00:00:00.720 - 00:00:08.940

Hello. Here we go. So what is your LMU affiliation? Um, like, when did you start here?

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How long have you been here? Yeah. So, um, I started actually during Covid. Um, I was, I graduated high school in 2020, and

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I started LMU in 2020. Um, so I started online as a freshman. My college track has been a little bit weird. Um, I decided to take a three year track because

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of financial reasons. Um, and so, um, I kind of did my sophomore and junior year at once. Um, and so my first year was all online.

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I was over zoom, and then my second year, um, slash third year was in person. And that was my first time ever on campus. Um, and then this is my senior year, so.

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And I'm going abroad for the spring. So technically I've only been at LMU like physically for a year and a half, but, um, I've been like in the LMU community now for two and a half

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years. Um, and then I also I'm a student, um, in the Pool Sci department and Peace and Justice department. Um, but on top of that, I also work at

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LMU. So I am the research assistant for the CSJ center, um, of Reconciliation and Justice. On top of that, I run the Covid 19 testing

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center on campus. Oh my gosh. Um, yeah. And then, um, I, I help run a club as

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well. I'm the director of philanthropy for the Women in Politics club. Um, and I use I'm an ex student government person.

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So, uh, last year I was the vice president of cultural affairs and justice, um, for ASLMU. And I stepped down this year, but. Yeah.

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Wow. That's so much affiliation. I know it's a lot. Um, okay, so this next question you can interpret, however

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you want. Um, how do you describe yourself? That's a good question. Okay.

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I describe myself in a lot of different ways. It depends who I'm talking to. So for academic things, I'm applying to law school right now.

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And um, and that sort of way, I'd say that I am a woman. I am a very outspoken woman. Um, I am pretty resilient.

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I've been through a lot of things, and I've kind of bounced back and adapted to different situations. Um, I also like identity sort of thing. Um, I would say that I am a woman, I

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am pansexual. Um, I am a disabled. Um, and those are like the three identities I kind of speak out on the most.

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Um, and then. Yeah. Um, that brings me here. Um, yeah.

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Those are sort of like how I would describe myself or interpret myself. Yeah. Great.

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Thank you. Mhm. Um, okay, so then we'll go ahead and shift into the questions about Covid. Um, my next question is describe the day when you

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realized or heard that LA was going on a lockdown because of Covid 19. Who were you with? What were your first thoughts and what were your first

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steps? Yeah, so I don't remember the day that LA specifically was going down. Um, by so it was March 13th.

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Um, and I was in my ceramics class in high school as a senior and I was told, hey, guys, there's this thing, it's called Covid. Um, you're going to be gone for two weeks and

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then you're going to come back. That never happened. Um, so I remember leaving. It was a half day.

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Um, and so I left my ceramics class, and that morning, I had been warned by my environmental science teacher that this was likely going to happen. And CPS Chicago Public School system was likely going to

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have a temporary day on Monday, the following Monday, uh, to give kids all of their information and pretty much my, um, AP environmental science teacher was like, do not come to that day.

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He was like, you will get Covid, do not come, stay home. I don't care what the school is telling you. Um, it's not going to be two weeks, and this

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might be the last time I'm seeing you guys. So I was like, okay, wow. What is going on? Um, and.

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Yeah. And then I remember I graduated high school in the pandemic. Um, so I finished all my classes online. Was really

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weird because I was just, I shut my computer and that's how I graduated. Um, that was that was kind of strange. Um, and then I remember over the summer, um, it

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was up in the air when it came to LMU. So LA was on a lockdown, but all cities were at the time, and I grew up in a city, so that was pretty typical.

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Um, and then I was also in Chicago during the riots. Um, after George Floyd's murder. Um, and so I was downtown and our mayor had

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put up, um, basically the bridges in downtown. So while I was worried about Los Angeles, I was more focused on my safety at the moment because she pretty much split the north and south side, which was

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really it was really interesting. Um, but yeah, it was there were sirens going off. We had armed guards on every corner. Um, at the same time that there was a global

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pandemic. And so, um, that's happening as I am checking my email constantly for updates on LMU. Um, and I don't have the best family life.

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Um, and so I was really excited to get out of my childhood home and be more independent and go to college. Um, and so that that email was really important for

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me that, that was that was why I was keep refreshing my email for that LMU update. Um, and I remember getting one update that was saying, okay, here's the plan.

