THE FRONT PORCH PROJECT - together in social distance:
Through The Front Porch Project, we photographed the connection between families and their loved ones on their front porches (maintaining a safe distance of six feet), during the time of COVID social distancing. We sent out a message of positivity and most importantly, created awareness towards the current homelessness crisis. Our front doors maybe closed but our hearts are open. We are #strongertogether.
HomeFront is seeking donations to help with rent assistance. If this project has inspired you and these stories spoke to you then please consider a donation towards HomeFront. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps. We are so grateful to all our clients, followers and friends who continue to open their hearts, minds and purses at this time. If you are reading this as of May 27th, you have contributed the following towards our goal of $5,000 for HOMEFRONT:
This project is now closed. Scroll below to view portraits and read the stories of the people who participated in The Front Porch Project:
THE PATEL FAMILY
We wrapped up the Front Porch Project by highlighting The Patel family. Jatin Patel, Kapu Patel, Meghnee Patel and Lakshay live in three different cities. The four of them usually only come together during certain long weekends or holidays so this was after a long time that all of them came together as a family for such an extended period of time. They also had their friend's son, Rohan, living with them during the time. They were all working during the day time with each of them settled in their own corners with their desks and set ups, but they gathered around during meal times and ate together everyday. Jatin said how everyone maintained their sense of humor which was very important because they all got on each other's nerves at times! Together they went through ups and downs - a deeply personal loss with Jatin's mom's passing and a celebration with Lakshay's college selection.
Meghnee spoke about how nice it was to be home after six years, to chill in her downtime and to be together. She enjoyed playing Scrabble with her dad and Facetiming with cousins.
Her message to those who are in a similar situation like her and back home after many years - is to hold on to your routine. She said it's important to take the time to do things for yourself that you would normally do in your regular circumstances.
Lakshay had to make a decision about his college without having the chance to visit the college and he navigated through it all with quiet introspection and his parents complete faith and support. He told me how grateful he is now for the things that we otherwise take for granted and how after all this blows over, it will feel like a nice breath of fresh air. He said, "the little things that we don't have because we are locked down right now will be so much more exciting and my advice would be to look forward to those moments!" Talking about his grandmother's passing he said being with family by his side, he had a chance to reminisce in a positive way, and he remembered the small things that were forgotten over the years, like how his Baa liked adding salt to the watermelon juice!
Jatin told me there were moments where things were not working out but what kept them going was to make sure sure that they didn't let those moments dictate what happens the rest of the time. He said his biggest regret was not being able to be with his mom as she was spending her last few days, and that was really difficult. There were downers there, but then you have things to celebrate as well. "COVID took her but COVID also brought us all together during this difficult time." Jatin said and "it only reinforced the notion that we have a limited time around loved ones and we have to make the most of it."
Jatin's silver lining through this was sitting in the backyard having his cup of tea and enjoying quiet moments with family.
RYAN
We felt like we were in a White House Briefing when we spoke with 8-year-old Ryan. Here’s how our conversation went:
R: Why do you want to do this?
KPP: We take your portraits and share your thoughts and inspire people to donate to a homeless shelter.
R: Ok, so what is the question?
KPP: So how is it staying at home?
R: It was hard at first but now I am getting used to doing the work without distraction, next question?
KPP: So what do you love about it?
R: I am reading books on EPIC and now I am at level 16, top of my class (Go, R!), next question?
KPP: What else do you like to do?
R: I love playing on my playset in the back yard. Next question?
KPP: What else did you do?
R: I helped my dad build a vegetable patch, painted it all blue, now wait, teal. I shoveled and moved dirt around. I planted a lot of veggies. Next question?
KPP: What do want to share with other kids your age?
R: Keep on working. Don’t give up. It will get easier!!
HILLARY
Hillary Shulman Spivak brings her optimism and bright light into any room she walks into. And since this project is all about sharing how we are all adjusting to this new normal with a positive attitude, I just had to pull up to Hillary’s porch as a surprise and ask her to share her thoughts with us. "It has been wonderful to 'Shelter in Place' in Lambertville. It's a beautiful town with wonderful people! I'm hopeful that the business and restaurants will be strong enough to make it through this unusual time.
