05/08/20, Vol. 11 Issue 4

voice

georgia VOL.11 • ISSUE 4

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

BUSINESS

Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com

Editorial Contributors: Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, Dallas Anne Duncan, Aidan Ivory Edwards, Jim Farmer, Vandy Beth Glenn, Ryan Lee, Nasheedah Muhammad, Rose Pelham

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

ONLINE

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SALES

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Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com

Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group National Advertising: Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash

FINE PRINT

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4 Editorial May 8, 2020

GUEST EDITORIAL

Sheltering in Place is an Impossibility for Atlanta’s LGBTQ Homeless Youth Nasheedah Muhammad, Director, Lost-nFound Youth Turn on the news.

Scroll through Instagram. Go to the grocery store. No matter where or what you’re doing, the impact of COVID-19 is inescapable.

Anxiety is high. Emotions are out of control and wits are nearing their ends. On top of it all, we’re struggling to keep pace with the latest health mandates and precautions that seem to change by the hour. It began with “wash your hands” and evolved into social distancing, until we were all resigned to our respective homes to “shelter in place.”

But for many—approx. 3,200 youth in Atlanta experiencing homelessness— “sheltering in place” is an impossibility.

And as an organization that exists to serve Atlanta’s homeless youth, and homeless LGBTQ youth in particular, this means our work has never been more important.

According to health experts at the CDC, unhoused people are among the most at risk of infection, as they’re not able to comply with most, if any, of the social distancing and prevention guidelines. Within the unhoused population, homeless youth are a large majority. LGBTQ youth then represent over twice the overall youth in reports of unstable housing, research published in 2019

by Laura Baams, Bianca D.M. Wilson, and Stephen T. Russell shows.

To make matters more complex, a recent report released by The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit that focuses on LGBTQ youth in crisis, outlines the serious implications the COVID-19 crisis might have over the psychological health of LGBTQ youth. The nonprofit cited physical distancing, financial strain, and increased anxiety associated with the pandemic as

being among the most worrisome problems.

My staff and I have done all in our power to keep the doors of Lost-n-Found open—an action that many other homeless support centers have not been able to do.

Over the last two months, I’ve been faced with some of the most difficult decisions of my career. I’ve been challenged daily to define and defend what safety and protection mean for our staff and the clients we serve.

The pandemic has threatened to derail the progress of our organization and the progress being made by our youth, but we’re determined not to let that happen.

For me, this work is personal. I’m not only the director of an organization that supports homeless LGBTQ youth. I am an LGBTQ survivor of homelessness. I know all too well the daily fears that come with not knowing where you will lay your head at night or when you’ll take a shower again. I also know the fears I’ve faced during this pandemic— fear of illness, lack of job security, isolation.

Yet, even to me, the thought of experiencing both homelessness and a pandemic at once is unimaginable. But to our youth, it’s the reality.

To ensure we could remain open safely, we worked directly with public health officials to adapt our facilities and procedures for compliance, including testing of every client as soon as the resources became available to do so.

Because of this, we’ve not had to turn away any youth during this time. We’ve opened our doors daily and without condition. We’ve also committed to sheltering all of our youth until the crisis ends.

As we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Lost-n-Found, like the rest of the world, is assessing the damage and working to find a path forward. Obviously, that will depend on our ability to garner additional resources.

I am encouraged. Our young people will have that effect on you. They remain some of the most optimistic and determined individuals I’ve ever known. I also feel sure that this organization will attract the necessary finances.

Whenever I look at the numbers and get discouraged, I think of our youth who are depending on us for their survival. I think of Aerglo. Aerglo is 20 years old. She lives in our transitional house and is on the path to self-sufficiency.

She had been living in her car for months before finding Lost-n-Found just weeks before the pandemic hit. She’s employed, working on the pandemic front lines as a nurse technician at Emory Hospital.

Aerglo gets emotional when she talks about her experience at the house and her house manager, Chimere. “I know she’s really there for us. Like 100% of the way. If we asked her for anything, she’ll try her best.

At the house I know I have a support system and a safe space.”

I am so proud of our staff. They have been extremely diligent, resourceful and, if possible, even more compassionate and invested in the livelihood of our youth than ever before.

The road ahead will have its challenges, but the resiliency of our staff assures me that we will prevail.

Many of our traditional revenue streams have been impacted, including our greatest source of revenue, the Lost-nFound Thrift Store. To make up for the significant shortfall, we’ve applied for public and private grants that have helped get us through. We’re also counting on the community’s usual strong support— plus some.

The youth we serve must be ready to forge ahead once the pandemic lifts.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

CELEBRITY CLOSE-UP!

Celebrity Brief (THE NEW NORMAL EDITION)

In the face of a pandemic, everyone’s “normal” has changed, including our favorite LGBTQ and allied celebrities’ and public figures’. Here’s what they have to say about their new daily lives and the new hardships others are having to face.

“It’s Friday night, I just thought I’d put a little lipstick on, I’m trying not to scare my husband too much!

I had a little glass of red wine, a little pasta--maybe eating too much.

Anyway, I hope you’re hanging in there… We’ll make it through this. I love you, sending all my love. I hope you’re well and safe.”

—Cyndi Lauper in a video message to followers (Twitter)

“The only reason I have any idea what day of the week it is is because ‘Survivor’ is on Wednesdays and ‘Drag Race’ is on Fridays.”

—Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy (Twitter)

“26 million Americans have lost their income— no one should profit off their pain. Countless people are relying on credit cards just to put food on the table. We need a suspension of credit card interest, fees, and penalties— now.”

—Kamala Harris (Twitter)

“If you’re in recovery & battling addiction during these times my heart is with you & there are resources to help.

Online meetings saved my life & they can help you too.”

—Jonathan Van Ness (Twitter)

“I’ve been trying to engage with fans as much as I can. I have had so many fans reach out saying they feel represented by who I am and what I’m doing on the show. I’ve also had fans who are either too far away, or otherwise would be unable to come see a live show, and are just so thrilled they get to see live drag from the comfort of their own homes.”

—‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 12 queen Jackie Cox on engaging with fans during social distancing with her digital show ‘The Jackie Cox Variety Show’ (Washington Blade)

(PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK)

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

May 8, 2020 Celebrity Close-Up! 5

NEWS

Georgia Reopens, But Are There Enough Tests?

Rose Pelham In the wake of shortages and widespread rationing, COVID-19 tests are becoming more available. But even as the state reopens, only those with symptoms may be tested in most cities.

On April 1st the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization to Atlanta-based Ipsum Diagnostics for its COVID-19 tests. The company now works with the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide test kits throughout the state.

In February, as the pandemic was beginning to spread to the United States, a series of blunders resulted in a national shortage of COVID-19 tests. Only a few public labs were authorized to conduct COVID-19 tests, and the only test kit provided to them by the CDC was frequently defective.

To end the test kit shortage, the FDA began issuing Emergency Use Authorizations to commercial testing companies like Ipsum Diagnostics, allowing them to circumvent the normal approval process for their test kits. This resulted in a large number of new test kits becoming available, although some, particularly antibody tests, later proved to be inaccurate.

The tests produced by Ipsum Diagnostics are “RT-PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 assay,” according to the pharmaceutical industry publication, “P&T Community.” The abbreviation stands for “Reverse Transcriptase– Polymerase Chain Reaction,” which means the test uses molecules to copy any DNA from the virus found in a patient’s mucus sample until there is enough of it to be detected. According to NPR, PCR tests are the most accurate type of test available, but are also the slowest, often taking days to produce results.

Since many COVID-19 tests in Georgia are PCR tests, data published by the Department of Public Health on new COVID-19 cases may lag behind the real number of new cases. This could result in an underreporting 6 News May 8, 2020

of new COVID-19 infections.

Georgia Voice interviewed Mayor Bo Dorough of Albany, Georgia, a city which was an early hotspot for COVID-19 cases.

He spoke to the fact that testing had just become available even to those without symptoms in Albany: “Earlier this week the National Guard set up a testing site here in Albany, and anyone in Dougherty and contiguous counties—and several other counties in southwest Georgia—can get tested. What’s significant about that is almost everywhere else in the state you have to meet some kind of criteria.”

Earlier, when Georgia Voice interviewed Albany resident and WALB-10 digital content producer Kim McCullough on April 22, testing in Albany was still restricted to those who had symptoms: “If you don’t have certain symptoms then they’re not going to allow you to get a test.”

Until recently, COVID-19 testing throughout the state was often the responsibility of local health care systems. In the city of Albany, the

local Phoebe Putney Health System was the primary testing center until recently, when the National Guard opened a major testing center there.

When Georgia Voice contacted the Atlanta mayor’s office requesting an interview to find out more about the city’s testing efforts, the office responded with a link to the website atlstrong.org/testing. The webpage has a disclaimer at the top, which reads: “Please Note: The City of Atlanta does not independently conduct or control COVID-19 testing but is providing the following information with our community.”

According to atlstrong.org, there are four drive-through testing sites in the Atlanta area: Old Turner Field, Greenbriar Mall, Georgia Tech, and Mercedes Benz Stadium.

The Old Turner Field and Greenbriar Mall sites are both managed by the National Guard, while the Georgia Tech site is managed by CVS, and the testing site at Mercedes Benz Stadium is “managed by the Blank Foundation and CORE.” All four

sites require a prior online screening, and restrict testing to those actively exhibiting symptoms.

CVS is promising on its website that results at its testing centers will be available to patients in approximately 30 minutes. Results can only be delivered at that speed by antibody tests, which at present are potentially less accurate than PCR tests, according to NPR. There is some good news, however: according to Dorough, “Last weekend the number of COVID patients in [Putney Memorial] hospital fell below one hundred for the first time since March 21, and is now down to 57, which is a third of what it was at the high point.”

Unfortunately, many health experts warn that Georgia’s reopening will result in a new surge of cases, endangering the fragile gains we have made. When asked about the governor’s order to reopen the state, Dorough echoed their sentiments: “I think you’re going to see a [resurgence] in the whole county, and in many other counties.”

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

NEWS

An Uncertain Future for Rural Health Care Rose Pelham

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, GA

Even before the pandemic, hospitals in rural areas already faced a mounting crisis.

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

In Georgia, seven rural hospitals have ceased providing inpatient care or closed outright within the last 10 years, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.

A major factor in their closures may have been the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid, as hospitals frequently are required to absorb costs from providing care to uninsured patients.

The list of defunct hospitals includes Calhoun Memorial Hospital, Charlton Memorial Hospital, Chestatee Regional Hospital, Hart County Hospital, Lower Oconee Community Hospital, North Georgia Medical Center, and Stewart-Webster Hospital.

As COVID-19 spreads through rural Georgia, hospitals that have been under financial strain suddenly are faced with an influx of patients requiring very intensive care. Meanwhile, a dearth of rural hospitals has forced some COVID patients to travel to the nearest city in order to get medical help.

The Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Georgia, runs the only major hospitals in Dougherty and surrounding counties. While this has put strain on the hospital system, it has had the advantage of support through equipment donations from the state and other sources.

Albany Mayor Bo Dorough spoke with Georgia Voice about the effect of the pandemic on the Phoebe Putney Health System. He said the support the local hospital system received because it was on the front line of the pandemic made all the difference in acquiring the resources needed for COVID-19 care.

“Having been hammered so early on, we were able to access ventilators. [Phoebe Putney Memorial] Hospital was in a position where there was concern that if the admittance of patients in respiratory distress continued at the same rate they would be without sufficient ventilators. But 8 News May 8, 2020

then the state, on or by March 22, delivered 20 ventilators. That was like the cavalry coming in,” the mayor said.

On May 1, when Georgia Voice last interviewed Mayor Dorough, Phoebe Putney had at least 200 ventilators, of which just less than 50 were currently in use. The hospital system had weathered the worst of the surge and most of the COVID patients had been discharged.