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You guys are all going to come. There's going to be testing. Um, it's going to resume on campus, maybe some hybrid classes that I think went out in, I want to

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say early July, mid June. And then I got another email that was like, okay, maybe not. Um, and it was so we're going to have hybrid

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classes or mainly online classes. You're still going to be allowed to come to campus, that sort of thing. And then two weeks before I was supposed to leave

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to move to LA. Um, at LMU's campus, I remember I got one email and it was like, it's not happening, guys. Um, your classes will be fully online.

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And at this point I had picked out my roommate. I had scheduled my dorm, I was pumped and ready to go. And that was like the email that crushed it all.

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Um, and it was like I understood it. Um, I was a global pandemic and people are dying. And so it's a scary time, and it's better to stay safe than be sorry.

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Um, but it really sucked to get that email. And so, yeah, I remember that. Um, and then I was sitting in my living room, I think, with my mom and my stepdad.

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Um, and the time that I got that email, I immediately turned to them and I was like, I don't know what to do. I need to find an apartment.

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I can't live here. Um, and so that's what I did. Um, and so within two weeks, I had found an apartment in LA, found a job, moved to LA.

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Um, because I was like, I can't do this. Um, I can't do college at home. And so that's just how I had to adapt, um, to the scenario.

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But. Yeah. Um, and so I had gotten the email and then I moved anyways.

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Um, but yeah. Wow. How did your, um, parents respond to that?

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Yeah. So it wasn't good. Um, to say the least. Um, my mom is very protective.

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Um, and so she was like, if you're not going to a college and you're not going to be safe on campus, like, I don't want you moving. And I was like, well, I can't study here and

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be productive because that last part of my senior year, although my grades didn't matter at that point, it was really hard for me to study, um, whether that included my disabilities and the function of just being online 24

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seven or my surroundings, or a mix of both. I don't really know what it was, but it was just really hard for me to do schoolwork. So I was like, I can't do this here.

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And if I'm going to start college, like, it's important that I'm out. And so we had a really long discussion and I came up with Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoints of like different options

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where I could go, um, because my family lived under the poverty line. I even applied for LMU's housing on campus as like an emergency scenario.

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Unfortunately, they turned me down. Um, and so it was it was a lot of back and forth. And eventually my mom was like, okay, I see why

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this is right. I had found a roommate or I found three roommates, um, that were all LMU freshmen and going through the same scenario.

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And so she was like, okay, I will move you in. This will be okay. Um, and we kind of just took it on as

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we needed to, but yeah. Wow. So, um, so I'm wondering if, uh, I want to

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hear both sides of that, that moment because so for the first 3 or 4, first 3 or 4 months of the lockdown, you were at home in Chicago and then you moved and we were still kind of locked

00:10:09.020 - 00:10:15.620

down because that was the going into the, um, the Omicron fall. Right? Or was it the Delta fall now I can't remember.

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I don't know, I think. Delta. But there was that. It might have been. Yeah.

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That's right. It was just the still that that huge surge that happened in the um, winter of 2020. But so I'm wondering like what what what sort of

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precautions you and your family took, like, you know, did you all buy tons of groceries or like, were you wiping down doorknobs back at home? And then when you moved, what was it like with

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your roommates in LA? Yeah. So great questions. Um, when I first when the pandemic first happened, um, both

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of my parents are high risk. Um, well, my mom and my stepdad, my dad is not high risk, but I see him less. Um, and so, um, that being said, we knew we

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had to take extra precautions, so I wasn't allowed out of my house. Um, I didn't go. So as soon as, um, or as soon as the

00:11:10.220 - 00:11:22.370

pandemic hit and we knew the severity and I no longer went to class, I don't think I left my house for like, two and a half months, maybe more. Um, and I think the only times I left were

00:11:22.370 - 00:11:38.930

like, grocery runs or like to I, I had a drive through graduation, so that was a thing. Um, and so like, I, I, we did those, um, my family tried to throw me a small graduation party.

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It ended up being five people outside, masked, not eating the pizza we bought because we were too scared. Um, and so, yeah, um, yeah, it was just a lot of, like, if we needed to do something or

00:11:54.440 - 00:12:05.330

see someone, you had to do it outside. You had to be masked. Um, and then there was no travel in that period. So actually, when the pandemic first hit, I had not

00:12:05.330 - 00:12:14.630

fully decided on college. Um, I knew I was going, I didn't know where. Um, and I had about I think I applied to 27 colleges.

