Xabrina Mira

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 in a tightly populated neighborhood where it is easier to catch COVID, makes her feel at ease. When she goes to an urban area she makes sure to wear a mask.

“I’ll definitely have one on if I’m in a crowded space,” said Mira.

When having conversations with people, she makes sure to project her voice so people can hear her clearly.

“People can’t see my mouth, so I feel like I have to express my emotion with my eyes,” she said.

Many in her community wonder how much longer masks will be worn. Mira believes it will be longer than many people think.

“I don’t think masks are gonna stop being a norm,” she said, “it might be the new norm, like in Japan where you see people wearing them even when they are not sick.”