Interview with Franca Alicea
Date2022 September 29
Mediumborn digital audio file
DimensionsDuration: 27 Minutes, 30 Seconds
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineCommunity History Project Collection
Object number2022.20.44
DescriptionInterview with Franca Alicea. Interviewed by Kathleen Capon on September 29, 2022 at Catholic Charities Diocese Middletown office, Middletown. She was interviewed as part of the Connecticut Historical Society's Community History Project discussing her experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Franca is a single parent raising her three grandchildren. She first heard about covid when her granddaughter relayed information from school about wearing masks.
Franca recalled that her granddaughter’s school did very well providing the resources she needed to attend school virtually.
Franca’s 9-year-old granddaughter contracted covid. Franca discusses in detail how she took care of her sick granddaughter and how her nursing skills were useful during covid. Franca recalled being scared while her granddaughter was sick because she knew people were dying from covid.
Franca was also scared about the vaccine because she heard that people who received the vaccine were dying from it. She had two young friends die from covid.
Franca had a traumatic brain injury in 2014 that affected her memory. She does not recall what happened on January 6, 2021. She writes important information down and uses routines to help get herself and her grandchildren through the day.
She said her grandchildren enjoy going to school in person and that they did not have to wear masks anymore.
Franca has depression and she recalled having to lock herself in a room away from her grandchildren occasionally so that she could cry without them seeing.
Franca lost her apartment during the pandemic. Her advice to people experiencing a future pandemic is to stay safe and keep clean and sanitized.
NotesSubject Note: The Connecticut Historical Society’s Community History Project (CHP) is a public-facing initiative, focused on contemporary collecting, gathering items of the recent past as well as from events happening today. This program developed community historians to identify, document, and preserve their experiences as residents of Connecticut, and to share these experiences during a series of community presentations. The project focused on the impact of Covid-19 on Connecticans, particularly on Black and Brown communities, funeral homes, and on nursing home and elder care populations.Franca is a single parent raising her three grandchildren. She first heard about covid when her granddaughter relayed information from school about wearing masks.
Franca recalled that her granddaughter’s school did very well providing the resources she needed to attend school virtually.
Franca’s 9-year-old granddaughter contracted covid. Franca discusses in detail how she took care of her sick granddaughter and how her nursing skills were useful during covid. Franca recalled being scared while her granddaughter was sick because she knew people were dying from covid.
Franca was also scared about the vaccine because she heard that people who received the vaccine were dying from it. She had two young friends die from covid.
Franca had a traumatic brain injury in 2014 that affected her memory. She does not recall what happened on January 6, 2021. She writes important information down and uses routines to help get herself and her grandchildren through the day.
She said her grandchildren enjoy going to school in person and that they did not have to wear masks anymore.
Franca has depression and she recalled having to lock herself in a room away from her grandchildren occasionally so that she could cry without them seeing.
Franca lost her apartment during the pandemic. Her advice to people experiencing a future pandemic is to stay safe and keep clean and sanitized.
Cataloging Note: This cataloging project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-249472-OMS-21.
Status
Not on view
2022 August 15
2022 June 8
2022 June 2
2022 November 16
2022 August 3
2022 August 11
2022 July 20
2023 May 10