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Wow. Yeah. Um, and so when it came to time aside, I had only toured half of those colleges.

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And that spring break, I was supposed to tour the rest of the colleges. Spring break was not happening. Um, so we canceled our flight, and that was supposed

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to be a flight to one of my best friend's house. And then me and him were going to drive down the coast and tour all the schools that we went

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to together. Um, and that just didn't happen because of Covid. And so I during that time, when the pandemic first hit, I was staying at home and I was making

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like I was watching YouTube videos on what college I should choose. I was like any information I could get because I'm like a very visual person and I like to see

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things hands on. And so any information I could get from Google or YouTube or even like Pinterest post, um. Or like Reddit, I was like gaining information and making

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like spreadsheets of like, okay, I really want this in a college. This is what I don't want. And then like, I made a blind decision.

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And so I guess it kind of happened to fall when I was graduating. And so it was a weird time because we were dealing with all of this added stress of like, what's

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next in my future? Plus, hey, don't go outside, you might die. Um, so yeah, um, but yeah. And then when it came to grocery store shopping, I

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remember they would do like every two weeks was a giant Costco trip. And that Costco trip had mask. It had Clorox wipes.

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Um, my mom weirdly bought a lot of toilet paper, and I was like, why? Um, but yeah, so that that was that. Um, yeah.

00:14:03.360 - 00:14:12.900

How did you and your roommates approach the precautions when you got to LA? Yeah. So, um, that's kind of a complicated question.

00:14:13.080 - 00:14:22.890

Um, so me and my immediate roommate, so me and the girl who I shared a room with were very, very similar. Um, we were like, okay, we need to stay safe.

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Both of our parents were high risk. We were like, we didn't want to go anywhere. We didn't want a party, that sort of thing. Um, unfortunately, we were in, uh, PDO, which is a

00:14:32.040 - 00:14:40.560

common apartment complex. Um, and it's known for pretty big LMU parties. Um. What does a PDO stand for? Playa Del Oro.

00:14:40.560 - 00:14:43.860

It's, uh. Oh, oh, oh, gotcha. On the corner. Um, yeah.

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But, uh, so we were like, okay, we're not going to do this. We ended up seeing like a few friends and then like seeing a few people, and we were like, okay,

00:14:53.010 - 00:15:00.660

like, this is okay. No one's gotten like sick. And then we were like, wait, no, LA does not have any beds in the hospital.

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We need to be careful. And so we basically only saw like our very immediate, immediate friends and family. Um, and we would not leave or we would leave,

00:15:12.600 - 00:15:23.100

but it would be to go on like a private walk or like anytime we did leave, we would bring our mask, um, and that sort of thing. And then my two other roommates, unfortunately, we disagreed on

00:15:23.100 - 00:15:33.930

Covid. Um, and so those two other roommates who were more like apartment flatmates, um, they were big partiers they would like to have like, a lot of people over or

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go to other people's house. Um, and so we really disagreed with that. Um, and it got pretty toxic and bad in there just because of the whole Covid situation.

00:15:44.880 - 00:15:57.570

Um, until one point, one of the girls got Covid, um, and tried to or not tried to, one of the girls got Covid and we were like, okay, you have Covid, can you stay in your room?

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We'll bring you food to your door. Um, we were like or if you need to leave, can you wear a mask? Can you wipe down whatever you're touching?

00:16:05.880 - 00:16:09.750

We're going to stay in our room, that sort of thing. We were on the first floor and we had a balcony

00:16:09.750 - 00:16:18.450

we could climb out of, so we didn't actually need to use our front door. Um, but yeah. And then she said no, she said she was going

00:16:18.450 - 00:16:28.830

to come and go as she pleased. It was her apartment. And so me and my immediate roommate then basically put Saran wrap around our door and it felt absolutely crazy.

00:16:29.310 - 00:16:40.920

Um, but my mom is a cancer survivor, and she was in LA and she was trying to see me, and I was like, I cannot risk this. Um, and I also have a lung condition.

00:16:40.920 - 00:16:51.480

And so I was like, this could be detrimental. There are no beds in LA. If anyone gets sick, like we need to be cautious. And so our apartment just fully there was like a

00:16:51.480 - 00:16:58.560

full split. One side was like Covid safe and the other side was not Covid safe. Um, and it was really hard to mitigate that situation

00:16:58.560 - 00:17:08.010

because we didn't have LMU involved. We were all adults, so parents couldn't really handle things. Um, and then the apartment complex had their own strict rules.