Nonetheless, there are some concerns that have persisted.

appears to have weathered the storm, it is difficult to tell how other rural hospitals will fare. COVID-19 cases in rural Georgia have so far been centered in and around Albany, but as time has passed, the concentration of cases seems to be spreading in a wave away from the South Georgia city. Mayor Dorough worries that the reopening of the state will result in a new surge of cases in less prepared areas. If that were to happen, there may not be enough resources to keep rural hospitals afloat, both in terms of lifesaving supplies, and financially.

Despite the large number of ventilators compared to the number of patients who need them, it seems not all ventilator-type devices are identical. According to Dorough, “[Phoebe Putney] has explained that there are five different types of ventilator and some have apparently not enough capacity for people who are in extreme respiratory distress, though I do not profess to know the specifics of that.”

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Georgia is declining; however, because of the time it takes to get test results, new COVID cases over the past two weeks have been underreported. The state’s trend toward recovery could be an illusion caused by faulty data.

While the Phoebe Putney Health System

Even if the number of cases in Georgia is

declining, the relaxation of social distancing could quickly result in a resurgence of the pandemic. However, we will not know if that happens until roughly three weeks afterward. Not only does it take two weeks to get in all the test results for a given day, the tests cannot detect the virus in a person who has been recently infected. Social distancing is still the safest bet.

For this article, Georgia Voice contacted South Georgia Pride to find out more about the effect of the pandemic on the rural LGBTQ community. As of the time of writing, an interview could not be conducted. South Georgia Pride has, however, put out this statement on its website: “Due to the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19, our home page will be dedicated to providing information and resources for the communities we serve.

Please submit any information or resources to contact@southgapride.com.”

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

May 8, 2020 Ads 9

YOUR VOICE

Spotlights on the Community Chad McDaniel I am Chad. This is my story.

Perry/Austin During the COVID-19 crisis, J. Tebias Perry, founder of Spotlight on the Community, (left) and Demarcus Austin (inset)have decided to spotlight persons who are on the front lines and are essential workers to keep our neighborhoods, hospitals and communities safe.

We would like to shine a light on these individuals to show recognition and appreciation for their sacrifices.

James Atlanta I am James.

This is my story.

For all of you out there who don’t know me, my name is James and I am a bartender at Midtown Moon.

In my years of tending bar (going on 11), I’ve been through some ups and downs.

COVID-19 is one of the downs. We will make it through this crisis, but it saddens me to think of all my coworkers and other industry people who are affected by it! I want to shout out a special thank you to all my Facebook friends who have been helping me financially and mentally through this very hard time. My family and I are very grateful. This is not the end. I will 10 Community Strong May 8, 2020

be back to tend bar and cannot wait to be back with the friendly faces who make my work environment awesome! Thank you all and I hope to see you sooner than later.

Tony Hill My name is Tony.

This is my story.

I started my career in the airline industry 22 years ago. I’ve worked for Delta Air Lines for 12 years, after previously working for two other companies. My experiences in this industry have allowed me to see the entire world many times over. I have gained a knowledge that no classroom could ever teach.

I have been in the bar industry for well over two decades and have been at Oscar’s Atlanta for 11 years. I have been nominated for “Best of Atlanta” for five years and won in four of those years. I absolutely love my community and do everything I can to ensure that when you come into the bar, you are treated like family.

I was based in New York City the night before and the day of Sept. 11, 2001. After seeing something like 9/11, I felt I wouldn’t ever live through anything else so incredibly horrible. Well, I was wrong; COVID-19 has surpassed that terrible day.

This pandemic has changed the entire world! I’m sure we will overcome it, but I know for sure that the world has changed forever.

Memo in Leather I am Memo in Leather. This is my story.

I am Memo in Leather. I consider myself a leatherman and live in Atlanta. I have two jobs: one at Barking Leather After Dark and one at Kroger.

Since the coronavirus emergency began, Barking Leather After Dark was forced to close. Fortunately, that did not happen with my other job; otherwise, I would have been put in a difficult position to earn money. Despite what we are currently experiencing, I try to go to work with my best face on. I think that influences not only how I feel throughout the day, but also how customers feel. I try to make them forget, even for a moment, about this situation and put a smile on their faces. If I succeed, I feel satisfied.

We are devastated by the COVID-19 virus. We made the hard decision to close the day before the Mayor signed the stay-at-home order. We, like many of the other bars, made a decision based on civic consciousness to close before we were forced to do so. No bar wants to be the reason why this virus spreads and gets people sick. I have made “safety checks” with my staff on a daily basis, making sure that their sanity is still intact and that they are staying healthy.

COVID-19 has devastated our world, our nation, our state, our community, and our industry. It has been very difficult in the last couple weeks, but we are bartenders.

We are the ones you look to for guidance and to uplift your spirits. We are the ones who are competitive and cutthroat, but at the end of the day we are family, we take care of each other, and we stand united.

We are bartenders and we will get through this together.

Jake Glazier I am Jake Glazier.

This is my story.

I’ve seen how, firsthand, the pandemic and quarantine caused by the coronavirus have devastated the restaurant CONTINUES ON PAGE 11 TheGeorgiaVoice.com

YOUR VOICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 and service industry, reducing businesses to providing exclusively to-go food and beverages. Along with a drastic reduction in overall sales, the hours and shifts available to work have also been reduced to such a degree that many restaurants no longer need nearly the number of staff that they once required.

Nonetheless, I have been really fortunate in that 10th & Piedmont and G’s Midtown have allowed me to work evening shifts and provide the community, still, with a unique menu blend of comfort food, Southern cuisine, and seafood. Not only that, we have almost daily specials, including Chef’s Saturday BBQ that has become a hit on the block. Not to mention to-go drinks crafted by yours truly … I am inspired every night at 8 pm when I get to witness Midtown come together and cheer and applaud for our first responders.

