget about,” he said, “especially during work when I wear a mask, it makes my skin break out and it's very hard to breathe.” Jean-Francois's uncle had COVID-19, so he has to be very cautious. “It's very...

Faith Aristil is a junior at South Broward High School. She has been quarantined since the outbreak started, and is afraid to go out because she does not want to risk her family’s safety. Her and her relatives wear their maks whenever they go out in public. She has relatives who are susceptible to catching COVID and believes that it is very selfish to not do something as harmless as wearing a...

Britney Soto is an 8-year old at Oakridge Elementary School. She knows how to sew, tie-dye, and design on the computer. But she never thought she could use them to make money, until now. When the pandemic hit, Soto combined all of her talents and love for crafting and started making and selling masks. “I make all types of masks, my favorite ones are the colorful ones,” she said. Soto began...

When Marelis Ayarza, 15, first realized there was a pandemic happening, she didn’t take it seriously. She then realized how fast the cases were growing and how deadly the virus was. Ever since, Ayarza tries to protect herself from the virus as much as possible, especially her family.  Her family doesn’t go out unless it’s necessary, such as groceries or work. They always carry masks and hand ...

Most people don’t think parking cars is a dangerous job. However, Carlos Rodriguez does.  Rodriguez is a valet in downtown Hollywood. He feels like he’s risking his health every time a maskless driver hands him the keys to their car. “People look at me funny when I tell them to keep their mask on. I’m just trying to do my job,” said  Rodriguez.  Since he’s had it already, he...

As a mother, daughter, and team leader to a wholesaler company, Elena Romero is always protecting herself by using a mask. "I’m a believer in wearing masks because I feel that unfortunately under the circumstances that we’re in right now it would be the best option to be safe," Romero said, "not only is it safe for you but others as well."  She finds wearing a mask challenging, especially b...

Emilly Carillo, a 17-year old at Franklin Academy, enjoyed spending time on the weekends with her friends catching movies or getting ice cream. But that all changed when COVID-19 hit. Now, she finds herself all masked up. Carrillo thinks it’s important to socially distance when not wearing a mask but finds it hard to adapt to when around family and close friends. “I keep my distance, but...

Xabrina Mira, a 16-year-old homeschooler, has no problem wearing a mask. She doesn't want to get herself or others sick.  Although she does advocate for masks, she is casual about where and when she wears it. “I'll wear one when I'm going out to the grocery store,” she said, "but not when I'm in the car or at home.” Mira lives in a rural area in Homestead. Knowing that she is not i...

Kathy Keesler is a paralegal who works at Steven D. Braverman, PA. Their office handles real estate transactions, bankruptcy, and probate files. But, even normal business transactions have become abnormal. “My work hasn’t been normal since COVID-19 hit Florida,” said Braverman.  COVID-19 has added an additional layer of difficulty to everyday work completion. At the beginning of the pandemic, p...

Christian Johnson is a sophomore at Hartford Public High School. At school, he is a very antisocial person and doesn't talk to anyone unless he knows them. “I mostly keep to myself especially during these times I don't want to take any chances,” said Johnson.  He only wears his mask where it is needed, such as school and stores. But other than that he does not wear it. Johnson is very ca...

Wearing a mask on the daily doesn’t phase Dianna Noel anymore. But wearing three masks and a shield? She was hit with the unexpected.  “I thought after working four days a week I would get used to it,” said Noel, “but it’s just as tiring as it was at the start.” Noel is a nurse in the operating room at the University of Miami Hospital. She is either assisting in brain and spine...

KeyShawna Hilton, 25,  is a college graduate. Hilton works at Midwest Staff and Solutions as a geriatric nurse. She thinks that the coronavirus has made a major impact on our whole economy. As a healthcare worker, she had to work all throughout the whole pandemic.  Hilton works at a nursing home. She has seen some of her patients who have tested positive, end up dying.  “The worst part of the...

Dan Hart, a father of four, lives in Hollywood, Florida. He owns a mill working business on the east coast of the U.S.A. Hart's upset about how the pandemic rules have hurt his business. Hart hasn’t been able to make deals face to face and has to do business over the phone. He doesn’t like this way of finalizing deals.  Normally, he would go to the client’s house and check where they want it done. He...

Estefania Valls, 19-years-old, wears her mask every time she goes out. She wears it to stay safe. It is very difficult for her to wear it for a long time because she has breathing problems. “I’m always using my mask because I prefer having a mask bothering me instead of having the virus,” said Valls.  She says she’s diligent when it comes to wearing a mask. Valls says that all her ...