00:17:08.040 - 00:17:19.050

Um, and so, yeah, it was complicated. Yeah. Were you able to resolve it ever, or come to a place together?

00:17:19.230 - 00:17:28.890

Yeah. Not entirely. Um, we tried, we had a discussion with all of us and the parents, and we, like, came up with,

00:17:28.890 - 00:17:41.520

like, a contract system. Um, and that unfortunately didn't work. Um, and so we even got LMU involved. Um, there was another issue with, like, the roommates as

00:17:41.520 - 00:17:52.230

a whole where we needed to get LAPD involved, which was kind of scary for a minute. Um, that didn't involve Covid at all. It was a different scenario, but the entire place was

00:17:52.230 - 00:18:02.910

just a complete mess. And so, um, at just one point or another, me and my immediate roommate said, okay, we're just going to live out of our room.

00:18:03.120 - 00:18:08.490

Um, we had a toaster oven, we had a mini fridge. We had access to the outside world from our room. We didn't

00:18:08.590 - 00:18:16.000

need to go into our living room. And so that's kind of just what happened. Um, and then we ended the yearly lease. And so.

00:18:16.000 - 00:18:21.280

Yeah. Do you still see those former roommates? No, I don't. No.

00:18:23.170 - 00:18:38.380

Um, okay. How do you how do you think or how did you experience, um, the lockdown in relationship to your disability -ties or like, how was the experience impacted by your

00:18:38.380 - 00:18:47.980

disabilities? Yeah. Um, so it was kind of accumulation of my disabilities and also switching from high school to college.

00:18:48.400 - 00:19:02.410

Um, my disabilities are primarily learning disabilities. Um, and so when it came to going straight online, that was really difficult because I'm not someone who can sit for long periods of time.

00:19:02.410 - 00:19:13.430

I'm someone who likes physical activity. Um, I was a competitive synchronized ice skater my entire life. And when the pandemic stopped, I went from skating 27

00:19:13.430 - 00:19:24.760

hours a week to skating no hours a week and staying in a room all day. And so that was a big change, because I needed to figure out ways that I could, like, work out

00:19:24.760 - 00:19:37.420

and move my body in ways that would kind of help my mind process information and focus on it. Um, and so going straight to a computer was really difficult because I would just be sitting there all day.

00:19:37.870 - 00:19:49.030

Um, and I think for my first semester at LMU, it was really, really hard because I didn't have like, I had some friends, but I wasn't fully engaged in a community.

00:19:49.090 - 00:19:59.920

Um, I had just moved to a new city. We didn't like we weren't doing things, um, on like, a daily basis. I wasn't in any clubs because there were no clubs.

00:20:00.310 - 00:20:10.660

Um, LMU kind of felt like. Or it felt like they didn't reach out to their freshman class as much as I'd like them to. And there wasn't an orientation in in a way that

00:20:10.660 - 00:20:25.090

wasn't a zoom call, which made sense, but it just all we had was our orientation class, which everyone turned off their zoom camera for and did something else. Um, so yeah, um, it was it was really hard.

00:20:25.090 - 00:20:34.450

It was also really hard because I was a freshman and I didn't have priority registration at the time. Um, and I now do. And I got it this semester after.

00:20:34.450 - 00:20:46.720

But, um, navigating DSS and my accommodations. Well, DSS is saying, hey, we can't proctor any exams. My professors say are saying, hey, we're not going to give you exams.

00:20:46.720 - 00:20:58.690

We're going to give you all essays and timed essays or not even timed essays, but like, you have a week to finish this and accommodations don't apply to assignments. So that was really difficult to mitigate.

00:20:59.170 - 00:21:09.460

Um, and then having to explain to like professors like, hey, I'm new here, I've never done a college load of work. I don't know what I'm doing here.

00:21:09.850 - 00:21:16.600

Um, I didn't even have a major at the time. I was like, I'm kind of just thrown into the mess right now. Can you help me?

00:21:16.600 - 00:21:25.540

Like, these are my disabilities. This is what I need help with. And lucky enough, I had great professors who were super accommodating and super willing to talk to me and listen.

00:21:25.540 - 00:21:32.950

But I did have some other professors where they're like, well, I just I don't get it. And I was like, I don't know how to make you get it.

00:21:32.950 - 00:21:40.960

Like, we're in a pandemic right now. DSS can't help me right now. Um, this is just what I got. And so.

