A year ago, City Paper asked 14 Washingtonians how they were feeling. All week, I’ll be checking in on some of them to learn how they got by this year. Read earlier entries from the collection here.    

Readers, City Paper is asking that you send us a photo or two that encapsulates the last year for you, and briefly explain why. I’ll share these images in Friday’s newsletter. Respond to this newsletter, email me directly, or fill out this Google form to participate. 

A New Mother 

Isha Jordan feels somewhat nostalgic for the stay-at-home days when she strictly worked remote and spent endless time with her toddler, Wale. This might sound strange. Jordan had to juggle caring for Wale and teaching special education students. Wale would sit on a highchair next to her as she taught through her laptop for the first time ever. When he got restless, Wale would sometimes move to the countertop and join her as she Facetimed students. 

Nowadays, Jordan teaches in-person a few days a week at DC Public Schools and Wale is in daycare full time. The mornings are more hectic. The alarm is set for 6 a.m., or 6:45 a.m. on a good day. The family used to ease into the day, but now Jordan has to get her 2-year-old son to daycare. She loves her baby, but “terrible twos” entered the lexicon for a reason. 

The coronavirus pandemic warped many people’s sense of time. But a major milestone in Wale’s life became a marker of time in Jordan’s. Wale technically started school for the first time in August when he entered daycare. He didn’t cry on his first day. In fact, he looked happy. 

“It’s good for him to be around other babies and kids,” Jordan says. “I always miss my baby. But I like that he’s in school. He’s getting the fundamentals that he needs.”

Looking back on the year, Jordan acknowledges how special this time could have been for new parents. Typically, families just get six weeks of leave. The clock stopped once no one can say for certain when the coronavirus pandemic will be over and people can return to work full time safely. Jordan thinks of her cousin, who had a baby last August, and a friend who had a baby in January. They don’t necessarily have to worry about a family leave benefit elapsing. 

“I feel like that was a once in a lifetime opportunity for many moms to just be home, and work, and still be with their babies,” says Jordan. “A lot of moms got to build that extra bond with their child.”

 — Amanda Michelle Gomez (tips? agomez@washingtoncitypaper.com) 

Much of D.C.’s Vaccine Information Is Only in English. Some Change is Coming.

When Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration launched its pre-registration portal for the COVID-19 vaccine March 10, […]

• Daily case rate and positive cases interviewed remain in the red, at Phase 0/1 levels, according to DC Health. To see today’s coronavirus cases and more information, visit our coronavirus dashboard. [EOM]
• Every D.C. resident or worker can now pre-register on vaccinate.dc.gov. [Twitter]
• Report: D.C. region residents report 140 anti-Asian hate incidents since March 2020. [DCist]
• Montgomery County to get a mass vaccine site. [Post]

By Amanda Michelle Gomez (tips? agomez@washingtoncitypaper.com)