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The Stories

James Thomas Hill, 72, ICE Detention: Farmville Detention Center​, VA

James Thomas Hill, 72, was a beloved family man whose presence was sought out by many. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, James worked as a physician in Shreveport, Louisiana. His family knew him as a gentle, loving man. “He used to give great big bear hugs,” said his niece, Jessica Marostega Bob. “You could talk to him about things. He was reassuring, and he would always say, ‘Remember, I love you.’”

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H.B., 21, a student in Dallas, TX

“The anger and frustration brought by a global pandemic has subsided and I have gotten used to the ways in which this is our new normal. I’ve gotten closer to many friends i didn’t expect to and have found myself becoming more and more family oriented. While I was used to always looking for the next location or opportunity that could come my way, this pandemic has given me the space and time to slowdown and really consider what I plan to do with my time and in the future.”

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A. R., Imprisoned Citizen, Cottonport, LA

“Since the global outbreak of covid-19 I have watched it closely from the prison TV they have for us here. I started to see how more cases and more deaths were at rise. Never did I imagine it would reach this facility and affect the staff security as well.”

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R.C., a teen in Santa Clara County, CA

“My already quiet area seems even more languid than usual – nobody really ventures outside but for walks. Everyone’s walking, though – much more than usual. Unfortunately I need to avoid a popular walking path by my house because, although so many people are walking, only a few (if any) are practicing proper social distancing.”

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R.C., a teen in Santa Clara County, CA

“Yesterday, my county extended the shelter in place order from ending April 7th to ending May 3rd (my school is set to restart on the 4th). So much for my birthday (mid-April). But, honestly, we’re most likely going to be here for much longer after that.”

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N.N., a teen in CA

“Since the beginning of the sheltering in place, I’ve been going out every day (being careful to stay far away from others). At the beginning, I took walks or went on runs, but lately I’ve been playing basketball with my sister.”

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A.D., a teen in New York City, NY

“Life turned upside down in a matter of days. What I believed was merely another instance of hysteria affected the people I love. Thousands of people are dying and ever more are actively sick. Coronavirus will change the world forever.”

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S.M., a teen in PA

“My advice to others is don’t give up constitutional rights for the illusion of safety and to do research into COVID19 instead of believing everything on the news.”

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A.S., a teen in Fort Worth, TX

“Here in Texas it isn’t really that strict as it is in other places, and it has already started to reopen. Despite this I still barely leave my house as there is still high risk of infection and people wear masks everywhere they go.”

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J.H., a teen in Honolulu, HI

“It wasn’t just school that was affected for me and so many other people. No longer was coronavirus “just like the flu.” We have now lost over a hundred thousand Americans and our society will be fundamentally different when we get out of this.”

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Life in Quarantine: Witnessing Global Pandemic is an initiative sponsored by the Poetic Media Lab and the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis at Stanford University.

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