00:21:40.960 - 00:21:49.600

Yeah. Um, that was that was that. So I think that also, I mean, it's that you started to sort of.

00:21:51.170 - 00:22:03.530

Answer the other side of that question, which is like, how did the pandemic affect your college experience? It seems like these two are really entangled, so I wonder if there's a way.

00:22:04.280 - 00:22:12.460

Um. Like you started college in a pandemic, and it's all, you know, is that. Yeah.

00:22:12.490 - 00:22:24.490

Um, do you think that starting the college in during a pandemic lockdown had a very had a specific impact on your experience, or has affected your experience in any particular way?

00:22:24.760 - 00:22:34.060

Definitely. Um, one of my first projects that I actually did at LMU was my rhetorical right or my rhetorical arts class for social justice.

00:22:34.360 - 00:22:45.160

Um, and I did it on reasonable or no, I did it on the Covid 19 impact for people with intellectual and disavet developmental disabilities. So IDDs.

00:22:45.580 - 00:22:56.020

Mhm. Um, and that was like a semester long project that I did during the pandemic, as I was living with a person, oh, as I was living myself with, uh, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

00:22:56.020 - 00:23:05.560

And I was like, okay, I know this affects me. I wanted to see how it affects people with more severe IDDs or less severe IDDs, or just how it's affecting us in a whole as a community.

00:23:05.950 - 00:23:18.490

Um, and it was really interesting because I got to see a lot of my own problems based in like, numbers and the fact that I wasn't alone. Um, and I also like going back to your question

00:23:18.490 - 00:23:30.500

about how it affected me. Um, it was just weird, like I felt. I felt like I didn't have the support I needed in the process, but at the same time I was

00:23:30.500 - 00:23:38.990

okay. Um, and I think I was only okay because of all of the tutoring and support I've had in the past, and the way I know how to mitigate situations

00:23:38.990 - 00:23:48.200

and adapt to it. But it was a process where it was, it was learn as I go. Um, it was this is totally new to me.

00:23:48.200 - 00:23:51.950

I need to figure out a system that works for me. Um. This isn't.

00:23:51.950 - 00:24:00.110

I go to class every day. Um, one of the big things for me is that I really need to switch locations to be able to work.

00:24:00.590 - 00:24:13.730

Um, so going to school is actually really beneficial because my brain says, okay, you're at school, you're going to do schoolwork versus Mhm. I'm in bed because I don't have a desk in this room. Mhm.

00:24:14.000 - 00:24:17.810

I'm going to sleep. Um, but it's. Nope. You're on a zoom call.

00:24:17.810 - 00:24:25.430

You need to do schoolwork. Um, and so that was really hard because I couldn't go to a coffee shop. I couldn't go on campus.

00:24:25.430 - 00:24:38.560

And so I had to learn to, like. Kind of depersonalize my own room and be like, okay, bed, sleep desk, which is two feet away from the bed, is going to be school.

00:24:38.980 - 00:24:47.410

Um, and it was it was interesting. It was it was weird. Um, but yeah. Was it, did it did your body mind catch

00:24:47.410 - 00:25:00.670

on to that distinction relatively quickly or. I don't I don’t think so. Um, one of the biggest problems I had with that semester, and I'm a I'm a super academic.

00:25:01.030 - 00:25:09.260

How do I say this? Um. I. I don't have the best mindset when it comes to

00:25:09.260 - 00:25:18.950

academic excellence. Normally I compare that to my own worth, and I think that's part of like growing up with disabilities and being told like, hey, you don't belong here, or hey,

00:25:18.950 - 00:25:26.600

you're stupid or special. Um, and being told like, oh, you'll never get that far. And so an A on my transcripts makes me smile

00:25:26.600 - 00:25:36.170

for multiple reasons. Um, and so I will do whatever I need to make sure my grades are okay. Um, and during the pandemic and figuring out those first

00:25:36.170 - 00:25:48.770

months, I was really sacrificing myself. I was really sacrificing my sleep because I couldn't focus. And so I would stay up at ungodly hours, or I would procrastinate because I didn't know how to organize

00:25:48.770 - 00:25:55.460

everything at the time. Um, and so, yeah, that was just kind of how it all fell together. Yeah. Okay.

00:25:56.450 - 00:26:05.300

Um. Since we've been talking already for a half an hour. I just want to invite you, if you need to take a break for any reason to move around.

