Nina Wentt DB 12

I chose resources for gender-based violence for framework, coronavirus and the disability community for stories, and media coverage recommendations for resources. So for the framework I chose, there was discussion on gender-based violence during this pandemic, how it affects victims, and things a victim or a neighbor family remember can indirectly help while maintaining social distance guideline. The problem at hand with this topic focused on how the pandemic affects this demographic. For example, according to the resources provided, “Given layoffs and lack of access to paid sick leave, the economic effects of the virus worsen the conditions of individuals who may be living with perpetrators. These are in reference to the inequalities and disparities affecting this demographic. Something important to note is that of their clients (Sakhi), 95% are recent immigrants, 10% are undocumented, 80% are mothers, and 75% reside below the federal poverty level.  Because of these factors, many are ineligible to medicaid and as a result refrain from seeking medical attention. This is fear of exposing their undocumented status.

The second issue I chose was coronavirus and the disability for stories. This aimed at bringing forward experiences, ideas, and resources by marginalized people with an emphasis on marginalized POC. The goal is also to bring awareness how stories about marginalized disables people are also often expressed through the gaze of non-disabled people. Some of the stories apart of this project express the tribulations of being disabled during a pandemic and how when the situation returns to normality, those who are chronically ill will still have to exist with their illness. Others expressed how the disabled community are fearful because disabled people are “at the bottom of the list for being revived.” because of their quality of life is viewed as lower in comparison to an abled-body person.

For resources, I chose media coverage recommendations. The problem at hand here is directed specifically towards journalist covering the pandemic and those affected. The focus is portrayal of Asians and Asian Americans. According to these resources, often the portrayal is in the negative which fuels xenophobia and racism against them. They also list how naive and general coverage of people and areas with high Asian populations fuel misconceptions of them and add to inaccurate assessment and inevitable racism, The resources go on to name things reporters should refrain from doing. Such as recording generic views of Chinatown and avoid using phrases like “Wuhan Virus”, “Chinese Coronavirus”, and “China Coronavirus.”

I chose these excerpts because the all seem to be relevant topics that will continue to transition even after (hopefully) there ceases to be a pandemic. Xenophobia, discrimination, gender-based violence, and ableism will continue to be relevant topics that affect everyone but especially marginalized groups (Specifically Asian demographics in this case). What especially stoop out is how this pandemic emphasizes these wrongs as if these topics were occurring before the pandemic. Covid has exacerbated peoples awareness of issues outside of the able-body, American citizen, non POC experience. I chose these specifically for that reason. As a citizen, an able-bodied, non asian POC, I think it’s important especially now to practice attentive listening to hold space for Asian-Americans, Asians, and multiple marginalized/ disabled people.