BAILEY QUINLAN

2020 was… a lot. We had a novel coronavirus take 1/4 million American lives, protests against police brutality, economic collapse, and a contested presidential election. NY was hit the hardest, and holds the record for the state with the most deaths (40,000 at the time that I write this.) So I went to Trump Tower- a place that’s taken on new meaning in NYC since Donald Trump was elected in 2016- to ask passersby what it’s been like for them.

What would normally be considered a tourist-attraction open to the public, beginning on Election Day 2016 the building underwent extreme security measures such as a heightened NYPD presence, police barricades, and street closures that continue to this day.

“We were thinking about turning the corner because I remember when he first got elected what this street was like. You came to raise your middle finger and then you leave. But then over time what seemed like a publicity stunt was the reality setting in- like, ‘Oh my god, we’re really going to have to endure this…’ I grew up in NY. This is the one time we took a hit that it seems to be more difficult to come back from… I don’t think we’re ever going to go back to the way things used to be, and I’m relieved about that. Because growing up in NYC people lie about the degree of racism. My frustration has always been that my country doesn’t see me as an American. My country doesn’t see me as a human being. I’ve been all over this planet and the one place that I’m not respected for who I am is the place that I was born. This isn’t a blessing in disguise- it’s just where we are. We have to stand in the truth of what America actually is. We’ve been saying it for a couple of centuries now, what America actually is. In 2016 American got the president it deserved based on where we were. And in 2020 we will get the president we deserve based on where we are now as a country… When Barack Obama became President of the United States, there was this auspice of 1 whole America- not 1 red America and 1 blue America, but 1 whole America. But because of all the things that have been revealed with coronavirus, people have fractured and fallen apart. There are multiple americas now, and we have to come to terms with the fact that there may have always been multiple americas, and they’re not all equal. And if we’re all supposed to be equal here, some of us have to start pulling our own weight. And those aren’t the people who built this country, but the people who benefited off of the people who built it.”

- Deborah

“As an artist, for the first time in my life I’ve had the opportunity to prioritize what community actually means, and how it’s incentivized with individual happiness. We were just talking the other night that it seems odd to be able to go home and feel safe and supported and like you have everything you need to get your artistry done. There’s a lot to feel blessed for. I think it’s an abnormal or complicated response with everything thats going on, but it’s a huge deal to be able to find happiness… I know my worth, and I know my ancestors worked way too hard for me to tolerate the things that don’t pay enough, or don’t see your value, or respect you. If you’ve got no money coming in you can go to your community garden and see that there are children who are willing to give you the food that they’ve grown with their own hands, that’s happening in the hood, that’s the happy place. That exists outside of all the system that have been created to keep us down, and also weren’t designed for us in the first place… We live in deep Brooklyn, and this space is so different from the reality that we live in, and that we feel safe and seen in. There’s so many people who’ve died and our country knew about it- but people cashed their checks. And to see people so nonchalantly worrying about whether or not they’re going to get their Louis Vuitton bag… My mom said the other day- my brother’s in school- and she’s like, “I’m so mad at the school. He deserves a college education.” I was like “of all the people to be mad at, the school isn’t the one.” The administration knew that this was coming and they chose not to deal with it and 1/4 million people are dead. That’s so nuts. We thought about it- You know, we we’re coming up on trump tower- You want to cross the street?”

- Katie


“Feeling OK. Currently employed. It’s Monday after 5. Outdoor happy hour has started, so I’m feeling OK personally. Things are good, and getting better, the best is yet to come- we can still say that. Anybody can say that.”

- Alexandra

Edited to add: This had actually been Alexandra’s last full day at work. 

“I had a lot of business opportunities I was walking into, but because of COVID I didn’t get those jobs. But fortunately the market has turned around a little bit and I did get a job in HVAC recently. But It’s been pretty tedious, you know- the anxiety of staying inside all the time… I can’t stay contained like that honestly because then I get all jittery and I want to leave. It has a negative impact on my body…”