00:26:05.300 - 00:26:10.010

Or I can pause the recording. I'm good. But thank you. Okay, let me know.

00:26:11.600 - 00:26:18.560

Um. Okay. So how do you feel about LMU's response to the pandemic?

00:26:18.560 - 00:26:29.360

And there's some sub, some sub questions like LMU's response to essential workers, your college's response to your own BCLA. Yes. Yeah.

00:26:29.360 - 00:26:38.330

Okay. Um, at the university level. And then how do you feel about health mandates like masking or vaccination as they're implemented here?

00:26:38.330 - 00:26:47.840

And you can answer any or none or whatever. Take this however you like. Oh I'll take the big question first, and then you might have to give me the sub questions uh again just

00:26:47.840 - 00:26:59.240

because I'm going to forget them. But, uh. No problem. LMU’s response to the pandemic, I wish they were more transparent. Um, and I have a very I have a kind

00:26:59.240 - 00:27:11.930

of unique side when it comes to their pandemic response, because I help provide that information for students. I manage the testing center. Um, and so I've been at the forefront of it,

00:27:12.020 - 00:27:23.540

um, not so much at the beginning of the pandemic, but in the last two years, um, I started working at the center last fall. And so, um, yeah, that that was interesting.

00:27:23.540 - 00:27:34.400

Um, and I have a unique asp perspective to that. But their immediate response to the pandemic, um, I wish it was more transparent. Um, I wish they would have told us right away

00:27:34.400 - 00:27:44.840

that, hey, we're we don't think you're going to end up on campus. Um, because I would have been able to found find housing sooner, I would have been able to think through some

00:27:44.840 - 00:27:58.730

of my actions more, um, and maybe find different roommates, um, than just rushing out and doing whatever I could in, like, two weeks before I'm supposed to start college. I remember I actually started college in a hotel room

00:27:58.730 - 00:28:08.090

the day I had come back from a flight, um, like it was the first day I'd flown to LA. And it was like, okay, you're here. Open that zoom call.

00:28:08.180 - 00:28:16.430

Um, and so that was the first time I ever started. Um, and so I wish they were more transparent. And I wish they also gave us more of a

00:28:16.430 - 00:28:29.240

heads up or like a even if it's not exact, but like a hey, guys, these are the plans were evaluating, um, or taking student input. Um, I know that student input would probably lean more

00:28:29.240 - 00:28:41.210

towards open up the campus rather than close it down, and that might not be the safest thing. Um, so I understand why they didn't take it, but just hearing things from students or talking with students and

00:28:41.210 - 00:28:54.440

being like, okay, this is the scenario, how can we help you? Um, but yeah, um, in terms of their more recent protocol, um, and their current protocol, I wish vaccines were

00:28:54.440 - 00:29:04.130

more mandated. Um, I know that we give out some religious exemptions. Um, and I don't always feel like those religious exemptions should be given.

00:29:04.580 - 00:29:14.840

Um, and so that's my own personal opinion when it comes to that. Um, and that's just in like a, I totally understand, um, like Amish exceptions where it's like vaccines as a

00:29:14.840 - 00:29:26.420

whole. Um, but there are no Amish people in university. Um, and so I, I am kind of wondering about certain exemptions that we've given out there.

00:29:26.750 - 00:29:41.840

Um, and also like, just I wish they required more testing. Um, I know a few students who unfortunately, like, have gotten Covid like exposure notifications of, like, close contact exposures

00:29:41.840 - 00:29:52.720

and not gotten the testing and not gotten, like, repercussions because of that. Um, and so it would be helpful to like know that things are happening to keep our safety.

00:29:53.170 - 00:30:01.330

Um, I did like the fact that they kept mask for a really long time. Um, I think masking is just safe in general, especially for our professors.

00:30:01.360 - 00:30:15.940

Um, I know I have older professors with, like, newborn children, and so that can be super dangerous if you're forcing in-person classes and no masking. Um, and so, yeah, um, that sort of thing, but.

00:30:15.940 - 00:30:23.140

Yeah, that's that's what I got. Yeah. Great. Um, something you said just now just reminded me, and

00:30:23.140 - 00:30:32.260

it connects to something you said earlier. But this isn't on the sheet that I sent you. But I've noticed when I started at LMU, it kind of felt like.

00:30:33.120 - 00:30:45.180

Nobody except DSS ever really thought or talked about disability and accessibility. But then Covid really like brought accessibility to the fore for a lot of people.