I’ve been in the service industry since I was 19. I started at Bennigan’s in St. Pete Beach, Florida, and have worked my way up the ranks to where I am today—tending bar on the corner of the rainbow crosswalk. My other job (because in these times, let’s be honest, we all have another job) is teaching psychology as an adjunct professor. I love the bridge I’ve built between these two worlds, sometimes even using my skills as a therapist with some of my patrons—what a deal, a drink and a counseling session! While I think we’re in a challenging time right now and change is never easy, I am hopeful that in the future things will be even better than they were before.

Jesse Cannon I am Jesse Cannon.

This is my story.

I grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. I went to Boston University for undergrad (Class of ’99), University of North CarolinaChapel Hill for med school (Class of ’05), and Orlando Regional Medical Center for residency (class of ’08). I have lived in Atlanta since 2008. I’m married to Kelly Wohr. No kids yet, but that will change soon ….

How COVID-19 has affected my career: I am a medical doctor working in an TheGeorgiaVoice.com

emergency department here in Atlanta. I never thought I would be working under the conditions my colleagues and I—as well as nurses, respiratory therapists, Emergency Medical Service providers, emergency room (ER) and radiology techs, registration staff, and even environmental services—find ourselves in now. Working hard and being busy is something we’re used to; the flu season this year and in 2018 come to mind as the most immediate examples. However, we have never worked under conditions where we were afraid that the more we took care of patients affected by a particular disease, the more at risk we were of becoming patients with by that disease ourselves.

I have seen the range of patients with COVID-19—those who have only minor upper respiratory symptoms all the way to the ones who require intubation and mechanical ventilation because they cannot breathe sufficiently on their own. There certainly is a correlation between age and other medical problems with the severity of symptoms, but it is not absolute and I have seen young, otherwise healthy patients come in incredibly sick.

At home, I have seen the news and learned of the ER nurse in New York and the ER doctor in New Jersey who have died of this disease just in the last couple of weeks. So, though I consider myself healthy, I can’t say for certain that I myself wouldn’t get very ill if I came down with COVID-19. I think about this every time I enter a patient’s room, whether or not they are there for a COVID-related problem.

Fortunately, so far, we continue to have

an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), though that is in part because we reuse masks to varying degrees to conserve this supply. Despite use of PPE, sanitizer, and soap and water, there is still a nonzero chance that I could get sick through exposure at work. So, the main way this pandemic has affected me and my job is through some degree of fear. This was never a part of my job before and I hope that it is not for much longer, though I also worry things will worsen here over the next few weeks to months before they get better. Despite this, however, I pledged myself to medicine and helping others years ago and I will continue to come to work and be there for my patients so long as I am healthy and able, despite the risk.

Cherokee County Board of Education. I have been there for 33 years. I love my job and this virus has disrupted the lives of all bus drivers everywhere. I miss my children and my bus driver friends. I’m grateful for the things our school system is doing for children, parents and staff. Cherokee County rocks! I am also a caregiver for elderly people, but I cannot perform those duties because of the risk it would expose them to. I miss them very much. I pray this will be over soon.

Thank you for thinking of me.

How COVID has affected my life: I feel fortunate that I can still leave the house to go to my job, as can my husband as well, for we would both get cabin fever if we were staying at home all the. However, my personal risk increases every time I leave the house, especially when I go to my job, so there are drawbacks. Like everyone else, we were upset to have had trips, shows, concerts, and plans of all types interrupted.

COVID-19 is something I never could have imagined happening.

I’ve always been extremely careful about using proper PPE with all patients, but now I am questioning if it is enough. I’m fearful now that I may catch something I could bring home to my wife and children that could harm them, and that scares me. We stay home and limit our interactions with others as much as possible. I am constantly checking my temperature and worrying that every little cough or sore throat could be something more. Shortages off proper PPE and basic supplies are something I never could have fathomed. I’m looking forward to the end of this pandemic and going back to the way things were before.

Worse was the delay in our plans to build our family. We have a surrogate who plans to carry twins for us, and we planned to have the embryos transferred this month.

Unfortunately the outbreak shut down our IVF clinic and getting our surrogate here by plane would be too risky anyway, so these plans are suspended for now.

We are making the best of our time at home by catching up on TV shows, learning new recipes to cook and drinks to make, and getting a backlog of yardwork and home projects done. We are trying to flatten the curve as best we can, and can’t wait for the world to come alive again after this disaster. Instead of winter 2021 babies, we’re planning for spring babies, which isn’t the worst if it works out that way in the end.

Tamara Stephens I am Tamara Stephens. This is my story.

I work as a school bus driver for

Brandon Russett I am Brandon Russett. This is my story.

I graduated high school at 16 years of age, and I always had an interest in the fire department and EMS. I wasn’t old enough to work in the field yet, so I had to wait. I got a job as an electricians helper. One morning while I was at work, I was walking down a driveway. Next thing I know, I am waking up in the back of an ambulance. I was told that I had been hit by a car. I was confused, but remember asking the paramedic questions about his job. After recovering from my injuries I started emergency medical technician (EMT) school at 17.

After graduating I worked for eight years as an EMT, then went on to paramedic school.

I completely love what I do, and I could not have chosen a better career path.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 12 May 8, 2020 Community Strong 11

YOUR VOICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Matt Price I am Matt Price.

This is my story.

I’m an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse and my hospital is the COVID-19 intake center for our regional health system. I’ve only had a few COVID-19 patients; our community has been lucky so far. But as the union president, I have had to fight to protect my nurses, for additional PPE and standards.

I’ve also been blessed to see the community give us words of encouragement and gifts to show their its. Some people have donated face shields and others food. Also, many friends, blood family, and leather family have reached out to make sure I’m staying healthy.

Love, care, and concern for others is alive and well! Despite the tragedies, my belief is that love wins!

Master Inferno (right) My name in the Atlanta leather community is Master Inferno. This is my story.

I am the Deputy Emergancy Management Agency (EMA) Director in Haralson County. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t worked in over a month.

I have personally been responsible for the acquisition of PPE and other safety devices for the hundreds of EMTs, paramedics, police officers, firefighters, and other public safety personnel in Haralson and other counties.

protected when I go out. I don’t take my 5-year-old in places if I don’t have to. I don’t ask family to go in if they’re not needed. I shop to have things last more than a week.

I keep gas in my car more so I don’t have to gas up as often.

I stayed away from our home for two weeks straight and worked 14–16 hour days every night just to ensure my family didn’t get ill.

I don’t get near people who look sick or who are not following the guidelines.

I was asked how COVID-19 has changed my home and work life. This is how I answered.

Home: I pay more attention to coming in with my shoes on and trying to shower before touching my family. I try to not contaminate anyone. I wash my hands more. I clean my room and wash clothes more.

12 Community Strong May 8, 2020

My Career: The pandemic has consumed my work life to the point I dream about it. I have nightmares that I can’t protect my family.

Everyday Life: I don’t go near folks and pick slower times to go to stores. I make sure my family is

I went from working eight hours a day to 14 or more. I went from a five day work week to seven. I work on COVID-19 stuff

daily. I have reports due daily. I’m always looking for PPE for first responders (there is none).

I worry that I will not be able to protect the people that I’m sworn to protect. If I get sick, people could die. I’m constantly looking at news briefs and getting on conference calls. My phone rings nonstop.

I get an average of 30 emails daily or more.

Someone at my job needs something all of the time.

I have had to stay overnights at the fire station instead of my home so that I don’t infect my family. I’ve not hugged my mother in six weeks. I’ve seen my family a total of 10 days in six weeks.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

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May 8, 2020 Ads 13

FEATURE

Dye-hard Fiber Artist Gay-owned Ryan Yarn makes colorful splash in Athens

Clockwise from far left: Gay yarn dyer and knitter Ryan Burke models some of his cowls and shawls, each knit using fiber he dyed for his new brand, Ryan Yarn. The outer-most shawl is designed by fellow out fiber artist Stephen West. Neon rainbow punches on a bright white base make Burke’s “I’m So Gay” yarn colorway stand out and proud on shelves of Revival Yarns in Athens, Georgia. Burke works on a new shawl, knit in three colorways of his handdyed fiber. (Photos by Dallas Anne Duncan)

Dallas Anne Duncan In mid-April, a brand-new locally dyed yarn colorway made its way to the display walls and website of Revival Yarns in Athens Georgia.

The bright white wool yarn is dotted with punches of neon orange, highlighter yellow, lime green and shades of hot pinks and purples, and it’s called “I’m So Gay.” It’s one of the newest creations from out dyer Ryan Burke, and it’s a name and color design that are both quite personal.

“There’s something really soothing about the motions of knitting; of putting your needle into the stitch, wrapping the yarn around and sliding it off,” Burke said. “I also just really love the way knitted fabric feels.”

“I knew I want a white background and I want rainbow speckles because I’m gay and I want rainbows. I just love them,” Burke told Georgia Voice. “The feeling of rainbows, and it’s bright and happy, and it’s representative of a very important aspect of me. If I weren’t gay, I would be a very different person.”

When she moved from home-dyeing to a studio, it was Burke she turned to for suggestions on using and installing a dye cabinet.

Calling the neon-sprinkled white yarn “I’m So Gay” has a dual meaning.

based dyer Kathleen Royston, owner of Republica Unicornia, who Burke called his dyeing “lord and savior.”

“When I see something that makes me happy or is really beautiful, my first reaction is ‘I love it’ and to love things is ‘I’m so gay’ in my mind,” he said. “It does have the dual meanings of gay and happy, but like, I’m gay and I like this.”

“His color sensibility is outstanding and interesting,” Royston said. “I get the sense that he comes at it as a knitter first. The way he dyes yarn, it’s not just going for drama in the skein as you’re doing it, but you’re going to love it every step of the way.”

An eye for color Cara Cannon and Lindsay Woodson, coowners of Revival Yarns, said Ryan Yarn stood out in their shop because of the color palette.

Royston met Burke through a mutual friend, and their friendship is much more than that of an experienced dyer mentoring someone new to the craft.

“Ryan Yarn has been one of our best sellers during the pandemic. We can’t keep it on our shelves,” Cannon said in an email to Georgia Voice. “Besides it being absolutely beautiful, I think our customers love supporting someone they know who lives in the community.”

“He’s been really supportive and instrumental when I was early in the business,” Royston said. “When he started dyeing yarn … I sat him down and answered all of his questions.

Everyone’s work is going to look different, so it seemed weird to me to not share that and help someone else not have to learn the hard way.”

Among his biggest supporters is Atlanta14 Feature May 8, 2020

“He’s a really fantastic knitter, but he’s really personable and he knows everybody. And he’s a dude where there aren’t often dudes, and he’s really warm and funny and thoughtful,” Royston said. “He has this ability to connect people and is really generous with his praise and his time. … When you buy his yarn, you’re getting all of that stuff too. You’re getting him in it.”

Making something beautiful Burke grew up in the Savannah area and moved to Athens in 2014 for college. He was introduced to fiber arts at an early age, but didn’t return to knitting until then.

“I joined UGA’s knitting club,” he said.

“Everyone was knitting all these beautiful cowls and shawls and I was like, ‘I need to get in on this.’”

“In on this,” he got, indeed. Burke completed a slew of pieces and picked up countless stitch techniques.

After graduating from the University of Georgia, Burke worked with a local dyer to learn her craft, and inherited her supplies when she closed up shop. The stars aligned and in January, Ryan Yarn became official.

“Most of the time I figure out what color I’m in the mood to dye that day,” he said. “The names come afterward. They’ll be hanging up to dry in the living room and I usually am just thinking about names.”

The names of his colorways are inspired by music, such as “Future Nostalgia,” a mauve-coral color named for Dua Lipa’s new album, or names with a personal connection. “Sundays at Revival,” a gray yarn flecked with blue and yellow, is named for the beloved couch of those same colors, where Burke and fellow fiber lovers gather for open knitting hours each weekend at the shop.

“I enjoy dyeing the yarn and making something beautiful. I want them to spend hours working with my yarn and making it into something,” Burke said. “As people finish their big sweaters and stuff, it’s a really amazing, really special feeling. Like, I dyed that and somebody made that, and loved it and touched it for 40 hours. It’s wild.”

