Being a Mother, Wife and Community Organizer During COVID-19

Jenny Srey, Safe and Welcoming Communities Lead Organizer

Over the past few months, my anxiety has drastically increased given everything happening to respond to COVID-19. Every day I listen to radio, podcasts and news to get the latest information. I also follow reactions on social media and take phone calls from my rightfully panicked elderly mother, who is trying to digest everything she is hearing and reading. This is what I call an overwhelming infodemic, and it’s made it hard to decipher what information is trustworthy and reliable. My mother keeps warning me that it will get worse.

“It’s just a matter of time. Get ready,” she repeatedly tells me.

All this is made harder because though I attempted to make a trip to visit my mother in Iowa, those plans have changed quickly because of what’s happening here and around the world. So, all I can do is listen and help to decipher information. 

As we all “shelter-in-place” and are asked to isolate our families; we deprive ourselves of much needed contact with loved ones and our communities. What’s becoming clear is that even as I struggle on the personal and familial front, recent turn of events during this pandemic has amplified my work to fight deep structural inequities. It’s intensified my obligations and responsibilities to fight for my family and community. While COVID-19 alone does not discriminate, systems that caused social, immigration, economic, education and power inequalities remain and are magnified during this crisis.

Over the last few weeks, while all of us at CAAL have transitioned our programs virtually, we’ve also had to hold many extra spaces to meet and listen to community members who are distressed by supply shortages, struggling with economic losses, concerned for elderly parents, worried about their children’s education, and harmed by racist actions. In all of this tragedy, I feel lucky to work alongside my fearless and powerful co-workers, as well as community partners. We are collectively fighting against these harmful nationalists, racist, xenophobic and capitalist surges while trying to protect people from this deadly virus.

In the state and around the country, my friends and fellow organizers are fighting hard to make sure community members have access to medical care and funding to meet the basic human needs to survive this virus. Across social media, work such as, #FreeThemAll and #FlattenICE campaigns, are pushing for the release and protection of those in detention centers and jails. My husband is trying to raise funds for friends deported to Cambodia, whose resources have become even more limited at this time because their family members here are losing jobs and safety. My kids are organizing weekly family check-ins with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, because they know staying connected and helping one other is more important now than ever.

As we continue to work on things during this unprecedented time of isolation, economic uncertainty, and health crisis, I intentionally look for beauty in my community and humanity. I am grateful for all of you and will continue fighting!