00:30:45.570 - 00:30:57.630

Um, and I wonder since you have been on both sides of it, really, like, do you feel like the conversation around access has shifted since at LMU since the lockdown?

00:30:58.420 - 00:31:09.340

I feel like it's shifted, but not so much around disability. I feel like it's more shifted around accessibility, not disability.

00:31:09.340 - 00:31:23.590

And those things can come hand in hand, but they're not always the same because accessibility can pertain to anyone. Someone could need more accessibility because their schedule is really packed or they don't like driving, that sort of thing.

00:31:23.590 - 00:31:36.640

Someone with a disability can need accessibility because their wheelchair can't fit into an elevator or they can't see the board, that sort of thing. Um, and so there's certain things that are like hybrid

00:31:36.640 - 00:31:50.020

like hybrid learning can be great and it can be accessible for both disabled people and, um, neurotypical people. And then there's some things where it's like hybrid classroom style can actually be horrible for some people with disabilities

00:31:50.020 - 00:32:00.340

and great for people for neurotypical people. And so it really depends on the disability and the person. Um, but when it comes to like the conversation around

00:32:00.340 - 00:32:12.850

disability at LMU, I don't really get I don't think I can speak on what it was like before the pandemic because I was just never here. Um, but after the pandemic, I've been a little bit

00:32:12.850 - 00:32:22.450

disappointed. Um, I feel like disability is left out of a lot of conversations. Um, LMU prides itself on being a social justice institution,

00:32:22.450 - 00:32:33.460

on supporting all identities. Um, and I rarely see disability in those identities that are mentioned. Um, and so whether it be scholarship, whether it be

00:32:33.460 - 00:32:48.100

programing or just policy in general, um, I feel like they ignore those things. Um, so, yeah, um, when it comes to like accessibility in like terms of Covid things, I think that's been

00:32:48.100 - 00:32:56.530

more lenient. Um, a lot of the conversation has been around like, hey, this doesn't need to be an in-person meeting. Let's save everyone time and join the zoom call.

00:32:56.530 - 00:33:07.150

Or like, I know a few people, um, myself included, with disabilities who are like, hey, professor, could you just turn on the transcript real quick? It helps us a lot to have that, especially as

00:33:07.150 - 00:33:20.200

your lecturing at us. Um, and that's been nice or like recordings of classes. Um, that's been a lot more lenient with Covid. Um, but I feel like it's less about disability and

00:33:20.200 - 00:33:30.520

more about Covid. So I know a lot of students with disabilities who would say, oh yeah, my professor lets allows me to record in class, but that's just because some people are missing

00:33:30.520 - 00:33:41.890

because of Covid. It's not because it helps them, it's not because the professor is thinking it would help them later because they have a disability or a processing, um, divergent.

00:33:41.890 - 00:33:50.200

That is like easier to do when it's a recording or like a transcript or something like that. So yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.

00:33:51.730 - 00:34:02.110

Um, okay. What is one thing you hope the people of the future learn from this? And this could be your story.

00:34:02.110 - 00:34:15.340

This moment could be anything. That's a really good question. Um, I kind of hope that people of the future just know that it's okay to talk about nerve divergence

00:34:15.340 - 00:34:28.660

and disability, and it's not. I know we throw around words like differently abled or specialized, um, and the medical term is disability. And that's okay.

00:34:29.020 - 00:34:38.680

Um, and like that's a term a lot of people with disabilities are comfortable with. Um, and we don't see it as a disadvantage. And I think a lot of people think because it

00:34:38.680 - 00:34:47.770

has the word dis in it, it automatically makes it a bad thing. But disability can actually be a really great thing. Um, the things that I've learned to do with my

00:34:47.770 - 00:34:57.640

disabilities are way past when I know some of my other peers can do, um, and vice versa. They can do things that I can't do. But I like the way I learn, and I've learned

00:34:57.640 - 00:35:05.740

to grow up with my disabilities, and I've learned to love them. And so it's not something I want fixed, but it's more something I want in the conversation.

00:35:05.740 - 00:35:17.110

And so as we're doing projects like this and as we're talking and getting more comfortable with disability as a whole, it's nice to know that it's okay to mention it and it's okay to talk about it, and it's

00:35:17.110 - 00:35:29.980

okay to ask like, hey, can I do anything to help you guys, even if you're not a disabled? But like, is there any accommodations? Is there anything unique or is my teaching style okay

00:35:29.980 - 00:35:41.020

for everyone's brain? That sort of questions are great for a community. Um, and even not in a university, but even in like, work or even like on fun programing.

