Reflections on the 2020 election written by 3 Public Health Academy (PHA) interns

Intern 1: Even though I’m not 18, I was involved in my community by urging people to vote if they are 18 or older. My cousin sent me information I could share with people so that’s what I did. It was like simple Instagram posts helping people and urging them to vote. These simple posts explained to people how important voting was and how we need to help this country a better place. I noticed how many people 18 or older were voting and they were even spreading the message to their friends. I had many friends who were also working at the polling places. It was good to see that people were actually trying and helping at the polling places. During this election, I tried to do my best by even telling my whole family to vote. In a couple of years, Gen Z will be running this world, so this election was very important.

Intern 2: I got involved in my community by working for the election in Downtown LA. I helped people who could vote by answering any questions they had regarding the election. Working at the polling places was such a great experience for me. It was really tiring especially the last day, I worked from 6 am to 8 pm. The day went by smoothly, the people were super friendly, and helpful. Experiences from this election helped me gain more information on how voting works, who can vote, and how votes get counted. I will most definitely vote next election and stay educated.

Intern 3: My community is black and brown populated, so many were scared for this election as it will be affecting everyone’s lifestyle in the long run. Many would ask me my opinion and I would ask theirs, seeking to have an open discussion and try to understand politics a little bit more. I’m not 18, so I didn’t have the ability to vote just yet, however, I was able to help. My aunts speak Spanish and are very new to this as it was their first time voting so I helped by making sure they followed all requirements so it could be valid. I've seen my mom vote before, so I’ve used my experiences with her to help my aunts. It was such a nice feeling to have helped with something that seems so simple but yet has such a great power within it.

Written by 2 Public Health Academy (PHA) interns based on interviews with their peers

When the pandemic hit, we did not realize how much it was going to affect our society and mental health from social distancing and being six feet apart. We all assumed that quarantine would have been over before the new school year but it has been prolonged for clear reasons. Now, during this new school year, we had to adjust crucially to virtual learning which has taken a huge toll on our mental health. So we wanted to know more and interviewed a couple of students wanting to gain more insight on how Covid-19 has affected their mental health, and how they are adjusting to virtual learning.

1. How are you adjusting to online learning?

The students are adjusting to online learning pretty fine. One of them thought it was a bit tougher since they cannot ask teachers for help in person. Another student said that they are trying to adjust to online training by trying to find ways to not get distracted easily and focus on staying successful and working hard.

2. Is it affecting your mental health? If so, how?

Online school has been mentally draining, due to getting stressed by all the work they give them. The majority of the interviewees do not feel motivated to do their schoolwork and often feel tired. One of them said that it is not affecting their mental health negatively. She has been able to spend more time socializing and spending quality time with her family.

3. How are you managing your time with all your work without feeling stressed?

One of our interviewees stated that there is not a way “not” to feel stressed because, during these times, he is always given work to do, back-to-back. One thing he believes is that time management is key. He plans the work that he has to do for the day, at a certain time. Our other interviewee said that she now manages her time by organizing her work and using a planner to properly coordinate and complete her assignments on time. One method a student uses to manage her time without feeling too stressed is if they have multiple assignments due on the same night, she starts on the one that’s the most work.

4. Have your teachers provided you any resources to help guide you through this transition? If so, how? If not, what do you wish that they can provide for you?

For one of our interviewees, his teachers, and the staff members at his school have provided him with resources to help with the transition, such as meditating, and tips on how to stay on top of schoolwork through a screen. Another interviewee says that her teachers have provided her with online tutoring via Zoom which has been very beneficial for her, especially in math.

5. What are some techniques you’re using to stay on track with your schoolwork?

Some use agendas to write down the work they need to do so they don’t forget, using alarms & reminders on their phones to make sure they complete their schoolwork in a timely manner, and they have designated areas in their room for them to complete their school work, and not get distracted. One interviewee sets deadlines for herself and makes sure everything is completed by the days she said she’ll have them done. She also reaches out for help when she is confused.

How the authors viewed the questions and responses?

Online learning is tough, but we can manage. We believe that it is most definitely tougher to ask teachers questions through a screen than in person. In-person learning was easier since the teacher is right by you in a classroom, we didn’t have to worry about waiting for them to email or message us back.