I'm sending healthy, positive thoughts and virtual hugs from my porch!"
SWATI
This has been an unusual time for the entire world, but more so for Swati and Josiah, as they are going to be parents soon. Managing a quarantine pregnancy has challenges and especially since Swati is an essential worker. As a Paediatric Pharmacist, she needs to go into work everyday and now works even longer shifts than usual. Our heartfelt gratitude to Swati who as a front line worker, is keeping us all safe, protected and supported.
Swati told me how crazy and special this time has been for them. She needs to go into hospital every day while Josiah, a Scientist, is now working from home.
Her much longer hours with 10.5-hour-shift days and working every other weekend has been very taxing and she sees a lot less of Josiah. But in their free time together, they are very active and go walking around the lake in their neighborhood.
Josiah is very proud of Swati and the work she does, but at the same time worries about the risk of exposure. It took him some adjustment to get used to working from home but he has now settled into the new normal. He's also happy he gets to see the neighbors a lot more now.
Swati said how this time has shown everyone solidarity, in how as a community we can come together. People have slowed down, rekindled their old interests, and realised how you can make everything fit in the day. She said how despite everything that is going on, we as a community have done a great job flattening the curve, and she's so proud to be a part of mercer county.
Josiah's message to everyone out there is to keep your head up and to keep safe.
REBECCA
Rebecca and her husband, Ethan, and their 10-month-old daughter, Ella, originally live in New York city and they have moved into Ethan's parents home in Princeton during this time.
Rebecca told me that Ethan and she grew up in the Princeton area and went to school here. Family has always been important but having a strong support system during this stressful time and to be in a beautiful place where they grew up has given her a sense of peace.
Ethan said NY being the epicenter of this pandemic, they feel very lucky that they are able to be here during this time, even though they still very much feel like they are New Yorkers! And seeing Ella thrive here has been great!
For Rebecca's mother-in-law, Tamerra, having a full house and watching her son as a husband and a new father has been great! She said there's a feeling of such juxtaposition, in that she worries about the world pandemic but just loves every moment with the family! She loves having Ella in the house who is so joyful and responsive.
Everyone is open and considerate and expressive in what their needs are. Rebecca often cooks, Tamerra bakes fresh bread and Ethan and James help with the clean up. Rebecca's father-in-law, James, is a neuroscientist and has been working from home. He's the laundry man of the house right now! Tamerra laughed at how very precise he is and how everything gets washed at the right temperature with the right detergent!
James' message to everyone is: "Define what your silver lining is and enjoy that. We will all live through this. Define what joy there is out there and make the most of it."
DIANA
This has been an unusual time for the entire world, but more so for Diana and David as they are soon to be parents.
Managing a quarantine pregnancy has challenges. They told me how scary it was initially, even getting Dr's appointments was difficult in the beginning but Diana said how she told herself to stay positive through it all and everything turned out well. This time has given her a chance to slow down, pause and to take it all in. She was very sad initially to be separated from family and friends but on the positive note, there is so much more time to have an intimate experience with her husband. David mentioned how people are always checking in on them and they stay in touch a lot more often now. Their community is so checked in and it has shown them how many people really cared.
Diana's message to everyone out there is - "A lot of what is going on in the world right now is out of everyone's control but when you finally come to terms with it, you can make the best of it. And that's when things fall into place. We only have so much time in this world to begin with, so make the most of it. Time flies and it's so true. So take advantage of this pause and appreciate it. Enjoy this monumental moment."
David said how this is our generation's viral war. And now that we are all separated from people, take this opportunity to really spend time with your significant other. Once this over we will return to routine, to normalcy, and for David and Diana, they will return to being new parents! David mentioned how they both empower each other. They are so opposite but built into one superhuman, and now a person-and-a-half!
It was so much fun photographing them, along with their dog, Levi!
ALPIN
Alpin and her husband have been doing a lot of things with their three adorable kids (aged six years, two years and four-and-a-half months) that they normally don't get a chance to do. The kids are huge animal lovers and so a lot of time is spent looking for bugs in their backyard creek, along with reading a lot together and playing board games.
