So I've wanted to write a post about covering some pretty historical events within my first few months of my career. Just like a very list structured detailed explanation of "look how cool this is!"
But then Inspiration struck when I was reading some old facebook posts. 2020 has been a challenging year and an important moment for many of us. I have covered stories where people are either at their highest highs or lowest of lows. And that is why I love my job, because I get to tell all of these stories that are worthy of public attention. But I realize as I tell these stories, some of the best ones I have written, I have experienced myself.
In August, Cedar Rapids experienced a once in a century storm called a derecho.
This powerful storm brought wind speeds over 100mph for over 40 minutes causing widespread damage. People lost homes, the city lost a third of its tree canopy, and everyone was without power for days, some up to weeks. After the storm passed, me and every other journalist in the area hit the ground running to
cover how the storm left us behind. I covered stories of people who were left without homes and living in tents. People who couldn't afford to eat after loosing everything in their fridge. My first interview I ever did where I had some one cry was a few days after the storm when an older lady was telling me that she couldn't sleep through the night because she couldn't turn on her cpap machine. All while I
am talking to these people in some of their darkest moments, I also didn't have power, I was taking cold showers, I lost everything in my fridge, I waited an hour for gas, and frankly, I was scared. Picture this, I moved out completely on my own a month and a half before this happened. I was still learning the bare necessities of living on my own, and then BOOM! derecho. I did not experience the worst with the aftermath of the storm and I thank god everyday that he kept my home, my car and myself safe. But when I was going to cover the stories the weeks after the storm, I could relate to, at some degree, what the people of Cedar Rapids were experiencing.
I hear it all the time, "will you guys please stop talking about COVID?" I hear it from people I meet, members of my family, random strangers on Facebook. I get it, covid is in the news a lot. But it should be. I don't need to sit here and tell you how this virus has impacted literally everything, you already know that. I entered my career MONTHS after the start of the pandemic. But when I got here, I was covering COVID related stories pretty often and hearing the stories first hand of how COVID impacted one thing or another. It was always just another story to me about this invisible enemy who's name became numb.
But then I got it. I tested positive for COVID-19. I am one of 16 million people in the US who have contracted the virus. I was one of the 2,400 Iowans on November 5th who's test came back positive.
Now I was fine. I just felt like I had a bad cold and couldn't smell anything. The worst for me was the isolation, and I realize the privilege I have behind that sentence. I didn't have to worry about bringing it home to someone, or how it would impact an underlying condition, or not having the opportunity to work from home. But I went through it, and the amount of guilt I felt when I realized I was apart of the problem of the virus spreading. And I manifested in that for two weeks when it was just me, myself and ms. rona. So basically what I am trying to say here with COVID is that the virus is REAL. And while it became numb to me, and it might be numb to you as well, it is still killing thousands of people everyday. Having it opened my eyes again to what our world has turned into because of this virus. It has ruined lives and it was a wake up call to me to continue to take it seriously.
So this is just a reminder that next time you're reading or watching the news. The story that is being told was put together by someone who may have experienced that news for themselves, first hand.
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