No Time To Complain: Art and Work Get This Student Through the Pandemic

Derek, 18, is a senior at City Arts & Tech High School and lives in a residential hotel in San Francisco’s Mission District. He works more than 25 hours a week at a local deli and is currently the sole breadwinner for his family. He talks about work and school during the pandemic and his dream for a future where he has the time and space to pursue his love for the creative arts. 

COVID-19 Update: The connection between local and global issues–the Pulitzer Center's long standing mantra–has, sadly, never been more evident. We are uniquely positioned to serve the journalists, news media organizations, schools, and universities we partner with by continuing to advance our core mission: enabling great journalism and education about underreported and systemic issues that resonate now–and continue to have relevance in times ahead. We believe that this is a moment for decisive action. Learn more about the steps we are taking.