Interview with Tanaya Henry
InterviewerInterviewed by
Samariya Smith
Date2022 August 15
Mediumborn digital audio file
DimensionsDuration: 23 Minutes, 30 Seconds
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineCommunity History Project Collection
Object number2022.20.73a-b
Description(a) Interview with Tanaya Henry. Interviewed by Samariya Smith on August 15, 2022 at New Haven Free Public Library. (b) Photograph of Tanaya Henry taken at her interview. She was interviewed as part of the Connecticut Historical Society's Community History Project discussing her experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Tanaya recalled hearing about covid for the first time from her mother, who worked at Yale. The first disruptions to her life due to covid were being told not to come into work and a future flight being canceled.
As a self-proclaimed germaphobe, Tanaya was already stocked up on supplies like bleach and hand sanitizer when the pandemic hit. Further precautions included having people remove their shoes and outerwear upon entering her home.
Tanaya received her reliable information from Yale Hospital. She supported the use of vaccines and masks but understood why African Americans were hesitant to receive the vaccine. She stated that it’s “on you” if you don’t want to wear a mask, but that people should not make others feel negative because of their choice to wear a mask. She would like the new normal to be one in which people respect other people’s choices to get vaccinated or wear masks.
Tanaya’s mental health benefited from the pandemic. She took on a part-time job and was able to work on outreach for her non-profit, Traveler on a Mission. She restarted hobbies including painting, sewing, and cooking.
She described the pandemic as “awkward” and discussed the increase in the number of animals she saw coming out of the woods.
Her advice for people living through a future pandemic is to “be prepared.”
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.Tanaya recalled hearing about covid for the first time from her mother, who worked at Yale. The first disruptions to her life due to covid were being told not to come into work and a future flight being canceled.
As a self-proclaimed germaphobe, Tanaya was already stocked up on supplies like bleach and hand sanitizer when the pandemic hit. Further precautions included having people remove their shoes and outerwear upon entering her home.
Tanaya received her reliable information from Yale Hospital. She supported the use of vaccines and masks but understood why African Americans were hesitant to receive the vaccine. She stated that it’s “on you” if you don’t want to wear a mask, but that people should not make others feel negative because of their choice to wear a mask. She would like the new normal to be one in which people respect other people’s choices to get vaccinated or wear masks.
Tanaya’s mental health benefited from the pandemic. She took on a part-time job and was able to work on outreach for her non-profit, Traveler on a Mission. She restarted hobbies including painting, sewing, and cooking.
She described the pandemic as “awkward” and discussed the increase in the number of animals she saw coming out of the woods.
Her advice for people living through a future pandemic is to “be prepared.”
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
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