ASLUSH

The Church holds a very specific role in society. For many, it becomes routine to wake up on Sunday morning and attend the 9:00am church service in person, where you will be dressed in the appropriate formal attire one wears to church, shake hands during the sign of peace, drink the blood of Christ during the Holy Communion, but what happens when a global pandemic prohibits participating in that usual ritual? This oral history explores how these issues have evolved during 2020-2021.

A multitude of groundbreaking events have happened this year: a global pandemic, the BLM movement, and a historic election, to name a few. Throughout all of this, the media has determined what stories are told: what makes the final cut, and what has to take the backseat. Without journalism, especially photo and video journalism, this past year would not have been what it was. Without first looking at the media, and more importantly, at the stories we choose to prioritize in times of hardship, we cannot begin to fully comprehend the events of those times, because the media acts as a window into the minds and values of society. This oral history explores the role of the media over the past year and a half. 

This oral history covers student voice at Miss Porter's School amidst the ongoing conversations between Administration and Students about how many aspects of the school are handled and discussed. The focus of this oral history is on how mental health is discussed and handled with students and administration.

A high volume of Asian immigrants began arriving in Farmington during the 1960s, though there were Asian immigrants in the area prior. After 9/11 the number of Asian immigrants in Farmington increased greatly due to the economic collapse of NYC's Chinatown. From 1990 to today the population of Asian immigrants in Connecticut has grown by nearly 75%. Asian immigrants in Farmington primarily hail from China and India, but there is a wide range of nationalities represented within the populous. Most Chinese immigrants in Farmington were previously residents of Guangdong, a coastal province in southern China.

A high volume of Asian immigrants began arriving in Farmington during the 1960s, though there were Asian immigrants in the area prior. After 9/11 the number of Asian immigrants in Farmington increased greatly due to the economic collapse of NYC's Chinatown. From 1990 to today the population of Asian immigrants in Connecticut has grown by nearly 75%. Asian immigrants in Farmington primarily hail from China and India, but there is a wide range of nationalities represented within the populous. Most Chinese immigrants in Farmington were previously residents of Guangdong, a coastal province in southern China.

A high volume of Asian immigrants began arriving in Farmington during the 1960s, though there were Asian immigrants in the area prior. After 9/11 the number of Asian immigrants in Farmington increased greatly due to the economic collapse of NYC's Chinatown. From 1990 to today the population of Asian immigrants in Connecticut has grown by nearly 75%. Asian immigrants in Farmington primarily hail from China and India, but there is a wide range of nationalities represented within the populous. Most Chinese immigrants in Farmington were previously residents of Guangdong, a coastal province in southern China.

For most of the school year here on Porter's campus, students were strictly confined to their own little bubble. Porter’s has always been a kind of bubble, but this past year, the clear walls of that bubble turned cloudy. However, there were a few people outside of the Porter’s students and employees that kept us connected to the rest of the town.  They were the firefighters and police officers who came to campus whenever we had a fire alarm go off or would do drive by parades for the children on campus. The firefighters and police officers of Farmington have always been significant figures within thee community, likewise to the rest of The U.S. where first responders and welfare workers play an active role in maintaining not only the safety but also the integrity of their communities. In a year where belonging and togetherness felt stripped from all of us, and extra pressure was put on safety workers to keep their communities safe, what was it personally like for the firefighters and police officers?

Exploring student voice and mental health at Miss Porter's School. 

How often do you talk about incarcerated persons and the prison system in your daily life? If your experience is anything like ours, probably not frequently. The COVID-19 pandemic and the events of 2020 have deeply impacted the United States prison system and correctional facilities. We don’t hear about it, due to a lack of news coverage and awareness. COVID has changed the lives of prison workers and inmates, all over the country. Here are the stories of two different criminal justice workers, one from Connecticut and one from Texas, each with their own unique experiences within US prisons throughout COVID.

We discuss how the jobs of Criminal Justice workers changed with COVID, early release of prisoners with COVID, how informed inmates are, and living conditions as well as mental and physical health of those incarcerated.