The Art of Staying Apart
Original Post: March 9, 2021
The Joint Information Section team for the San Francisco Emergency Operation Center / COVID Command Center. (June 2021)
A year ago today, I was deployed as a Disaster Service Worker to our City’s #COVID Command Center (CCC) as a Graphic Designer.
Although I’ve participated in trainings for hypothetical, yet very possible, scenarios through the years, I never expected to experience one of the most historic times of our generation — a global pandemic.
As I approached our Department of Emergency Management building on Turk for the first time, I took a breath. I was nervous, scared, anxious, yet curious. As I made my way past the double doors after greeting the sheriff officers and getting my name badge sticker, I was surprised to see a room full of color-vested people already busy at work. Conversations were low and you could just feel the weight of what was happening. Two large monitors projected dashboards and stats. Number of cases, seemingly increasing by the minute. Maybe something in the low double digits?
Being it was my first day in a new setting and role, I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to go or report to. Someone walked past me and I just stopped them and said,
“Hi, it’s my first day and I don’t know where I’m supposed to be.”
“No problem,” they responded, “I can help you. What’s your role in your home department?”
“Communications. Design.”
“Ah, let me get you over to the JIS (Joint Information Section).”
Emergency Operations Center located at Turk Street, March 2020
My badge of honor, “Graphic Designer,” March 2020
In their khaki-colored vest, they walked me across the hall to another room that was packed to the rim of more bustling folks, all in baby blue vests. The local news was on. Phones were ringing. People were asking each other questions as if it were another language. They led me to a workstation that had a vest hanging on the chair, labeled “Graphic Designer.” I found my place and got to work.
The next week, we moved to Moscone. I laughed to myself when I saw the Keith Haring art piece standing at the corner, as if taunting us — daring us to find ways to get creative with social distancing. Immediately after reporting in, I was notified that we needed to prepare for the Mayor’s announcement — that a shelter in place order was going into effect for our City. San Francisco was going into lockdown. From there, the blue and yellow “Stay Home” poster was born and plastered across the City and some neighboring counties.
In the last 365+ days, our team has created hundreds and thousands of public information pieces to bring awareness to various public health orders such as proper hygiene, proper face coverings, social distancing, air quality, getting tested and vaccinated, safer sleeping sites, and more recently, with the API campaign, celebrating the Lunar New Year differently, anti-scamming and the anti-discrimination pieces — and so much more. While there is a sense of pride in seeing the countless pieces of public health and safety materials our team created around the City, I am more grateful to be of service in some way during this unprecedented time. My contribution is just one small piece of a larger scale puzzle. I’ve met and worked alongside so many amazing, talented, compassionate people along the way. I’ve learned and grown during this time — as a designer, a public service worker and above all, a human being.
Now, today, March 9, 2021 — I look around to see how much the world has changed, yet in some ways, not at all. The world is still full of beautiful and kind people and full of hope. Nothing can really ever truly prepare you for this type of “chaos” during a disaster, but everyone stepped up to just do what they do best and worked together and because of that — we’re all coming out stronger and more united, as a City, as a community. I am truly honored to be a part of this team during this historic, unprecedented time. Most of us assumed we’d be back to “normal” by summer of 2020, yet here we are, one year later. To be living in this time as we all face a world wide pandemic, I believe we all just want to be helpful in some way. I believe the opportunity and ability to serve my community is a great blessing.
I write this as a reflection and reminder to myself of this experience. This has been a memorable mark in time for me. Similar to the beginning credits of a movie, it marked the start of this new reality for me these past 365 days. It has been a trying year for every single person all over the world. This is another experience we share as citizens of the world. The truth is, we are not out of the woods yet, but hope is growing. Let’s hold tight, stay strong and keep on doing our part so that one day, someday soon, we can share our stories with each other.
Thank you, for this opportunity to contribute and to share. Wishing everyone health and happiness in the days ahead.
See samples of the pieces on my page.
The Governor at the COVID Command Center, taking a moment to appreciate our accomplishments.
Our work on display at San Francisco City Hall, June 2021.