SHARE YOUR STORY | FEATURED STORIES

People's Perspectives: COVID-19 in Whatcom County

How will we remember life in Bellingham and Whatcom County during the Stay Home, Stay Healthy quarantine? And how will we share the story with future generations? Now is the time to record our impressions.

You are invited to join Peoples’ Perspectives: COVID-19 in Whatcom County, a county-wide, multimedia initiative to capture and archive our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Explore the links below to learn more about community arts and storytelling projects where you can share your impressions of this strange and unusual time.  Pick the project (or projects) that speak to you, and click on the link(s) to find out how to get involved.  

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Do you love photography?
Choose the camera .  

pencil icon

Want to write about your experiences? Find the pencil.

palette icon

Prefer to use mixed media? Look for the artist’s palette.

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Ready to record your verbal story?
Find the microphone.

On this page, you’ll also see stories that have already been collected by partner organizations.

Our intent is to curate and archive the collection for community members, researchers, educators and journalists. Would your organization like to partner with us? Please contact Rebecca Judd with Bellingham Public Library, rejudd@cob.org, or Christine Perkins with Whatcom County Library System, christine.perkins@wcls.org.


SHARE YOUR STORY


Digital Story Dome Project

Image of man talking into microphone under geodesic dome with painted flowers and superimposed microphone icon

Story Dome is a colorful, geodesic recording booth that will debut in the lobby of the Lightcatcher building when the Museum re-opens. The Museum wants to stay connected and document peoples’ experiences during the quarantine.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Capturing COVID Life Project

photo of family wearing facemasks

What images capture the essence of the pandemic for you? Share your photos in Capturing COVID Life. Hosted by the City of Bellingham.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Dear History Project

dear history logo

Write your letter to the future. Your local public libraries invite you to document this history, your unique and valuable experience of it, in the form of a letter to the future.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

COVID-19 Zine Diaries Project

sheltered in place: covid-19 zine diary project

The Washington Center for the Book invites Washingtonians of all ages to submit their COVID-19 stories in the form an original zine or a few pages for inclusion in a collaborative zine.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Western Washington University

image of Western Washington University building

Western Libraries, Division of Heritage Resources is creating a digital archive of Western Washington University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Allied Arts Creative Challenge

Image of Allied Arts Building with snipe

Allied Arts of Whatcom County will host a community exhibit inspired by your experiences and creations during the COVID-19 crisis. Artwork will be on virtual display via the web site
VISIT THE PROJECT…

KMRE Coronavirus Stories

KMRE 102.3 FM logo

KMRE invites community members to tell the stories of our lives during the coronavirus crisis, in KMRE Coronavirus Stories. This is your opportunity to be the reporter, interviewer, story producer or idea generator and share the impact of coronavirus in KMRE’s Coronavirus Stories.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

The Chuckanut Writers Project

Chuckanut Writers Conference logo

The Chuckanut Writers Conference, produced by Whatcom Community College and Village Books, invites submissions of poetry and creative nonfiction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for a virtual reading to take place in September.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

The Hassle of the Tassel

image of woman wearing facemask with sun in background

No cap or gown, no family flying in, no party with keys or cake. A Western senior invites her classmates to share and submit a piece of their coronoavirus-influenced puzzle to be archived. COVID-19 playlists, unfinished journal entries, masks, garden plots, graduation day activities, and more.
VISIT THE PROJECT …

Out the Window Project

image of window with painted flowers and superimposed palette icon

During quarantine, we had to simplify our lives to be more home-centered. Looking out our windows became a substitute for participating in the events that made up the fabric of our everyday lives. What have you been doing as we all look “Out the Window”?
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Portraits from Home

Photo of family, mother, father and son on porch

I would like to find a way to remember 2020 far into a future where our 2020 smartphone has long been discarded. For me, archiving silver gelatin prints and negatives feels like a safe way to keep the memory of this time “real” to future generations.  I would love your help in adding your voice and image to this time capsule.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

Watch for More Projects

Young Reporters of The Northern Light

Young Reporters - The Northern Light logo

The Young Reporters section in The Northern Light,  began April 21 in response to the stay-at-home order and school closures. Students in Blaine, Semiahmoo and Birch Bay had the opportunity through weekly prompts for eight weeks to explore effects the Covid-19 restrictions had on them, their family, or neighborhood. The project concludes on June 11, 2020.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

All Point Bulletin Covid-19 Articles

All Point Bulletin Covid-19 Articles

This monthly newspaper in Point Roberts, regularly publishes Covid -19 updates, news and human interest stories on the coronavirus pandemic.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

The Northern Light Covid-19 Articles

Northern Light Covid-19 Articles

This weekly newspaper in Blaine, regularly publishes Covid -19 updates, news and human interest stories on the coronavirus pandemic. 
VISIT THE PROJECT…

¡Acompáñenos!

Присоединяйтесь к нам!

ਸਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੋ!

Join Us!