Alpin is a speech pathologist and is the founder of Princeton Playspace, an indoor playspace. She says even though they are closed they continue being involved by doing a FB Live everyday at 3 PM that keeps the children motivated and entertained.
Her message to everyone out there is that every single person in the community has something specific to offer. What a beautiful community we live in and there is so much to learn from each other. Try and look for the silver lining in everything, there are always positives to everything. People might panic at such a time but if we all just took the time to look - the sun is shining!
I loved how the little one kept looking at the dad. She is truly daddy's little girl!
KAREN
Karen and her husband have been cherishing their home that they built together and taking walks in their backyard forest for the first time. They even discovered new beautiful walking / hiking trails around Mercer County and have been focusing on photography again.
Karen said how the simple things seem extra special like the morning cup of coffee and hot dinners! Together they are spending quality time with each other - cooking, cleaning, and doing household projects, they visit their 98-year-old father every week and bring homemade food and groceries, they now talk with their children 24/7.
The Laubs have been spreading kindness all around them. To help others around them they offer grocery shopping. They have founded a new company with their children to design and manufacture low cost, easy-to-use ventilators for COVID-19 and future pandemics!
The Laubs want to let everyone know how forever grateful they are to those who are caring and supporting the community during this pandemic. They support Homefront, not only for the families it benefits but for their dedicated staff and volunteers. When I went to photograph them, they had a banner out that conveyed gratitude to the essential and front line workers.
THE PAHADE FAMILY
In particular, we loved connecting with the high school senior Raina.
Raina spoke about how initially disappointed she was but this time has provided an opportunity of spending a lot of time with family that wouldn't have been possible earlier. She realized how much she valued school, more than she thought! But for her it's the little things in re connection with the family that has been helpful.
Mom, Soni, wanted a movie night and instead of just sitting and watching movies on the couch together, Raina created a whole theater experience complete with printed movie tickets. She is enjoying spending time with her younger sister by baking together, laughing at random things, looking at phones together. She also knows how much her younger sister values her advice on friends and how to navigate through high school (since her sister is a freshman).
Amongst many things, Raina advised her sister to always feel confident in her academic abilities and to never hesitate to ask for help.
She is enjoying dad's cooking every night and bonding with him and her sister over tennis - Raina's silver lining through all this has been to connect with each family member individually and that wouldn't have happened before under regular circumstances.
MEG
When I went to photograph Meg and her husand Jack, in their driveway was a huge pile of cut wood. Jack has a great sense of humor and he told me that he chopped all the wood by himself and sewed the flag by himself and that he is a fabulous chef! Now which do you think are the truths in that statement?
I felt a very strong sense of gratitude after I spoke with Meg and Jack. They feel extremely grateful and blessed for their continued work and for the home that allows them to be safe and sheltered given the current circumstances. They have both known each other for a long while and understand each other very well, Jack knows bringing a cup of coffee to Meg in the mornings makes her day brighter. They both told me how much they love eating and how they have been cooking a lot recently. Their styles of cooking vary greatly though - from homey to Michelin!
Meg's message to everyone is to touch base with people, especially from a mental health perspective.
Jack emphasised on how we should all be grateful for what we have and how during this time more people are reaching out - external family, friends. "We have virtual happy hours. We often forget our friends and people that we love, outside our home and I think what this time has done is that it has brought people outside our home virtually inside our home. That makes one feel closer, feel wanted and cared for. This holds true for all of society." He reminded me of the recent Andrea Bocelli concert and said how it just went on to show his great love for his country, for God and it touched so many millions of people.
SOMANI
It was fun photographing Somani's family, her adorable kids stood out in identical shirts with letters we all need to hear right out: "Radiate Positive Energy".
When I spoke with Somani she told me how as a family they have been spending time having board game nights, movie nights. There is less running around now and she has been spending more time with kids teaching them art and cooking. She also told me how challenging it is managing more household chores, there is more cooking, more dishes to clean.
