The opinions, views, and perspectives expressed in the OR COVID-19 Storytelling Project are those of the storyteller, and are not a direct reflection of the views of the Oregon Health Equity Alliance. OHEA has prioritized ensuring that submissions are respectful and considerate of the diversity of identities and human experiences. This commitment encompasses cultural backgrounds, religion, race, gender, class, sexuality, physical abilities, ethnicities, all other identities and perspectives.
Content/Trigger Warning
The COVID-19 Storytelling Project centers on experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the topics and themes described may be triggering or evoke a strong emotional response. It is important to be mindful that although the COVID-19 pandemic is a collective trauma, the way each of us has and continues to experience, reflect upon, and process the pandemic is different and multifaceted. We encourage you to take time and care of yourself as you navigate the website.
Content includes:
- Death/Dying
- Grief
- Mental Health/Mental Illness
- Ableism
- Classism
- Homophobia
- Racism
- Discrimination
Translation/Transcription Disclaimer
Kindly note that translations and transcriptions are not always word-for-word. The following content may have been revised or adjusted slightly for readability while preserving the intended messaging and voice of the original speaker.
Pandemic Is Not Over Statement
While the federal government announced the end of the public health emergency as related to the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023, OHEA continues to advocate for resources and policy related to the immediate safety and precautions in the transmission of COVID-19 and for public health departments to respond to the chronic impacts of Long COVID on our population health. Communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic continue to grapple with enduring personal and systemic trauma. Early in the pandemic, there was a resurgence of the phrase “death panels” when it came to assessing who would be worthy of care, and those of us who are chronically ill, disabled, Black, Brown, queer, trans, poor, old were deemed unworthy of an allocation of resources. We recognized the inhumanity then, and we recognize it now. The pandemic is not over and it won’t be if we continue to treat all living beings as disposable.
Storyteller Bill of Rights
OHEA Pledge
The Oregon Health Equity Alliance believes community is sacred and that our stories are offerings and evidence of our lives and experiences. OHEA pledges to honor the rights of the storytellers who so generously offer their stories for this COVID storytelling project. As the Storyteller you are entitled to the rights below. This bill is a resource to outline your agency and rights around your story. We are committed to upholding these rights and to support others we work with on the project in upholding these rights.
Storyteller Bill of Rights
- You have the right to not tell your story and to have that right respected without retribution.
- You have the right to tell your story how you see, understand, and experience it.
- You have the right to be treated with dignity at all times, particularly when sharing your story.
- You have the right to set guidelines on where, how, and in what manner you tell your story.
- You have the right to keep your name, face, or any other identifying characteristics out of your story.
- You have the right to see your story – in whatever form it is communicated to OHEA, whether it’s written, audio recorded, or in a video – before it’s shared with the public.
- You have the right to stop telling your story at any time including before you tell it, as you’re telling it, and even after months of telling it.
- You have the right to share your story with as many people as you like.
- You have the right to your story. It is yours. It is a gift. You can choose who, how, and whether to share this gift.
With these rights in mind, OHEA asks all Storytellers to sign a standard appearance release form to protect both parties in questions of content usage and editorial control. The Storyteller may, at any time and for any reason, choose to revoke this agreement and may ask to have their story removed from any public space, and have any and or all files deleted from the OHEA archive. OHEA will honor this request without question and will, in good faith, act on the request in a timely manner.
Adapted from RelateLab
Declaración de Derechos del Narrador
Compromiso de OHEA
La Alianza para la Equidad de la Salud de Oregon (Oregon Health Equity Alliance, OHEA) cree que la comunidad es sagrada y que nuestras historias son ofrendas y testimonios de nuestras vidas y experiencias. OHEA se compromete a respetar los derechos de los narradores que tan generosamente ofrecen sus historias para este proyecto de narrativa sobre COVID-19. Como Narrador, usted tiene los derechos que aparecen a continuación. Esta declaración es un recurso para definir su intervención y sus derechos en torno a su historia. Nos comprometemos a defender estos derechos y a apoyar a otras personas con las que trabajamos en el proyecto para que también los defiendan.
Declaración de derechos del narrador
- Usted tiene derecho a no contar su historia y a que se respete ese derecho sin represalias.
- Usted tiene derecho a contar su historia tal y como la ve, entiende y experimenta.
- Usted tiene derecho a ser tratado con dignidad en todo momento, especialmente al compartir su historia.
- Usted tiene derecho a establecer pautas sobre dónde, cómo y de qué manera cuenta su historia.
- Usted tiene derecho a mantener su nombre, rostro o cualquier otra característica identificativa fuera de su historia.
- Usted tiene derecho a ver su historia (cualquiera que sea la forma en que se comunique a OHEA, ya sea por escrito, en una grabación de audio o en video) antes de que se comparta con el público.
- Usted tiene derecho a dejar de contar su historia en cualquier momento: antes de contarla, mientras la cuenta e incluso después de meses de contarla.
- Usted tiene derecho a compartir su historia con tantas personas como desee.
- Usted tiene derecho a su historia. Es suya. Es un regalo. Usted puede elegir con quién, cómo y si quiere compartir este regalo.
Teniendo en cuenta estos derechos, OHEA les pide a todos los Narradores que firmen un formulario estándar de autorización de publicación para proteger a ambas partes en cuestiones de uso de contenidos y control editorial. El Narrador puede, en cualquier momento y por cualquier motivo, optar por revocar este acuerdo y puede solicitar que su historia sea retirada de cualquier espacio público, y que se eliminen todos y cada uno de los documentos del archivo de OHEA. Si en algún momento desea retirar su propuesta, envíe un correo electrónico a amarachi@oregonhealthequity.org. OHEA atenderá esta solicitud sin cuestionarla y, de buena fe, actuará en consecuencia de manera oportuna.
Adaptado de RelateLab