How will we remember life in quarantine? Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library System teamed together with several community organizations to capture and archive the COVID-19 experience for future generations to come.
Peoples’ Perspectives: COVID-19 in Whatcom County is a multimedia initiative where residents can interpret, document, and share their quarantine experience through a variety of creative platforms such as poetry, art, photography, music, and storytelling.
“It’s important to document these things for yourself, not just for the greater world,” says Christine Perkins, executive director for Whatcom County Library System. “Reflecting on this time helps you understand and interpret this experience.”
Collaborations include photos and articles from The Northern Light’s Young Reporters Project, audio recordings of Coronavirus Stories at KMRE Radio and Quarantunes Vol. 1, a nine-track benefit album created by local musicians and KZAX Radio to raise funds for artists displaced or impacted by the pandemic. These contributions will be archived, creating a multidisciplinary record of life during the pandemic in Whatcom county.
“This can be a real gift to yourself,” Perkins says. “It could be really useful to you in your future, sharing with your kids, grandkids, or even just remind yourself of what you were thinking at the time.”
Everyone is welcome to participate, and sharing with the public is up to you. To feature a project with Peoples’ Perspectives, email Rebecca Judd with Bellingham Public Library (rejudd@cob.org), or Christine Perkins with Whatcom County Library System (christine.perkins@wcls.org).
Founding organizations of Peoples’ Perspectives: COVID-19 in Whatcom County are All Point Bulletin, Allied Arts of Whatcom County, Bellingham Public Library, Bellingham Roller Betties, Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, Chuckanut Writers Conference, KMRE 102.3 FM, Make.Shift/KZAX 94.9, Pickford Film Center, The Northern Light, Village Books, Western Washington University, Whatcom Art Guild, Whatcom County Library System, Whatcom Community College and Whatcom Museum.
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