Coming of Age in 2020

     I'm sure we all have distinct memories of 2020,  a year that ushered in a global pandemic just as we were on the verge of spring and looking forward to summer. Some of us lost family members and friends. Some of us lost jobs or, if deemed essential workers, had to work in increasing hazardous workplaces, at risk of carrying deadly contagion home to our loved ones. Some of us had to juggle work with the teaching of children who were learning on zoom instead of in the classroom. 

     When the initial optimism that things would be back to normal in weeks or at least months we were encouraged by historians to keep some kind of record of our experiences for posterity or at least kids and grandkids. Some people wondered what artifacts teenagers might be creating and provided them with a space to share in whatever format they felt most comfortable. They received over 5,500 submissions, from which they chose 161 ranging from from poetry, journal entries, photos and paintings to recipes and Lego sculptures.

     "The result is this book, in which every contribution, whether heartbreaking, hopeful, fierce, or funny, offers a glimpse into a different life. A girl in Alaska doodles 'raw emotions' in her diary. A boy in upstate New York photographs quarantine life on his family farm. Two friends in California have an awkward conversation in a Zoom breakout room. A boy in Minneapolis reflects on community after the murder of George Floyd. A girl in Brooklyn describes her terror as she and her family got sick."

    In this deeply authentic collection readers will find narratives of loneliness and despair, but also of hope and determination. It offers rare insight into the lives of teens struggling to survive and make meaning of a global catastrophe in a time of climate crises and political drama. I found it to be an amazing and insightful read. I think you will too. What I like most about it is that it shows that the stories of "average" people who aren't celebs or social media influencers are darn good reading and matter immensely. 

     I'd especially recommend Coming of Age in 2020 to higher education professionals, especially faculty and student services people. It gives real insight into the students we're serving now. 

On a purrrsonal note, I have a huge binder filled with pandemic poetry entitled Coronavirus Chronicles: What You Write When Your Muses Are A Pathogenic Microorganism and the Pandemic It Spawned.

A great big shout out goes out to the teens who contributed to this most excellent anthology. 

Jules Hathaway 

     

Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone