Addressing COVID Safety & Awareness: Building Resilience and Messaging

“People have the nerve to question if we should wear masks.
It’s not an option; it’s a necessity.
We must weave it into our daily tasks.
As if breathing in others’ coughs is worth the cost.”

These poignant lines are part of a powerful poem written and recited by Liana Parrish, during the first of three youth conferences, held on Zoom on November 17, 2020. It was hosted in partnership with youth leaders and a Coalition of a community-based organization called the Oakland Frontline Healers. Liana is a student at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland and was one of several charismatic and creative teens steering this conference with their messages on COVID awareness and resilience. 

And leading they did. Their message to other youth and adults was clear and direct: please take COVID seriously. When adults argue, defend, and wordsmith, our teen leaders are miles ahead of us. They know what needs to be done and they tell us, in their language, in their paintings, collages with their favorite movie characters, via written words like Liana’s poem, and even with their own music and videos: 

• Wear your mask
• Speak up when you see someone without a mask
• Keep friends and family safe with social distancing 
• Reinforce protocols like hand washing

Former Oakland High School student Chuyi Fang shares a video she made that should be shown daily on national television, it’s that good. And funny: “chin warmer” doesn’t protect against the virus. Only teenagers can say it so candidly. 
It is often through art that young people express their deepest concerns, and at them same time cope with them.  And while the outlook of this pandemic during the time of this conference was rather grim, the messages these kids have for us is one of hope. 

Sariyah Shabazz, another poised student from Bishop O’Dowd, shares tips on self-care that some of us adults could really use. The first one – unexpected, yet powerful, and spot-on:

• Activism is self-care.  Speak up with passion to participate in creating change.

The kids in this conference show us exactly how it’s done. She continues with tips from her own life that are extremely helpful, any time we may experience distress or anxiety:Reach out to your friends and family to feel loved and not alone. 

• Start journaling as an alternate way when you don’t have someone to speak to.
• Try prayer, Yoga or meditation as a way to stay grounded.
• Take personal care and hygiene seriously, because, and so she says “looking good makes you feel good.”

And to add icing to her already jaw-dropping wisdom, Sariyah even promotes her own skin care line as a means to take care of yourself. How cool is that? 

These creative young leaders and their messages demonstrate their resilience, and thereby set an example for all of us who may feel lost, hopeless, or even confused at times. They remind us, in their unique way, that while this pandemic may seem overwhelming, we all have only very little we need to do in order to stay safe. 

​By Janine Grossmann @ Quest For You 

---