- Victor

“I manage a comedy club, and because of Trump’s terrible handling of the virus it will probably be closed until we have a vaccine. Probably 1/2 of all small businesses are absolutely finished, and I don’t know if the city will ever recover. Broadway’s been hit the hardest. Entertainment venues are maybe ruined forever. Sadly Dangerfield’s- maybe the oldest comedy club in America- shut, after 45 years. They’re done. They just closed. So unless the building is owned rather than rented, they’re going to have to close. I do think we’re opening too slowly here. Obviously the longer we wait, the safer it will be but in the meantime people don’t have any money left. It’s an absolute devastation for so many working people in this country. And avoidable- almost all of it avoidable. When people say Trump’s not responsible- I mean I agree he’s not responsible for it getting started- that was China of course. But once it hits your country, you’re responsible. If you want to compare it to a country that’s done well- South Korea got their first case the same day we did and they’ve lost-wait for it- 300 people. You want to adjust for population we’re up to about 1700. So if you think Trump did a good job then you’re not good at math.

The lack of civility- on both sides- has gotten really horrible. Everybody, including me, listens to news they know they’ll agree with. Even under Reagan who I thought was detestable there was more of a sense that we’re in this together, we can disagree. Now it’s just hideous. And I’m guilty of it as well. I need a conservative here to take turns. But unfortunately we don’t communicate.”

- Paul

“My aunt had COVID, and she passed away. My mom had COVID, and she passed away. My husband had COVID, and he’s alive. And I was with him, and nothing happened to me, and I thank God for it. I started a prayer movement because of this, because I believe that God has more control over everything than any medicine or doctors. The churches have been closed. Many places have been closed. The Democrats don’t want to open it. And that’s why I am voting for Trump. Because I’ve seen the economy going down instead of them opening. I understand the importance of distancing each other, but “social distance?” That is not a word. There is nothing social about distancing yourself. Because of everything that’s occurred, I’m taking care of my grandkids, and I’m teaching them. I don’t understand how the schools are being closed up when there are children that need to be in school socializing. There’s been a huge climb in suicides- as a matter of fact I know people who’ve tried to commit suicide- young kids… because of what’s going on.”

- Terri

“It’s been hard to deal with- the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery. It really makes you angry, but it’s especially hard because it reveals a lot- you see people who you think are your friends, but they don’t care. You don’t have to go out there and possibly endanger yourself to go protest, but the very least you can do is post something on your social media. But people are also being social media activists in a way that they aren’t actually being genuine. They just post the black square and just go about their regular lives. But this is my daily life. I have to deal with this all the time. Police brutality- we have to be worried about how we act, who we’re around, the things that we do because we aren’t treated the same way as a white person in America… I’m an African American studies major, and my professors for some reason think that because we’re doing zoom university that I have more time to work, but that’s not true at all. Because I just have more meetings online- it’s really draining. It’s like- you give me 400 pages of reading a week. We’re literally in a pandemic OK- I’m TIRED.”

- Aishah

“It’s been a really hard time for everybody- especially college students. It’s just hard to care about papers and unnecessary assignments when our whole lives are taking a 180. That’s 1 thing COVID has taught me- nothing is important anymore besides your health and your friends. We have to take everything 1 day at a time, and just live, despite everything- exploring, being more adventurous, learning more- learning actual things that can benefit us every day rather than focusing on some school shit in my textbook… There’s a whole epidemic going on in Nigeria right now: END SARS- the “special anti-robbery squad.” They’re targeting young children, young people my age just for what they have. Women are being raped, kids are being kidnapped. We’re both Nigerian, so it’s just really heartbreaking being in America and not being able to do much. Nigerian lives are Black lives too- they matter. Protesting wasn’t something cute to do over quarantine because you were bored- we live this. People need to be more aware. Post more, sign those petitions, donate. Do the best that you can, and just be grateful that police aren’t terrorizing- I mean, they are- but you know what I mean, it’s just a lot.”

- Sami

“My particular life in the city obviously has lost a lot of its predictability. A lot of its stability. But for my personal day-to-day being a documentarian of all the little strangenesses on the street, I think it’s been a really stand-out, exceptional, energized, excellent year in NY. I know that’s tough to say when we’ve had so may losses, but there’s been a stripping of the illusions and a return to humanity. I think NY does humanity better than any other city I’ve been in and I think that the humanity is closer to the surface than it has been in the 17 years I’ve lived here. Which is a telling number, I wasn’t here for 9/11. So I cannot compare the two, but this is an activated and very alive city right now. My anxiety is much more with my family than it is with myself. I’m from Wisconsin and my parents are in Milwaukee, and are part of a particularly COVID-vulnerable age. If this is just allowed to run rampant that is very hard news for me, considering my family is now in a major hotspot.”