Gilberto Almonte is a sophomore who works part-time at Walmart and lives in Jacksonville. Unlike Hollywood, Jacksonville has fewer cases. Even so, Almonte is religious about wearing his mask. “See my mom and dad are around forty years old and I don't want them to catch anything so I take wearing a mask pretty seriously,” Almonte said. Almonte used to go to school in a hybrid manner, mean...

Luca Raza is a 14-year-old freshman at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory. Like most teenagers, these days, COVID-19 and wearing a mask has taken a huge toll on her day-to-day life. The difference is, she’s already back at school for in-person learning. Raza says masks have changed the way she interacts with others. She feels as if it’s much harder to know the facial expression someone is making....

11-year-old Kristina Sanders loses everything: her school books, her socks, her headband. Now she has one more thing she has to worry about not losing, her mask. Sanders feels good about wearing a mask. She doesn’t want to catch anything. At first, she wasn’t sure it was necessary for kids her age to wear a mask. As soon as she heard that children were catching the virus she took masks seri...

Nancy Ortiz, a 45-year-old mother of two, was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She moved to Chicago, Illinois. As a teenager, she moved to Hollywood, Florida with her three siblings and her father. Ortiz has been a nurse for 25 years, as well as a part-time Lyft driver for two years. As a nurse wearing a mask is a normal thing. But not 24/7. Now, Ortiz has to wear her mask when she's...

Selena Salmeron is a 17-year-old senior at South Broward High School. She is someone that values life and safety above all else. She urges everyone to wear their masks outside their homes. “I feel as it is the only way to stay safe,” says Salmeron, “I’ve had family members get sick before and I wouldn’t want to risk the same thing happening to me.” Salmeron wears her mask anywhere...

Wearing a mask has converted to a day to day thing for Yessenia Rosas. She's a college student that lives in Lima, Peru who needed to postpone her college classes due to the pandemic. “I think this virus has affected everyone in Peru,” said Rosas. “Unluckily, I was entering my first year of college.” Rosas wears a mask daily to prevent the virus from entering her body through breathing....

Randi Silverhardt is always wearing her mask. It's part of her uniform, as she is an ER nurse in the COVID-19 unit at Memorial Hospital Pembroke. She knows the importance of wearing a mask as she has seen many young people in the ER sick with COVID. "Yup. I've seen even teenagers in the hospital on a respirator," said Silverhardt. Silverhardt also wears her mask to prevent her transmitting...

Pablo Cavallo, 17,  is a student at Miami Dade College, and is looking forward to all that college-life has to offer: meeting new people, expanding his mind and participating in campus life. One thing he didn’t think it would involve: wearing a mask.  “I wear a mask to protect myself and others around me,” said Cavallo.  Every time he goes out, he always remembers to wear his mask. He doesn’t want to ...

Stephanie Manucha, a freshman at South Broward High School, used to communicate with her friends by talking, texting, or Instagram. However, these days she is using a different way to communicate, her eyes. “Even though I have half of my face covered, I can communicate my emotions with my eyes which is something I didn’t do often, until the pandemic,” she said. Manucha finds herself making more eye contac...

Andrea Marcano, a student at Orange Brooke Elementry School, is entering 1st grade, her favorite pink mask in hand. “I don’t like it. It makes my face hot,” the first-grader said, “but I like pink and I helped mommy make it.”  Marcano's mother doesn’t like it either, but due to her work schedule, the single-mom has to send her child to school.  “I’m scared she is going t...

Jassette Horne works with a transportation company named Ryper. She has many different beliefs on face masks. Horne feels that for us to protect each other, masks should be worn so that fewer people are exposed to the virus. She also believes that wearing a mask in your household or around close friends or family is necessary. “Wearing masks can help save lives,” said Horne. She encourages...

Paultwone Stuart is a student at South Broward High School. He is from the Bahamas but lives in Hollywood, Florida. Stuart doesn't care about wearing a mask, only if it's required. He and his family only wear a mask when they go to places such as stores. When he is out in public he doesn't wear one because he stays six-feet away from other people. "I wear a mask but only when I go to a place...

Wearing a mask has become the norm for the majority. A lot of people have been wearing them ever since the outbreak of COVID-19. It becomes a part of your daily routine when preparing to go out, and for Audra Mignola, it’s no different. “I wear a mask to prevent myself from getting the virus,” said Mignola. She wears it in situations when she needs to go out in public. However, if she’s ...

As for many people, adapting to having to wear a mask isn't easy. Kenia Quintana is learning to cooperate with having to wear a mask and follow strict health guidelines.     “It’s very hard. I get hot very easily and very quickly,” Quintana said. “It kind of drives me insane.”  Kenia Caroline Lee-Quintana is an Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the Chairman and CEO at Tobin Properties, Inc....