Virtual learning is very mentally draining. We both believe that we just keep receiving work after work, even during our so-called “breaks.” It’s stressful learning through a screen, and then completing homework and turning it in on a screen. We both have been able to socialize more with our families. We also have found a new hobby during quarantine, bicycling & photography.

There is no stress-free way to get through these hard times for education, but there is a way we can make it less stressful. We both have alarms to stay on top of our classes for attendance, and we both also have a whiteboard that helps with organization. We write the assignments we have for that week, the classes, and when the assignments are due. It helps us both stay on task, and helps us manage our time better.

Our school provides optional online tutoring, and we believe that it is beneficial for both of us. We also have a mental health counselor who comes into our advisories and gives us tips on how to stay calm/feel less stressed out, and great work habits that’ll help guide us through this transition. We agree on having a designated area for school work, and we believe that it is really helpful because if we are on our beds instead, we’ll be too comfortable, and won’t be able to focus on what we are supposed to be doing or learning.

We can conclude that the youth are having a hard time adjusting to this new transition. It is also important to take mental health seriously during this time since we aren’t socializing with people as often it can be hard to get through the day. Schools and teachers should also incorporate healthy tactics that help the youth practice taking care of their well-being.

Written by 2 Public Health Academy (PHA) interns based on interviews with their peers

We strongly believe that this problem is very real in our world and in the community. So, we wanted to find out what our friends thought about it. After concluding our interviews, we saw that our friends had similar responses to the main questions: Do you believe that minorities are equally cared for? Are minorities underrepresented in the public health community?

Unequal treatment was a common theme cited among our friends, especially minorities and the less fortunate. Many also commented that people within the black and brown communities are less likely to get medical care and less likely to get treated with similar care. For example, black women more likely to die during childbirth than white women.

Our friends feel this problem is definitely ignored. Some of the communities that are having the most financial difficulties are receiving little to no help from the government. How can we pay for healthcare when we’re already struggling? Many people we know have gone through this problem and the struggles associated with it. It’s a hard problem and society needs to wake up and see how the black community is often ignored when it comes to healthcare. We aren’t cared for enough compared to the white community, and we receive little assistance.

We, the writers both believe that when black people are placed in positions of higher power it can help shed light on this issue; and help with providing solutions. Other possible solutions could be providing funding by the participation of certain programs and or making healthcare free for the lower class. Our interviewees shared the same ideas. Both agreed that lower-income minority groups should have free healthcare whereas those who can afford it should pay for it.

Written by 2 Public Health Academy (PHA) interns based on interviews with their peers

We sought to find out how bad the pandemic has affected different communities by interviewing a variety of friends scattered around the cities of LA. As we gathered information regarding the coronavirus within different communities, we came across similar insights. We believe they are similar since most come from vulnerable communities where there are very limited resources.

When asked about the symptoms and ways to prevent coronavirus, our friends mentioned how wearing a mask and general hygiene/sanitation has so far kept them safe. All were able to list symptoms such as fever and fatigue and also noted that you could have no symptoms at all. Based on their responses, they are trying their best to avoid any activity that could lead to infection and they are masking, staying away from mass gatherings, limiting outings and simple hygiene like washing hands.

Youth seem to be aware of what's going on—despite limited supplies and support due to being from lower-income communities. However, what they report in their communities is less encouraging. They reported seeing people gathering at house parties, walking down the street without masks and generally acting as if there is no pandemic by not taking precautions.

As our peers mentioned, low-resourced communities often lack proper access to sanitation, health insurance, and even basic knowledge of the virus. No matter how hard one attempts to take the necessary precautions they still have high chances of contracting the disease if the community they live in has limited resources and those who make up the community aren’t aware or don’t take it seriously. Whereas they all felt that communities with much more support tend to be more aware and safer during the pandemic.

We agree with our peers that even though our communities stand a higher chance of infection, staying away from mass gatherings, limiting our outings, and taking basic precautions can keep us healthy even if others in our community don't do so. Taking these precautions seriously can lower the high percentage of infection rate within our communities.

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