- Daniel

“You really start appreciating little things way more, and longing for the things you don’t have anymore. You start being more aware of other people, and supporting those having trouble managing, and with their mental health… I study fashion business, and school has been online fully. I’m international, so it was quite a challenge. That whole thing that happened in July where we weren’t allowed to come back- that was a toll. Because the whole reason I came to NY is to experience this country. But it’s temporary- it’s not forever. So I just keep that mindset.”

- Emma

“I spent a lot of time in CO and I had the freedom to have a back yard, and to be with my family and a lot of people didn’t have that, especially in NY. So when I came back to NY, everybody was a lot more traumatized than I was, being stuck in their apartments with no nature- only little parks. I had all of CO- I had my car. And that’s something I’m super grateful for.”

- Blaike

“Who hasn’t been affected? It’s been a rough year. Starting off with this disease that no one’s heard of before- which I was told it would be 2 weeks, and now it’s gone from winter, to spring, to summer, to fall and we’re still going through it. It’s just been so much… I work from home now, which sounds like a dream, but it’s not. Its more like torture… I lost my spouse, and I lost my dog all within a year, so I really feel alone. But because of all this I’m now a Harvard student. I decided you know, why not give it a try- and I got accepted. So it improved my life in a weird way. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”

- Charles

“I still have my job so that’s nice. However I planned a lot of traveling, as I think everyone did- planning to go to different events, festivals, weddings, all those good things- are not possible anymore. But NY is not a ghost town, as a lot of people think. It’s not that extreme. Especially in areas of Brooklyn, Williamsburg, there’s still people eating outside in restaurants which is a nice thing… I’m from Germany, I’m just here for a couple of years for work. I came over around a year ago, and it’s been different than expected. I’m a guest here so I don’t fully understand the whole political situation you guys have here in the US, but what I can say is: the people that I meet at work- they’re very hardworking people, very intelligent, very educated, and sometimes I feel there’s a mismatch compared to some things I’ve seen in politics. I just try to be flexible and focus on the positive stuff.”

- Henry

2020 was… a lot. We had a novel coronavirus take 1/4 million American lives, protests against police brutality, economic collapse, and a contested presidential election. NY was hit the hardest, and holds the record for the state with the most deaths (40,000 at the time that I write this.) So I went to Trump Tower- a place that’s taken on new meaning in NYC since Donald Trump was elected in 2016- to ask passersby what it’s been like for them.

What would normally be considered a tourist-attraction open to the public, beginning on Election Day 2016 the building underwent extreme security measures such as a heightened NYPD presence, police barricades, and street closures that continue to this day.

“We were thinking about turning the corner because I remember when he first got elected what this street was like. You came to raise your middle finger and then you leave. But then over time what seemed like a publicity stunt was the reality setting in- like, ‘Oh my god, we’re really going to have to endure this…’ I grew up in NY. This is the one time we took a hit that it seems to be more difficult to come back from… I don’t think we’re ever going to go back to the way things used to be, and I’m relieved about that. Because growing up in NYC people lie about the degree of racism. My frustration has always been that my country doesn’t see me as an American. My country doesn’t see me as a human being. I’ve been all over this planet and the one place that I’m not respected for who I am is the place that I was born. This isn’t a blessing in disguise- it’s just where we are. We have to stand in the truth of what America actually is. We’ve been saying it for a couple of centuries now, what America actually is. In 2016 American got the president it deserved based on where we were. And in 2020 we will get the president we deserve based on where we are now as a country… When Barack Obama became President of the United States, there was this auspice of 1 whole America- not 1 red America and 1 blue America, but 1 whole America. But because of all the things that have been revealed with coronavirus, people have fractured and fallen apart. There are multiple americas now, and we have to come to terms with the fact that there may have always been multiple americas, and they’re not all equal. And if we’re all supposed to be equal here, some of us have to start pulling our own weight. And those aren’t the people who built this country, but the people who benefited off of the people who built it.”