I spoke with one of Somani's kids briefly and he told me how he has more time to play with Legos now!
Somani's message to everyone is: "Stay happy. Stay positive. This will be over soon." And in the meantime, we think a lesson we learnt from Somani is to look at the positive side of things and make the most of what you can do - spend time together and make jalebis (an Indian sweet deep fried and soaked in syrup)!
LORI
So how about this silver lining? Lori and Mark's dog, Mr Leo, is now in great shape! It's all those long walks they are taking with him.
Mark was used to working long hours and a lot of travel, including a couple of nights away a week. Being home every single night and not in a hotel somewhere is a blessing. This new normal has been both stressful and not stressful. He misses seeing and interacting with people at work. Mark's words: “Yes it is work but they are my community too".
Mark's message to everyone is that it's important to to think about others at this time. He says the takeaway from this time will be that we will learn not to be so self-serving.
Lori added "just seeing each other now has been nice” especially now that she works from home. She also has a new appreciation for Mark's "work from home" routine. The myth of working from home means grocery runs and picking up dry cleaning is so busted! All those who work from home are on their desks and come out either at lunch or end of the day.
Lori reminds us all to find connection at this time.
ERIKA
"The pink moon shone in the night sky.
It was huge, giving off a halo of light that made the world flush with a tinted glow.
It was yellow, the color of parchment paper and vanilla blossoms.
It was covered in spots of ivory and brown.
The clouds in the sky seemed to part, making way for it to shine down on the people below."
- Akhila - 13; She wrote this poem the same day we photographed the family.
Erika and her family are very special to us. Not only are they wonderful friends but we have had the previlege to photograph them almost every year so when they signed up I really got excited about it.
With a younger family with full schedule of activities and many work weeks in travel, Erika mentioned how this time has really been a pause for all of them. And as most other families, they are doing a lot more things together. When we pulled up to the front of their home, the most telling were the beautiful moments between Dad and son by the basketball hoops, Mom and little princess (and she wore her sparkly dress just for us) hanging out but the blooming tulips they had planted in fall. And the poet and the reader, 13 year old Akhila was sitting reading her book.
Akhila is right..."the clouds will part".
SHIVANI
As a dance teacher whose work requires her to be physically present alongside her students, Shivani, has now completely changed her working style and learnt patience dealing with the day-to-day challenges of technology, the time lag, etc.
Shivani's dad is a collector of world experiences and loves sharing his travel stories. "Life finds a way," he said "and we will all get through this." He wants to go backpacking after this is all over! Shivani's lovely mom says she's just happy to have Shivani at home now. "Focus on being healthy, happy and be with people you love." she said.
Shivani had a very powerful message to share with everyone: "Being focussed in your present is important when the future is uncertain. Focusing on how do I get by on a day-to-day, week-by-week basis will bring a feeling of normalcy. Stay apart but provide each other the emotional and mental support. You can't get through something like this without the support of people in your life.”
For the future, she looks forward to getting a puppy (that will be a brand new addition to the family) after this is over!
ANGIE
Meet the Chrichtons. I have known the kids since their primary school days. Our kids are now all grown up, and Angie and I continue with our own wine luck with our friends. It was a pure delight to photograph them!
This family has a class of 2020 high school senior. Aidan says "having gone through the hard part of the senior year, I was looking forward to my Disney trip, Prom and generally hanging out with my friends”. All those things are now cancelled or nearly cancelled. Aidan realizes the value of physically hanging out with friends which is far more special than electronic communication. The silver lining through this tough year for him is spending time with the whole family before he heads off to college. Something he may not have had a chance to do.
Angie says there was very little downtime before. All six of them were never together. Angie is now bonding with her kids over music in car rides, playing basketball and board games. Next year all four kids will be moving in different directions so this is a good pause for them. The current crisis has driven the importance of frequent check-ins with her own siblings.
David's advice to all the folks who are new to work from home is to: “talk more, do less texting and emailing”.
VANESSA
As a single mom, Vanessa has been reaching out to neighbors and friends and long phone conversations ensue which make her feel less alone. Her son, Luke, is a senior and will soon be headed to college. He is one of the lucky few that got a chance to visit the college that he is now headed to. His advice to other seniors is: "Make sure to stay motivated during this time, plan and structure your day."