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FEATURE

Knowing Your COVID-19 Terminology Let’s state the obvious: the world has drastically changed. Only a few months ago, words like coronavirus, social distancing, and N95 were foreign to most of us. Now, in the COVID-19 age, this vocabulary is more important than ever. Keeping yourself safe and healthy means keeping yourself educated, so we’ve compiled a list of the most important coronavirus vocab and what exactly they mean.

Coronavirus

Pandemic

The virus we’re seeing right now is a coronavirus, not the coronavirus. Coronavirus is a family of viruses with crown-like spikes, or coronas, seven of which are known to infect people. SARS CoV2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, was first discovered in December 2019.

Different from an endemic (the expected level of disease that always exists) and epidemic (a sudden increase in cases of a disease), a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents.

COVID-19

Social distancing

COVID-19 is to coronavirus as AIDS is to HIV; it’s the disease caused by the virus. Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever, and shortness of breath.

A way to flatten the curve, social distancing is keeping a physical distance between yourself and others, at least six feet, to prevent spread.

Some grocery stores and other businesses still open have put physical markers down in lines to uphold social distancing protocols.

Asymptomatic

An asymptomatic person is someone that carries the disease but doesn’t show symptoms. While the CDC contends that people are most contagious for COVID-19 when they are most symptomatic, it is still possible to spread the disease even if you’re not exhibiting symptoms. This is why it’s important to wear a mask in public, even if you’re not sick.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE is specialized clothing or equipment used by health care professionals to keep them from getting sick. This includes gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, respirators, goggles, and face shields. Many hospitals have faced shortages in PPE, leaving health care workers at risk.

Flattening the curve

Over time, it is expected that the number of COVID-19 cases will peak before decreasing; however, left unattended that peak will be too high for hospitals to handle.

By flattening the curve, or slowing the spread, we can keep the peak low so hospitals can better manage the demand of infected patients.

16 Feature May 8, 2020

N95 respirator

This is a type of PPE worn on the face. It looks like a surgical mask, but it has a respirator inside that filters out at least 95% of the particles in the air. N95 respirators are only recommended by the CDC for medical professional use.

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FEATURE

COVID-19

By the Numbers Statistics as of May 5; via worldometers.info, Politico, and the AJC TOTAL CASES WORLDWIDE: 3,673,387 TOTAL CASES NATIONWIDE: 1,221,655 TOTAL CASES IN GEORGIA: 29,560 TOTAL DEATHS WORLDWIDE: 253,401 TOTAL DEATHS NATIONWIDE: 70,761 TOTAL DEATHS IN GEORGIA: 1,258 TOTAL TESTS DONE IN GEORGIA: 200,814 U.S.’S WORLDWIDE RANK FOR TOTAL COVID-19 CASES: 1 GEORGIA’S NATIONWIDE RANK FOR COVID-19 INFECTIONS: 12

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May 8, 2020 Feature 17

FEATURE

Technology’s Reshaping of Normalcy Aidan Ivory Edwards

Aidan Ivory Edwards COURTESY PHOTO

My psychotherapist followed up on my assessment results through a Zoom meeting.

This appointment was my third one using a video chat since the city shut down. My doctor thanked me, hoping that this wouldn’t be the new norm. I wanted to thank her— it was convenient—but I thought it’d come off as distasteful. Prior to informing me that my testing exhibited “variegated antisocial behavior,” she asked me how I was handling the social isolation. The thought that it might be a trick question didn’t enter my mind.

YouTube changes lives. Reddit has become a leading resource for direction and comfort for those who are struggling, especially with unemployment services. Users have shared their experiences, guiding strangers through the frustrating process. These acts of kindness were there well before COVID-19; now they are at the forefront.

“I am thoroughly enjoying it,” I said. “It’s like my typical day off.” I am well aware that I prefer my orange tabby’s company over most humans’. Unable to make eye contact through the tiny camera on my laptop, my eyes wandered toward my movement in the corner of the screen. I contemplated my perception of normalcy, knowing my insight is a bit skewed. We should have seen this scenario coming.

The majority of my family and friends are in New York. The week before, my sister messaged me to share that my uncle in New York had caught COVID-19.

It hadn’t been a matter of if the virus was going to hit home; it was when, and here it was. The perturbation of our society’s functioning in the future has been on everyone’s mind. We are, after all, America, a nation that prides itself on being nearly untouchable by plagues, among other events. When Americans were informed that they couldn’t see their friends and family, socialize, and live their day to day life outside of their home, they reached for their electronic devices.

It’s not a new concept, either for work, or to keep in the loop, or for the biased or baseless information found on the internet, or to provide a helping hand. Cellphone-supplied music, movies, television shows, podcasts, and apps have become our narrative on our daily commutes, in the developing or 18 Feature May 8, 2020

to create art but couldn’t find the time now do. They have begun strumming chords on guitars, learning brushstrokes with Bob Ross, taking a shot at the basics of photography, and nailing down furniture like Ron Swanson. It is more than likely that waves of citizens will reinvent the wheel and pursue their passions as a career.

dissolution of relationships, and even in the formation our memories.

any less real. “Black Mirror” has sustained this concept.

An aspect that is changing about normalcy is that we are wholly giving in to the internet’s ability to do anything. The World Wide Web has never been so widely used for learning, escapism, introspection, human connection, human separation, and our well-being as it is now. The internet will affect topics such as working remotely, doctor’s visit, and therapist appointments, leaving office spaces vacant, and how restaurants function. It will decimate certain jobs, leaving office spaces empty, and ultimately close businesses, an outcome all too familiar for shopping malls.

Streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus are experiencing ever higher peaks in volume, serving as background noise in our new lives.

The significant move by the film industry was to fast-forward newly released movies into our own homes through streaming services instead of movie theaters. Theaters have been struggling to adapt since streaming’s arrival.

YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch, and Facebook have livestreams on every useful subject. College lecture halls may never again be at full capacity. There’s a possibility that the majority of the nation will enroll in online courses. Musicians have been livestreaming performances and giving their proceeds to charities, despite their financial struggle due to tour cancellations—the primary source of their income.

