Art

#OnHoldAtHome: Chronicling a Community in the Time of Covid

Hopes, fears and lessons learned in Richmond, Virginia

by Rachel Scott Everett

August 27, 2020

6:45 pm

8 min read

Earlier this year, Covid-19 began to disrupt the lives of people all over the world. From the fear of falling ill, to the awkwardness of social distancing, to the adjustment of working from home or losing a job, our normal routines were upended on many levels.

As a creative director living in the small city of Richmond, Virginia, my business, like countless other non-essential workers, felt an immediate impact from the pandemic. Despite the downturn, or perhaps inspired by it, the desire to create was stronger than ever. My neighbor, fine art photographer Tania del Carmen Fernández, felt the same way. With canceled work and looming uncertainty, we were determined to find a meaningful way to remain productive.

At a social distancing gathering in our neighborhood, it became clear the pandemic was affecting people differently. Parents were trying to figure out childcare, at-risk neighbors worried about exposure, and recent grads were feeling the weight of an unknown future. Everyone was weathering the same storm, but we were definitely not in the same boat.

Inspired by these different stories, Tania and I joined forces during the first week of lockdown to create #OnHoldAtHome, a photography series documenting hopes, fears and lessons learned.

Angela Patton in a moment of quiet reflection outside her home. Patton is CEO of Girls for a Change, a nonprofit youth development organization aimed at empowering Black girls and other girls of color. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Noah Scalin, a renowned multi-media artist, stands behind his wife and daughter. Scalin is one of many RVA artists collaborating with Hamilton Glass, creator of the public art project Mending Walls, a healing art project bringing awareness to current topics and connection through art. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

As weeks turned into months, the project expanded to feature people in different neighborhoods, reflecting the diverse community and perspectives that make up the Greater Richmond Region, or “RVA,” as locals affectionately call it. During this time, the challenges of the pandemic were met with the global rise of protests over George Floyd’s killing, bringing the topic of racial and social inequality front and center.

Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy, soon found itself in the national spotlight with public demands for removal of Confederate memorials, amid the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. On July 1, mayor Levar Stoney ordered the removal of all city-owned Confederate statues, stating, “Richmond is no longer the Capital of the Confederacy—it is filled with diversity and love for all—and we need to demonstrate that.”

Betty is a front line worker whose biggest concern is contracting the virus and possibly giving it to family, friends or anyone she may have to interact with at work. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Dr. Ram Bhagat, a longtime educator, arts innovator, and peacebuilder, is joined by his wife and daughter. Ram lost his uncle during Covid-19 and states how it’s “so American to try and make something abnormal into something normal.” Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

What began as a way to unite people through shared experiences of sheltering in place has now evolved into a powerful documentation of this historic time in Richmond that reflects the world at large.

#OnHoldAtHome aims to provide a platform to help amplify voices and foster open, honest discussions on race, politics and systemic inequality. It is our hope that by sharing stories, we have an opportunity to learn and grow with one another, and ultimately cultivate a more compassionate, open-minded and empathetic society.

#OnHoldAtHome is currently made up of three distinct chapters:

Chapter 1: The Lockdown Begins

(March 15-April 19)

The first of many Covid-19 cases is reported in Virginia. Gov. Northam declares a state of emergency, and extensive closures of schools and businesses begin. As Americans witness the number of cases exponentially increase each week, the dangers of the virus become evident. Face masks and social distancing become the norm, and residents are urged to stay at home as much as possible.

“I’m not sure my lungs will ever be the same,” says Anna Laughlin, here with her husband and three children. Laughlin contracted the virus earlier this year and says the experience has been “isolating and terrifying.” Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

While martial arts specialist Master Lorenzo Gibson (left) is focused on financial and health concerns, his son Nick worries about social implications as people forget how to interact with others who have different beliefs and values. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Rachel Scott Everett is co-founder and creative director of EVERGIB , a creative studio she runs with her husband, Brian Gibson. Everett is the writer behind the stories of #OnHoldAtHome. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Bill Martin is director of The Valentine, a museum dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s history. Founded in 1898, it was the city’s first museum. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Chapter 2: Time Loses Meaning

(April 19-May 24)

Days blur into weeks. Weeks into months. By the end of April, the U.S. reports over 1 million Covid-19 cases. The U.S. economy shrinks by nearly 5 percent (the steepest drop since the Great Recession in 2008) and unemployment is at nearly 15 percent. While there’s a general restlessness, people also try to make the most of this rare time when the entire world is paused.

Christina Marie is a graphic designer and founder/bandleader of Turkish pop band Yeni Nostalji. She admits she’s struggled with the amount of time she’s spent alone, and feeling like she’s not doing enough to help. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

“The depth of the inequities in this country and the world are alarming,” says Alicia Diaz (here with her daughters). Originally from Puerto Rico, Diaz is a dance artist and educator who is the process of reimagining her livelihood. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Carol Adams, an essential worker for 30 years, acknowledges the difficulty in communicating and educating the deadliness of the virus. “Surviving this new norm is going to require a lot of patience from everyone,” says Adams. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Laura Pho’s family is an example of intergenerational living, choosing to quarantine together. Laura (center) is flanked by her two daughters, her mother (left) and mother-in-law (right). Not long after this photo was taken, Laura’s mother, Lucy Le, died unexpectedly. As part of their Buddhist faith, the family is honoring her in a 49-day mourning ritual. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Chapter 3: Revolution in the Air

(May 24-present)

After Memorial Day weekend, the country learns of the senseless killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Protests erupt, and the Black Lives Matter movement sweeps the nation as well as abroad. In Richmond, Confederate statues are defaced, and eventually, most of them are removed. The pandemic remains, but the larger issues of racial and social inequality take precedence.

Shayy Winn (right) stands with her mother and sister. The aspiring singer, who has a neurological condition causing vision impairment, competed in American Idol last year. She says the pandemic has helped her appreciate life more. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

“Part of me hopes that we’ll see some positive change … but I’m also fairly pessimistic when it comes to humans,” says Crixell Matthews, here with her fiancée, Morgan. Matthews, a photojournalist at VPM, has been documenting the RVA protests. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Daniel Davis, who is pursuing a career in music production, recently produced a socially distanced collaboration, with all proceeds being donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Color of Change organizations. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

Liza Mickens (left) is the great-great granddaughter of Maggie L. Walker, the first African-American woman to charter a bank and serve as its president in the United States. She is encouraged by the real, honest conversations that are happening around the inequalities of our health and financial systems, as well as police brutality. Photo by Tania del Carmen Fernández.

What’s Next?

From the pandemic to protests, our country has traveled through months of uncertainty, introspection and reflection. According to The New York Times, the U.S. has the highest number of reported Covid-19 cases in the world, now surpassing 5.8 million. As we make our way through the first wave of this pandemic, it’s clear the world has shifted and will never be the same. While no one knows what chapter is coming next, one thing’s for certain: There are stories that still need to be told.

To learn more about the photo project, visit this site and follow on Instagram at @OnHoldAtHome.