As a mom of a senior in high school I can relate to Vanessa in many ways. An empty nest awaits but much greater is the feeling of pride to see my little one fly away. Vanessa reminds us all to not only stay connected with family but also with their neighbors and friends and to check in on them, especially during these times when loneliness can be pretty daunting. A kind word, a little hello and a smile goes a long way.
PRISKA
Priska told me how much she's loving and enjoying this pause and making the best of it.This, she says, is the first time an opportunity like this to connect like this and spend time together. Their kids are spending more time with each other - talking to each other, playing Uno, basketball, video games, and reading Bible stories. They help with cleaning the house, doing the dishes, cooking and laundry.
The kids, Priska said, are discovering Indian food (like bhel puri, pani puri and all kinds of chaat), along with even learning to speak in Hindi. Priska said how it was so busy earlier with the kids' classes and schedules. Everyone ran on different schedules earlier and after a long time they now have the time to make jokes and be playful with each other. "We are connecting with each other. There is no pressure, no constraints."
Earlier all of them would eat their dinner at a different time but now they are eating their dinners together and they love playing Uno together as a family. The kids are happy and they have a lot to talk about during dinner.
Her message to everyone is: "Spend time with each other. Take advantage of this time being home and being with each other this way. Take a look at things that you might have missed out on earlier, because of work and career pressures. Take a pause. Spend time with your kids, and with your spouse."
ASHLEIGH
Ashleigh and her husband, Brandon, are both working full time and trying to manage work life balance with their two daughters and a little boy. Their three adorable kids were so delightful to photograph! I especially loved how each of the two older siblings wanted to hold the baby for the photo!
Ashley mentioned how having the day care closed brings in extra challenge because work is still work. However, she is also observing how her daughters spend their day and enjoys spending time with them. It was also so wonderful to have Ashleigh participate in this beautiful cause of ours, since she is a photographer herself. I feel it just goes to show how we can all support each other in times like these and be there for the community.
Brandon said he has a new appreciation of how Ashley juggles everything. In this time of work from home with young ones around, the day can get crazy. Brandon’s message to everyone is: “Read the body language of your partner. They may not say it but they may need some help. Support them."
Such powerful words, we think.
VANESSA
Vanessa told me how her husband, Mike, and she are both working full-time while taking care of their almost 5-yr-old. They go out for walks outside when the weather is nice. Their families live close by but they are still missing each other so there has been a lot of Facetiming. Despite being separated they have all grown closer.
Vanessa mentioned how they have all come together and watched the community come together. She said she is keeping newspapers to show her daughter when she grows up for her to see. Vanessa said "how now more than ever family is important and community is important and when times are tough people come together."
Mike reflected upon how much appreciation he has for how society runs and how everyone plays their part in some way, shape or form. "Everyone is relevant. There is appreciation all around for the structure of society and how important we all are to keep the work going around." he said.
ERIN
"I'm grateful that I have time for myself, to do professional development that I never have time to do. I'm making mediation more of a regular practice now. I'm doing things that keep me mentally stimulated. This is an opportunity to be aware of how we are spending our time and what we are doing. This is an opportunity to practise the skills that we are going to need to be resilient, this is an opportunity for resilience." Erin told me how frequent video conferencing and using technology has helped her to stay connected with people. She's been FaceTiming her family and friends and attending virtual happy hours! "Technology becomes your lifeline." she said.
As a message for other single people like herself, she drew references from one of her recent meditative forms and said accepting the idea of being permanent, while the situation around us is so temporary, has been grounding her. "This is going to pass, whether or not we remain the same. This has the potential to be a transformative period in our society, in our individual lives. A lot of spiritual growth can come from this. There is also a sort of a beauty in being single at this time and being able to focus on things that matter to me."
ERIN
We were so honored when Erin and Pete sent in their interest to participate. Pete is on the front lines right now and we are so grateful that he made the time for us. Thank you, Pete! You have all our gratitude!