The functionality of social distancing has further seeped into the world of socializing, providing us the ability to have virtual happy hours. You can share drinks with strangers in the safety of your home, leaving the existence of bars in question. The physical absence of people is inarguably straining— but connecting digitally does not make it

The desperate times have rekindled the creativity in many. Those who’ve wanted

The abyss of the dark web can outweigh the web’s kindness. One click can lead to a lengthy thread embracing violence, misogyny, homophobia, and racism that leaves you in despair. It can make it feel like we are caught in the middle of hail fire, a civil war with the internet as the battleground.

With organized protests with ominous names such as “Operation Gridlock,” citizens have been demanding to go back to work because they’re “unwillingly” on unemployment.

It is a reminder that capitalism is etched into the American mentality. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms recently quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. over Twitter: “Conscientious stupidity or sincere ignorance.” This wise choice of words was directed in reply to an unknown number that had texted Bottoms and her son, using a racial epithet and demanding the re-opening of Atlanta after the mayor made the (right) decision to oppose Governor Brian Kemp’s re-opening of the state.

It can feel dystopian, as if reality has taken on the role of a Phillip K. Dick novel—but this isn’t a dystopia, it is a paradigm shift.

We can only maintain our composure for the safety of our loved ones and others we encounter, and accept that we are in the midst of a societal evolution. Stay home if possible, stay protected when you need to go out, and crash a virtual happy hour.

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Everyone Has a Story LI

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Become A Community Reporter, Tell Us Your Story • What's happening in your neighborhood?

• Are you a first responder? Health care worker? Other essential worker?

• How you are coping with isolation?

• Are you working from home?

• How is that going?

• Kids at home?

• Have you lost your job? Your business?

• Are you and your neighbors or friends helping others?

• Working at a food pantry? Making masks?

• Watching news all day or shutting it down?

Email us your story. Include a photo if you want. Let us know if you want your name included and please let us know what part of the city you are in. Don't worry about grammar or spelling, we can fix it.

Submit to: Tim Boyd Publisher@thegavoice.com We need to hear from one another. You can do that by sharing your story.

Help keep us:

OMMUNITY STI

JIM FARMER ACTING OUT

“Beauty and the Baker” Proves to Be Most LGBTQ-Friendly Show on TV Based on the popular Israeli series, “Beauty and the Baker,” ABC’s new show, “The Baker and the Beauty,” has proved to be one of the most LGBTQfriendly shows on TV. It’s a charming series with an appealing ensemble, and its pilot episode was shot largely in Atlanta.

The cast was back in town recently for Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)’s aTVfest.

“The Baker and the Beauty” centers on bluecollar baker Daniel Garcia (Victor Rasuk), who works at his family’s business, who turns down his girlfriend’s marriage proposal and begins an improbable relationship with supermodel Noa Hamilton (Nathalie Kelley).

Belissa Escobedo plays Natalie, Daniel’s younger sister, who is realizing she is attracted to women. In the May 4 episode, titled “I Think She’s Coming Out,” Natalie officially comes out to her family.

From left: Michelle Veintimilla, Belissa Escobedo, Lisa Vidal, Carlos Gómez, Victor Rasuk, Nathalie Kelley, David Del Rio, and Dan Bucatinsky star in “Beauty and the Baker”. (Publicity photo)

The actress describes Natalie as someone who is compassionate, strong-willed and very blunt. “She uses all of those to the best of her ability,” Escobedo says. “She is a clever girl.

I think initially the brother has some inkling about her but I think for the parents it’s a big shock. Things become a bit more challenging after she comes out. There is a lot of confusion as the family is processing it.”

Bucatinsky, who has been partnered with director Don Roos for 28 years and married for 12 of them, was part of the ensemble of “Scandal,” for which he won an Emmy Award. He credits that series, as well as “The Baker and the Beauty,” for being daring in its LGBTQ content. His character, James Novak, was the husband of Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry). “That show raised the bar,” Bucatinsky says.

The actress, who describes herself as pansexual, was excited about the role, especially since characters such as Natalie rarely appear on TV. “The Baker and the Beauty” was the third pilot she auditioned for, and she was not aware of the Israeli version. Even after she nabbed the role, she didn’t want to watch that version and influence her interpretation.

Out actor Dan Bucatinsky stars as Lewis, Noa’s gay manager. One of the appeals for the performer was the fact that the show had such depth, including several three-dimensional 20 Columnist May 8, 2020

LGBT characters. “It is a romantic comedy but at the heart it’s a family show,” he says.

“The 15-year-old daughter is dealing with her own identity and sexuality. You don’t see that in an ABC drama that often.”

He immediately empathized with the character of Lewis. “There was something fun, unedited, aggressive and protective about him that I responded to,” he said. “Lewis comes across a bit like Ari in ‘Entourage,’ so director David Frankel and I talked about the potential of exploring that show businessy vibe. He has an aggressive, take-no-prisoners side but there’s another side that is pure dad. I call him a ‘momager.’ He is as close to a parent that Noa is able to have. There is something sweet about that. I think his humanity is much more present in the American version.”

Over the course of the first season, we learn more about Lewis and his relationship with Noa—and his own reluctance to date, almost burying himself in his work.

The actor was also in Atlanta to film “24:

Legacy,” so he is comfortable in the city.

“The Baker and the Beauty” finishes its first season in late May. Usually by this time of year, network shows know whether they are returning next season. Because of the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, the cast and crew will have to wait a little longer, but they are hopeful and feel there is much more to tell.

MORE INFO “The Baker and the Beauty” airs Mondays at 10pm on ABC

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CLIFF BOSTOCK EATING MY WORDS

Takeout Standouts:

Little Bear and Talat Market You have probably noticed that Atlanta restaurant owners have for the most part not accepted Governor Kemp’s invitation to sicken and kill their staffs and customers by prematurely reopening. Somehow, they didn’t choose to be President Trump’s stooge’s stooges. But there’s good news: You can pick up excellent, multicourse meals to go for bargain prices at two new, longawaited restaurants.