00:35:41.020 - 00:35:54.490

Like it's just great to include inclusive questions. Um, in general, whether it's disability, whether it's about pronouns, whether it's about race, um, and making sure everyone's comfortable because comfortability ranges from a scale to a bunch of

00:35:54.490 - 00:35:58.750

things. But yeah. For sure. Okay. Awesome.

00:35:58.750 - 00:36:09.210

Is there any do is there any other part of your story that you that you would want to add that you haven't been able to tell yet? We've been talking for just about 40 minutes, and I

00:36:09.210 - 00:36:20.480

wonder if there's another. Any other pieces? Um, I'm trying to think. I'm not sure right now if there's anything that comes

00:36:20.480 - 00:36:28.490

to mind. Um, I think that pandemic was hard for a lot of people, and it affected us in ways that we won't know right now.

00:36:28.490 - 00:36:42.920

Like, I know. Mhm. How the pandemic affected me in a short term amount of time, but technically, COVID's not over. Um, I like in 30 years, just being online for two years or being like in a room could really

00:36:42.920 - 00:36:50.480

affect someone. And so I guess I'm not going to figure that out until later. Um, and I think it's important for us as a

00:36:50.480 - 00:37:06.170

society down the line to say, okay, we need to realize how some of these, like, kids and some of these teenagers grew up and how their story and the impact of the pandemic or the impact of disabilities, or

00:37:06.170 - 00:37:16.910

the intersection of them both with different identities, affects everyone differently. Um, and how that might affect them down the road? Um, but yeah, like I still get on an airplane

00:37:16.910 - 00:37:23.780

with a mask, and some people still look at me like I'm crazy and I'm like, this is just what I'm going to do from now on, because that's what I know.

00:37:24.230 - 00:37:33.370

Um, but, yeah, that that sort of thing. Okay. Amazing. I think a lot of the things I do now

00:37:33.370 - 00:37:42.970

are because of the pandemic. Like I think back with my friends all the time. If the pandemic weren't to happen, I probably wouldn't be at LMU.

00:37:43.510 - 00:37:56.260

Um, I probably would be taking a history track or somewhat similar of a track. I've always been interested in social justice, but I don't know if I'd end up at law school.

00:37:56.500 - 00:38:06.700

Um, I don't know if I'd end up double majoring or finishing in three years. This is just like what happened. Um, and my college experience wasn't the normal college experience.

00:38:06.700 - 00:38:13.030

A lot of people are like, oh, you're gonna have the best time in college. You're gonna party like crazy. No, that did not happen.

00:38:13.300 - 00:38:24.430

Um, and I've never been, like, a big partier. Um, and so I wasn't surprised, but it was really like college wasn't college for me. Um, it was a place I was at for a

00:38:24.430 - 00:38:32.830

really short amount of time. The first year just feels like Covid. Um, it doesn't even feel like college. The second year was a blur.

00:38:33.130 - 00:38:48.970

Um, I was doing everything and everything. Um, so from running the or from helping to run the Planned Parenthood fundraiser to being on ASLMU and starting initiatives there, like a gender inclusive gym with Fit

00:38:48.970 - 00:38:58.840

well, like those sort of things. I was just kind of all over. I was trying to get everything done in one year, and now I'm like, okay, I'm a senior question mark.

00:38:59.080 - 00:39:10.570

This doesn't feel right, but okay, now I'm done. All right. Happy graduation. Um, so yeah, it's a it's a weird thing, but

00:39:10.780 - 00:39:21.280

yeah, my college experience has been different, but I'm kind of happy. Um, I'm not happy that Covid happened in any way, but I am thankful for the path that I'm on

00:39:21.280 - 00:39:30.640

right now. Um, and I think it would be an entirely different path if it wasn't for the pandemic and the break that we were forced to take as society.

00:39:30.670 - 00:39:34.600

So yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. I mean.

00:39:34.780 - 00:39:43.270

That's. great that you have that perspective and you've been able to say like, okay, which I guess what you said at the beginning too, when we were talking, you're like,

00:39:43.270 - 00:39:53.140

okay, we're just gonna we're going to find the positive. Yeah. We're going to go that way. Yeah. Well, That’s it. It's it's great.

00:39:53.170 - 00:39:55.570

Um, okay. Great. Let me stop this. That's so good.