WHAT’S NEXT


Our intent is to archive selected contributions for use by researchers and as a record of this experience for future generations. In addition to sharing featured stories on this web page, participating organizations hope to host an exhibition showcasing the creative work shared with the Peoples’ Perspectives project. Thank you for memorializing your story.

FEATURED STORIES


INTRODUCTION TO THE SALISH SEA

COVID has changed the classroom experience in many ways. This video captures how during the pandemic, Whatcom Community College’s Anna Booker, Anita Harker and their students transformed their place-based learning class. Instead of trips to Salt Spring and San Juan islands, students thought critically about space by exploring outside and meeting online in small groups.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

ONE FROM THE HEART

As a response to the impact of the coronavirus on the Lummi Nation, Children of the Setting Suns Productions created a video series called One From the Heart featuring members of the Lummi Nation in conversation, song, and prayer. The 16 episode series brings speakers and musicians together via conference call to share wisdom and laughter with the community.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

MADE IN QUARANTINE

We want to shine the light on what resilient people are doing in the face of this deadly virus. The stories are all around us. These aren’t big stories, they’re just people doing their best in the moment.
VISIT THE PROJECT…

MAKESHIFT GALLERY PRESENTS COMFORT RHYTHM

September at Make.shift is dedicated to mental healing. We are all experiencing strong trauma from the pandemic and we have all resorted to mechanisms to help us cope. Our two talented September artists invoke the power of rhythm and tactile embraces to guide them through their recovery.

Image of quilt with the text: you are good.

Seattle based artist, Katie Twiss is presenting a body of work that explores connection and disconnection, particularly within spaces of harm, trauma, and healing. She says “At the center of my art practice is an on-going exploration of connection. I am interested in how we bind ourselves together, how we fall away from one another, and the grey areas that exist between. What makes us continue to extend our hands out towards each other? Under what circumstances do we pull them back? I utilize images of home, landscape, thread, and the figure to examine ideas surrounding connection.” 

Artist Sara Young presents A short film, “Ode to Joy,” a narration of the rolling, uneven rhythm of one of the essential elements of life. She uses musical rhythm to create an “ode” to the great capacity of human joy. She states, “It is an odd thing to be at once rebelling against the social barriers society has created to divide people and create racial strife, while also requiring physical barriers to keep people safe and healthy. This film is a testament to the joy that can be found in this moment in our history.”

MORE FEATURED STORIES

PictureStoryDate
photo of stack of booksThe Northern Light asked young reporters what will the summer look like for kids?06/18/2020
Young kid with box that says imaginiffThe Northern Light asked young reporters how their lives have changed in positive and negative ways.06/11/2020
young girl with glasses in front of trampolineYoung Reporters sharing news stories from their neighborhoods06/03/2020
Photo of girl and dogThe Northern Light asked young reporters how have pets’ lives changed since the stay-at-home order.05/28/2020
Close up photo of person picking up litterThe Northern Light asked young reporters to to think of ways kids can help in their communities and neighborhoods05/21/2020
KZAZ 94.9 online Quarentunes Volume 1 album coverKZAX Quarantunes Volume 1
KZAX asked local musicians to send us their quarantunes (quarantine tunes) and they delivered! Volume 1 of KZAX Quarantunes features nine tracks from Bellingham musicians, all donated to this benefit album.
05/15/2020
photo of boy mowing lawnThe Northern Light asked young reporters to photograph people helping their community during the pandemic.05/14/2020
photo of hummingbird feederThe Northern Light asked young reporters, while they are under the governor’s stay-at-home order, what are kids’ doing or what can they do for fun05/07/2020
image of young girl at parkThe Northern Light asked young reporters after the stay-at-home order went into affect to take a photo representing “Life for Kids Right Now.”04/30/2020
image of people with masks near grocery storeCOVID-19: Salish Current: Life in the time of COVID-19: Community Voices04/01/2020
photo of Sharon Shewmake and two sons wearing facemasksAn Interview Between Washington State Representative Sharon Shewmake and Her Children
Image of man using laptopCabin Fever Poem and Quarantine Poem
photo of Silhouette Antiques and Gifts storefrontMiss Visiting: Silhouette Antiques and Gifts



BELLINGHAM WHATCOM COUNTY TOURISM

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism and Veritas Media collected video responses from people all around Whatcom County, and asked what people are looking forward to doing again when we move past social distancing and the stay at home order.

BELLINGHAM NOW

Bellingham NOW: Northwest Youth Services has been working with many at-risk youth in our community during the outbreak. Dean Wright and Jenn Daly share how they’ve adapted to socially-distanced services for our next generation.


PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS


HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

Have a story to share? Explore the links on this page. If you represent an organization that would like to get involved, contact us! Everyone is welcome. Email Rebecca Judd with Bellingham Public Library, rejudd@cob.org, or Christine Perkins with Whatcom County Library System, christine.perkins@wcls.org. We welcome your ideas and interest.

People's Perspectives: COVID-19 in Whatcom County