Facing the Pandemic (2022) is a collaboration between Azzaro the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History that dissects the disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on different communities and shares stories of personal experiences from early in the pandemic. Compiling data documenting these disparities and tapping into research on racial and economic public health implications shares important truths about social and health inequities across the country and in Washtenaw County.

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Portraits and personal stories humanize the data and show the breadth of local experience at the onset of pandemic. From a person who was incarcerated (as referenced in the blank portrait), to a frontline worker, to individuals based at home during this time, each story provides a unique perspective on COVID’s influence on their lives.