- Deborah

“As an artist, for the first time in my life I’ve had the opportunity to prioritize what community actually means, and how it’s incentivized with individual happiness. We were just talking the other night that it seems odd to be able to go home and feel safe and supported and like you have everything you need to get your artistry done. There’s a lot to feel blessed for. I think it’s an abnormal or complicated response with everything thats going on, but it’s a huge deal to be able to find happiness… I know my worth, and I know my ancestors worked way too hard for me to tolerate the things that don’t pay enough, or don’t see your value, or respect you. If you’ve got no money coming in you can go to your community garden and see that there are children who are willing to give you the food that they’ve grown with their own hands, that’s happening in the hood, that’s the happy place. That exists outside of all the system that have been created to keep us down, and also weren’t designed for us in the first place… We live in deep Brooklyn, and this space is so different from the reality that we live in, and that we feel safe and seen in. There’s so many people who’ve died and our country knew about it- but people cashed their checks. And to see people so nonchalantly worrying about whether or not they’re going to get their Louis Vuitton bag… My mom said the other day- my brother’s in school- and she’s like, “I’m so mad at the school. He deserves a college education.” I was like “of all the people to be mad at, the school isn’t the one.” The administration knew that this was coming and they chose not to deal with it and 1/4 million people are dead. That’s so nuts. We thought about it- You know, we we’re coming up on trump tower- You want to cross the street?”

- Katie


“Feeling OK. Currently employed. It’s Monday after 5. Outdoor happy hour has started, so I’m feeling OK personally. Things are good, and getting better, the best is yet to come- we can still say that. Anybody can say that.”

- Alexandra

Edited to add: This had actually been Alexandra’s last full day at work. 

“I had a lot of business opportunities I was walking into, but because of COVID I didn’t get those jobs. But fortunately the market has turned around a little bit and I did get a job in HVAC recently. But It’s been pretty tedious, you know- the anxiety of staying inside all the time… I can’t stay contained like that honestly because then I get all jittery and I want to leave. It has a negative impact on my body…”

- Victor

“I manage a comedy club, and because of Trump’s terrible handling of the virus it will probably be closed until we have a vaccine. Probably 1/2 of all small businesses are absolutely finished, and I don’t know if the city will ever recover. Broadway’s been hit the hardest. Entertainment venues are maybe ruined forever. Sadly Dangerfield’s- maybe the oldest comedy club in America- shut, after 45 years. They’re done. They just closed. So unless the building is owned rather than rented, they’re going to have to close. I do think we’re opening too slowly here. Obviously the longer we wait, the safer it will be but in the meantime people don’t have any money left. It’s an absolute devastation for so many working people in this country. And avoidable- almost all of it avoidable. When people say Trump’s not responsible- I mean I agree he’s not responsible for it getting started- that was China of course. But once it hits your country, you’re responsible. If you want to compare it to a country that’s done well- South Korea got their first case the same day we did and they’ve lost-wait for it- 300 people. You want to adjust for population we’re up to about 1700. So if you think Trump did a good job then you’re not good at math.

The lack of civility- on both sides- has gotten really horrible. Everybody, including me, listens to news they know they’ll agree with. Even under Reagan who I thought was detestable there was more of a sense that we’re in this together, we can disagree. Now it’s just hideous. And I’m guilty of it as well. I need a conservative here to take turns. But unfortunately we don’t communicate.”

- Paul

“My aunt had COVID, and she passed away. My mom had COVID, and she passed away. My husband had COVID, and he’s alive. And I was with him, and nothing happened to me, and I thank God for it. I started a prayer movement because of this, because I believe that God has more control over everything than any medicine or doctors. The churches have been closed. Many places have been closed. The Democrats don’t want to open it. And that’s why I am voting for Trump. Because I’ve seen the economy going down instead of them opening. I understand the importance of distancing each other, but “social distance?” That is not a word. There is nothing social about distancing yourself. Because of everything that’s occurred, I’m taking care of my grandkids, and I’m teaching them. I don’t understand how the schools are being closed up when there are children that need to be in school socializing. There’s been a huge climb in suicides- as a matter of fact I know people who’ve tried to commit suicide- young kids… because of what’s going on.”

