Community Heroes – Asha Ramachandran, 18

byTehya Rassman

Asha Ramachandran of Massachusetts is a freshman journalism student at New York University. In April, she sent a tweet out saying she will donate to any sexual assault victim who comments their Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, etc. She is a victim of sexual assault, and she decided to donate $2,200 of her own money to people […]

Community Heroes in a Pandemic

byTehya Rassman

Community Heroes is a series of short interviews with people who are taking action to help others during the COVID-19 outbreak. Some are making masks, others are starting donation campaigns, but all wish to do something for their community.   Return to the Life in a Pandemic Main Page  

Health & Beauty – Braelyn Bianchi, 22

byReagan Morrisey

  Braelyn Bianchi was a CorePower yoga instructor in Austin when the studios had to start shutting down due to coronavirus. Bianchi talks about the difficult situation she has been in not being able to work during the time of this pandemic and how it has affected her. “It has definitely been difficult for me, […]

Health & Beauty – Ronaldo Valdez

byReagan Morrisey

  As a co-owner of Salon Vela in Austin, Ronaldo Valdez shares what his experiences have been like as a salon during this time. He also shares what it has been like looking over a salon staff that is very much like family and keeping in touch with clients he cares for deeply. “Fielding calls […]

Health & Beauty – Savanah Warnick, 24

byReagan Morrisey

  Savanah Warnick is a hairstylist at Mirror Mirror Salon in Austin. She has been unable to work for nearly 2 months now as the pandemic has closed down all salons. As a result, she tells how she has been focusing her time instead. “The hardest part is, as a hairstylist if we are not […]

Health & Beauty – Meghan Goodwin, 35

byReagan Morrisey

  Meghan Goodwin is a small business owner and licensed esthetician in Magnolia, Texas. With a young child at home she gives a lighthearted view on what her time has been like during the pandemic, joking that people are going to need her more than ever when this is over. “I think this time will […]

Health and Beauty Professionals in a Pandemic

byReagan Morrisey

While it is certain that this pandemic has affected everyone, one group in particular was affected in a way that others may not have been. When workplaces across the nation shut down, some employees did not have an option to continue work from home. Businesses like hair salons, gyms, and more were forced to close […]

Small Business Owners – Meg Sutton

byMildret Orellana

  Despite the governor’s announcement allowing businesses to reopen at 25% capacity, Meg Sutton, owner of Belle & Union Co. in San Antonio, has decided to keep her doors closed for the time being. Sutton’s shop has been offering free shipping and delivery, curbside pick-up and appointment-based shopping as an alternative. Sutton has been personally […]

Small Business Owners – Jane-Michael Stallings

byMildret Orellana

  Jane-Michael Stallings of Austin started making masks as a way to follow CDC recommendations while avoiding mask alternatives such as bandanas or scarves. Stallings went on to sew masks for friends and family and later found the opportunity to be part of the Austin Mask Exchange, a collection of makers providing masks for those […]

Small Business Owners – Ashley Raymond

byMildret Orellana

  Ashley Raymond of Austin decided to pursue Pocket Punch full time right before city officials declared a stay at home order and has decided to continue with her decision despite working from home. The idea for Pocket Punch, a hand-held multi-functional self-defense device, came about after stabbings occurred on the UT campus in 2017. […]

Small Business Owners – Christa Freeland

byMildret Orellana

After a year of owning the domain name “atxkit.com” co-founder Christa Freeland decided to launch her food kit supporting local Austin entrepreneurs during COVID-19. With a background in venture capital and tech startups Freeland has found similarities on how she’s dealing with the transition of working from home, and how the city of Austin is […]

Small Business Owners – Meagan Doyle

byMildret Orellana

  Meagan Doyle and three other students at the University of Texas at Austin were put in contact after talking about post graduation plans with a mutual contact/professor. Doyle and the other members of her team created Class of 2020 Agency, a marketing agency, after noticing jobs and internships were getting cancelled. Due to COVID-19, […]

Small Business Owners in a Pandemic

byMildret Orellana

Across Texas, small businesses have had to change the way they operate due to the effects of COVID-19. Some have had to pivot and adapt in order to create a profit, while others have seen a gap in the market to finally launch their idea or are simply looking for a creative outlet to keep […]

New Moms – Courtney Ross, 30

byMeredith Schmidt

  Courtney Ross of Dallas had to make a tough decision regarding the safety of her family and her nanny during this uncertain time. She knew she could no longer have her nanny work in her home taking care of her 8-month-old son Lawson, but she did not want to lose her nanny down the […]

New Moms – Maggie Rivera, 27

byMeredith Schmidt

Maggie Rivera of Round Rock gave birth to her youngest son, Giovanni, just 3 weeks ago. She shared how her hospital stay for the birth of Giovanni was different than for her 3 year old. She said that at the beginning of her visit she was scared, but she found her two-and-a-half day stay felt […]

New Moms – Katie Osborne, 35

byMeredith Schmidt

  Katie Osborne of Fort Worth is a mom to three young children. Her oldest, Avery, is 5-years-old, her middle child, Hunter, is 3-years-old, and her youngest, Bo, is 7-months-old. She has found that the hardest aspect of her life in a pandemic with Bo is juggling her two other children who would normally be […]

New Moms – Hallie McDermott, 31

byMeredith Schmidt

  Hallie McDermott has found a silver lining to sheltering-in-place in Houston with her 9-month-old daughter Mimi as her two sisters are with her too. She said she is thankful that her sisters have been able to have a little part in raising Mimi. After being furloughed from her job she has discovered an upside, […]

New Moms in a Pandemic

byMeredith Schmidt

My sister has a nine-month old son, so I talk to a new mom on the phone almost every day. She has given me direct insight to the unique struggles moms of infants are experiencing during this time. From cabin fever, to navigating tough child care decisions, to celebrating some of her son’s first holidays […]

New Moms – AnnahGrace Galindo, 20

byMeredith Schmidt

  At first, AnnahGrace Galindo wasn’t panicked about the pandemic–she was panicked about the panic surrounding it. Galindo lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and their 7-month-old son, Romi. Her mom also lives in Fort Worth and made sure to buy baby supplies in bulk for AnnahGrace and Romi before things started to […]

Latinos/as – Rocio Rodriguez, 25

byJennifer Martinez

Rodriguez and her mother head a multi-generational house in Dallas. COVID-19 has led to financial uncertainty as they apply for unemployment benefits and perform risky essential work. “She didn’t want to put the burden on us of having to pick up the pieces.”   Return to Latinos/as in a Pandemic Return to the Life in […]