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Story Publication logo June 14, 2021

Gen’s Story: My Life During the Pandemic

Author:
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Drawing of a lightbulb in a dark room with a text box that reads "I lay down Closing my eyes again, Trapped in darkness But that's normal."

These graphic memoirs are part of Report Card, a Mission Local project supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Wallace House, where editor and reporter Sindya Bhanoo is a Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellow. The project utilizes illustration and audio to highlight the unseen hurdles that students in underserved communities are facing this year.

Gen was an 8th grader at SF School this year. Eighth graders at SF School each wrote and illustrated graphic short stories based on their pandemic experiences. Mission Local journalists conducted a writing workshop with the students.

Drawing of a door with large lock and a light bulb hanging over the door. On the bottom right hand corner of door is the words written "prison cell". Below this drawing is a small text box that says "I close the same door Shut For the second time, First time for privacy Second for myself."
Drawing of bars with outer world written by them. Under drawing is a text box that reads "I trapped myself in My own cage, Locked in my cell Also known as my room."
Drawing of hills with small trees, blue sky, and a rising sun. Below the nature drawing is a text box that reads "I close the door shut From the outer world, Never looking outside Out the wooden blinds."
Drawing of a dark room with a light bulb hanging. Below the drawing is a textbox that reads "I lay down closing my eyes again, trapped in darkness But that's normal."
A drawing of windows with curtains hanging in front of it. Under the hanging curtains the word "Agoraphobia" is written. Below the drawing is a text box that reads "I peek through the blinds That are tightly drawn, Shocked by the glow Of the breaking dawn."
Drawing of a person holding onto to a line. Below drawing is a text box that reads "I shun the brilliance of some other day. Enslaved and entombed, I stay hidden away."
Image is a drawing of a smiley face. Below the drawing is a text box that reads "My dreams don't provide Any rest of relief, They only replay My regrets and my grief."
Image shows drawing of the words help me. Below drawing is a text box that reads "I honestly don't know How I came to this place, But it's clear to me That there is no escape."
Image shows a drawing of box with a silhoutte of a person trapped inside. Below the drawing is a text box that reads "to feel non-existent Is so hard to abide, Until you're used to Being trapped inside."
Image shows a drawing of a box divided into a top and bottom. On the top of the box is a maze where in the top right hand corner it says "me". The bottom of the box it says "Goal" written in large letters. Below the drawing is a text box that reads "Getting through every moment, And each empty day. Feeling lost and panicked, In this chaotic maze."
Image shows drawing of person falling with hands in the air. Below drawing is a text box that reads "And how do you save Your lone sinking soul, When you feel yourself Plummeting into that hole"

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