- Terri

“It’s been hard to deal with- the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery. It really makes you angry, but it’s especially hard because it reveals a lot- you see people who you think are your friends, but they don’t care. You don’t have to go out there and possibly endanger yourself to go protest, but the very least you can do is post something on your social media. But people are also being social media activists in a way that they aren’t actually being genuine. They just post the black square and just go about their regular lives. But this is my daily life. I have to deal with this all the time. Police brutality- we have to be worried about how we act, who we’re around, the things that we do because we aren’t treated the same way as a white person in America… I’m an African American studies major, and my professors for some reason think that because we’re doing zoom university that I have more time to work, but that’s not true at all. Because I just have more meetings online- it’s really draining. It’s like- you give me 400 pages of reading a week. We’re literally in a pandemic OK- I’m TIRED.”

- Aishah

“It’s been a really hard time for everybody- especially college students. It’s just hard to care about papers and unnecessary assignments when our whole lives are taking a 180. That’s 1 thing COVID has taught me- nothing is important anymore besides your health and your friends. We have to take everything 1 day at a time, and just live, despite everything- exploring, being more adventurous, learning more- learning actual things that can benefit us every day rather than focusing on some school shit in my textbook… There’s a whole epidemic going on in Nigeria right now: END SARS- the “special anti-robbery squad.” They’re targeting young children, young people my age just for what they have. Women are being raped, kids are being kidnapped. We’re both Nigerian, so it’s just really heartbreaking being in America and not being able to do much. Nigerian lives are Black lives too- they matter. Protesting wasn’t something cute to do over quarantine because you were bored- we live this. People need to be more aware. Post more, sign those petitions, donate. Do the best that you can, and just be grateful that police aren’t terrorizing- I mean, they are- but you know what I mean, it’s just a lot.”

- Sami

“My particular life in the city obviously has lost a lot of its predictability. A lot of its stability. But for my personal day-to-day being a documentarian of all the little strangenesses on the street, I think it’s been a really stand-out, exceptional, energized, excellent year in NY. I know that’s tough to say when we’ve had so may losses, but there’s been a stripping of the illusions and a return to humanity. I think NY does humanity better than any other city I’ve been in and I think that the humanity is closer to the surface than it has been in the 17 years I’ve lived here. Which is a telling number, I wasn’t here for 9/11. So I cannot compare the two, but this is an activated and very alive city right now. My anxiety is much more with my family than it is with myself. I’m from Wisconsin and my parents are in Milwaukee, and are part of a particularly COVID-vulnerable age. If this is just allowed to run rampant that is very hard news for me, considering my family is now in a major hotspot.”

- Daniel

“You really start appreciating little things way more, and longing for the things you don’t have anymore. You start being more aware of other people, and supporting those having trouble managing, and with their mental health… I study fashion business, and school has been online fully. I’m international, so it was quite a challenge. That whole thing that happened in July where we weren’t allowed to come back- that was a toll. Because the whole reason I came to NY is to experience this country. But it’s temporary- it’s not forever. So I just keep that mindset.”

- Emma

“I spent a lot of time in CO and I had the freedom to have a back yard, and to be with my family and a lot of people didn’t have that, especially in NY. So when I came back to NY, everybody was a lot more traumatized than I was, being stuck in their apartments with no nature- only little parks. I had all of CO- I had my car. And that’s something I’m super grateful for.”

- Blaike

“Who hasn’t been affected? It’s been a rough year. Starting off with this disease that no one’s heard of before- which I was told it would be 2 weeks, and now it’s gone from winter, to spring, to summer, to fall and we’re still going through it. It’s just been so much… I work from home now, which sounds like a dream, but it’s not. Its more like torture… I lost my spouse, and I lost my dog all within a year, so I really feel alone. But because of all this I’m now a Harvard student. I decided you know, why not give it a try- and I got accepted. So it improved my life in a weird way. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”

- Charles

“I still have my job so that’s nice. However I planned a lot of traveling, as I think everyone did- planning to go to different events, festivals, weddings, all those good things- are not possible anymore. But NY is not a ghost town, as a lot of people think. It’s not that extreme. Especially in areas of Brooklyn, Williamsburg, there’s still people eating outside in restaurants which is a nice thing… I’m from Germany, I’m just here for a couple of years for work. I came over around a year ago, and it’s been different than expected. I’m a guest here so I don’t fully understand the whole political situation you guys have here in the US, but what I can say is: the people that I meet at work- they’re very hardworking people, very intelligent, very educated, and sometimes I feel there’s a mismatch compared to some things I’ve seen in politics. I just try to be flexible and focus on the positive stuff.”

- Henry

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