masks we wear Archives - Oakland Voices

a pink surgical mask lays on a white background

Masks: Is it over?!

July 15, 2021 Kevonna Taylor

Editor’s Note: Oakland Voices alumna Kevonna Taylor shares how she feels about mask guidelines, especially now with variants. Now that California is slowly re-opening, and masks can come off for those who are vaccinated in

a dark brown wood table has a concealer pen and cloth mask with a faded American flag design

Facial Freedom: An Escape from “Mask-ne”

June 14, 2021 Ryan Barba

Editor’s Note: Oakland Voices alumnus and Editor-in-Chief of The Peralta Citizen, Ryan Barba was an essential worker during the pandemic, requiring him to wear a mask many hours out of the day. Now that California

A man wears a cap, glasses, and a black mask

Confessions of a Maskhole

August 26, 2020 Bill Joyce

I learned there’s now a term to describe people like me who are undisciplined mask wearers — maskholes. You know the type: we slop them on like an old sock.

An African American woman stands in front of the Las Vegas sign, with a child running in the background

Welcome to Las Vegas: My family searches for home in the midst of COVID-19

July 29, 2020 Aqueila M. Lewis-Ross

In the midst of a global pandemic, Aqueila Lewis and her family move to Vegas to seek more affordable housing.

A woman wears a handmade crown made from flowers, and a mask that matches.

Crafting a Mask to Match my Coronavirus Crown

July 22, 2020 Kat Ferreira

Oakland Voices Alumna Kat Ferreira makes her own artistic mask to match a hand-crafted crown during COVID-19.

COVID-19

Masks will be around for a while, sew I’ll keep making them

July 15, 2020 Momo Chang

It looks like mask-wearing will continue for a while. Until then, I’m going to keep wearing my mask, and keep sewing them.

A young man wearing a mask and sunglasses with long curly hair.

COVID-19: Different Masks for Different Situations

June 17, 2020 Ryan Barba

“My list of outdoor essential actions narrows down to exercise, shopping, and going to and from work. I wear a mask made out of fabric when exercising; a charcoal filtered mask when shopping; and both an N95 mask and waterproof mask when working.”

With COVID-19 masks mandatory, smiles more important

June 13, 2020 Iris Crawford

Reflecting on the mandatory COVID-19 face mask measures, correspondent Iris M. Crawford shares recent observations in mask designs and behaviors.

Wearing a COVID-19 mask triggers my trauma

June 3, 2020 Amelah El-Amin

Being required to wear a face mask due to COVID-19 brings back a hard childhood memory.

The bright side of wearing a mask: No one tells me I should smile

May 27, 2020 Brandy Collins

Wearing a mask is a strange new reality, and wearing one in Oakland is eye-opening.