In last week's show, we discussed loneliness as “the other pandemic.” This week Kevin and Niseema welcome Kate Walter, author/essayist /journalist/educator, whose new book, "Behind The Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter," takes us inside daily living in New York City during the pandemic. Her essays reveal her neighborhood, her neighbors, their isolation and fears as well as their strength and resilience as a community.Kate credits the power of writing as helping to cope and keep her sanity. We share some examples of writing prompts in the book that help you reflect on and clarify your own experiences during the pandemic. A natural extrovert, Kate talks candidly about how she found herself feeling isolated and alone in the most populous city in the US, and how the long haul of seclusion changed her as a person.