I’m talking about Little Bear and Talat Market. Both got their starts as three-day popups at Gato in Candler Park. Both became wildly popular for their novel, locally sourced cooking. Chefs at both were nominated for prestigious James Beard awards. Both have now opened small restaurants seating 25 or so customers in Summerhill, the neighborhood adjacent to Grant Park where the old Turner Field is located.

Although I have great familiarity with Talat’s cuisine, I have only been able to score a meal at Little Bear. The chef there, Jarrett Stieber, is the ultimate aesthete who loves irony.

The window of the restaurant proclaims that it has won 2.5 stars from Michelin Tire Dining, satirizing the borderline-pretentious Michelin Guide, whose rating stars have long been coveted in the same way Gov. Kemp desires pats on the head from his orange idol.

Stieber’s multicourse meals are meant for sharing, like families do, prompting him to subtitle his menu, “Just F*ck Me Up, Fam.” Of course, the other side of the irony is that while he satirizes the world of fine dining, he’s actually been nominated for that James Beard award. So, this is fine dining that’s affordable and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Although I don’t like using this dated term, his work probably qualifies as “tweezer food.” That is food chefs arrange with such meticulous, obsessive detail, they use surgical tweezers.

It’s not just about gorgeous visuals, though.

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Assorted entrées from Little Bear PHOTOS BY CLIFF BOSTOCK

Stieber places ingredients on the plate—or takeout box!—in such a way that you don’t have a choice about the subtle collision of flavors. This is all the more impressive when you realize he and his associate chefs don’t create recipes in advance. They go to the markets, buy whatever blazing-fresh produce and proteins they can find, and then dream up recipes that might be altogether new or fascinating riffs on themed classics.

The theme of my meal was Spanish, one of my favorite cuisines since I used to spend a lot of time in Southern Spain. It was seven courses for $55 for two people (Stieber has cut courses to five, but quantity of food

and price remain the same). Among the dishes was a rectangular tortilla made with baked eggs and turnips under a “ropa vieja sauce” and “an egregious amount of olive oil.” Never in a million years would I think to anoint a tortilla with a meaty red-wine gravy based on Cuban ropa vieja. Another dish combined regional Spanish meatballs weirdly hiding the roasted green onions that are an obsession of the same region. Stieber turned the usual red sauce green. There was a fiery fennel soup made with red peas, a salad of gem lettuce with dill, radishes, and a sheep’s milk cheese; almond cake, and an anise-spiked cookie popular during holidays in Spain. An unbelievable value.

Talat’s menu so far has cost $50 for six dishes for two. Chef/co-owners Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter prepare Thai food unlike any you’ve ever tasted. It’s based on traditional techniques and flavors, but is often off-thewall, taking Thai to Georgia and back again.

If I ever score a meal, I’ll say more.

(Little Bear, 71-A Georgia Avenue SE, 404-500-5396, littlebearatl.com; Talat Market, 112 Ormond Street SE, 404257-6255, talatmarketatl.com. Both open Wednesday through Sunday for evening pickup. For menus and ordering details, check their websites and Instagram pages, @littlebearatl and @talat_marketatl.)

May 8, 2020 Columnist 21

RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’

New Normal, New You? Since mid-March, I’ve felt a bit guilty anytime I write a social media post that doesn’t make my friends cum. While many might cringe at my raunchy homosexual schtick during ordinary times, I’ve hoped my one-liners about monster dicks and seniorcitizen sex have stroked orgasms of normality out of our flaccid way of life.

I’ve tried to avoid contributing to the deluge of political posts during this pandemic, mainly because my considerations of the possibilities that await our country are darker and more twisted than 90 percent of Netflix documentaries (see below). Despite my overall pessimism, I’ve believed that regardless of their misjudgments or dumbfounding strategies, most officials in both parties— with the glaring exception of the doofus who wondered if we could shock and awe people’s lungs with antiseptics and UV rays—are responding to unprecedented dilemmas as best they know how.

I can’t suspend disbelief enough to pretend the politicians I voted for would’ve been able to keep people from dying or the globe from deflating. While some conservatives have failed to quarantine their stupidity, it feels equally foolhardy for liberals to treat every development of every day as an affirmation of their preexisting policy beliefs (and that includes Bernie Sanders supporters who played told-ya-so regarding universal health care).

I’ve never lived during a plague where I could kill my grandmother with a hug; or in a society where the government puts everyone in timeout indefinitely; or in an economy where money is nakedly imaginary; or in a political order where young black folks at the West End Mall are in behavioral solidarity with armed militias in Idaho. As firmly, aggressively confident as I am in the wisdom life has instilled in me, I won’t assume my knowledge is seamlessly applicable in a world none of us recognizes.

My first break from my prior convictions 22 Columnist May 8, 2020

came in my gratitude for Donald Trump being president when the crisis began. I shudder thinking about how the group of Americans whose existence revolves around revolvers, AR-15s and their hatred of government would’ve reacted to Hillary Clinton telling folks they couldn’t leave their homes or go to church for a month.

While the predictability of Trump’s incompetence and ignorance make them no less lethal, his presence has delayed the “patriot” movement from exploiting the societal and economic disorder that has been the temptress in their wet dreams for the past 40 years. I do not expect these fanatics to let this opportune uncertainty pass without further agitating their cause, or doubt that a desperate Trump will eventually harness the white supremacy that is as much a pillar of their movement as the second amendment.

I have little faith our society will return to any type of “normal” less fractured and flammable than it was before COVID-19 arrived, and this crisis could even burn the red/blue, black/white, conservative/liberal playbook that often reads like “Politics for Dummies.” I have even less hope we can reach a new normal before violence overtakes illness as our primary health concern.

So you can understand why I stick to jokes about double-penetration and bottoming for Megan Thee Stallion on social media, not wanting to incite the second civil war or mass suicide among people I love. My most calming comforts for the past few weeks have been sexual humor and the certainty that I could be wrong.

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