Erin is currently working from home and hence gets to spend a lot of her time with her soon-to-be-4 twin boys. She is enjoying how similar they are and yet very different! While one of them has been very calm through this, the other one is struggling a little bit and finding this a challenging transition.
As a parent of little kids, she wants to let families with young children know that, "We need to remember they are kids, they are learning who they are. And then adding this on top. I have no expectations that they are going to comprehend what this actually means and so everything that I'm trying to exhibit is PATIENCE and BEING PRESENT. Not having any anger at what we are doing. Just spend more time with them. I want them to feel heard." she said.
While I spoke with Erin and Pete, their twins also joined in the conversation and cheerfully said hi to "Mommy's friend, Kapu!" They even mentioned how one of them was playing with a race car, while the other one was holding Lego trucks. For me that was the best part of this call!
Pete's message for us all is that there is light at the end of the tunnel and he tells us all to remain positive. He urges people to follow the rules."Stay in your homes, please listen to the advice of the CDC, local health departments and local governments.”
SUSAN
Susan and I have known each other through my son for a few months now. She told me how disorienting and distracted a time this has been for her recently. "I'm a huggy person and with permission, I like to give my students hugs and I can't do that. Virtual hugs are not the same."
For someone whose work solely was done by in-person interaction, Susan had to shift her way of working. She is learning new platforms, more about technology and has come to respect technology in how she teaches her students. Susan proudly told me how she has a new appreciation for her children and how patient they have been, and how they have been helping her all along the road. "They have a reservoir of tolerance and patience and they have been very responsive and absolutely wonderful! It was a gift to me in realizing that my kids were even bigger than I thought they were. When they knew what I really needed in this moment and time (because this is different from any moment), they came through! Unexpectedly this crisis made me realize that."
I personally think that her releasing this about her children and passing on this thought to me is so powerful. It reminds us all as parents to pause, listen and to understand our own kids better.
LISA
Lisa introduced herself as a "spreader of optimism", and it felt as if I had known her. We even asked each other if we had, in fact, met before! We hadn’t, but now we will have that coffee once we are all out and about. Lisa joyfully told me how she always had a wonderful relationship with her three children as far back as she could remember. Lisa's son and daughter are with her right now and her third kid is currently bound in Philly. She mentioned how they are supporting each other, everyone is lending a hand, pitching in, contributing and enjoying their time together. "My children and I have an extraordinary relationship!” Lisa told me and her kids refer her to her as a Queen, from their childhood memorabilia. So for the photograph, I just asked the kids to kiss the Queen!
Her message to everyone out there in this situation and thinking of reinventing themselves or their business - "You will find an upside to the downside as long as you are willing to look for it. We have an opportunity to be together in ways that we normally are not. I look at it as a gift. This is happening to everybody. There is no guilt. The playing field is level here. Everyone is slowed down. This is an opportunity for us all to be more alike than different. And I think we are more alike than different anyway so I like that. It's us. Everybody has space and it's good to breathe in that space."
TEJINDER
Tejinder's voice had so much optimism and positivity when I spoke to her. She is blessed that her extended family lives in the neighborhood and they are all here living next door to each other. Despite that they are socially distancing and not getting together like they used to earlier. They continue to be a part of each other's lives nonetheless by talking to each other from a safe distance.
She told me how awesome her mom is as she brings her chai in the mornings and helps keep an eye on the kids as Tejinder is working from home now.
"Before all this, I wasn't seeing my kids as much. It was work, dinner, shower, sleep and repeat. We were running around constantly. But now we are walking outside and talking. My daughter makes me exercise with her, and that makes her happy. That makes me happy! I'm holding that happy thought in my heart and that thought was disappearing slowly in our busy routine lives. We are truly together in social distance. Emotionally together. I'm also reconnecting with my cousins after so many years. We haven't connected like this since 2002. That lost connection has now come back."
Tejinder's cousin, Raja, who is visiting from India is now staying with them until this thing blows over.
Raja had just arrived here to research the opportunities presented to the Indian American Diaspora for a project and before he could even start with it, Covid-19 changed the trajectory. He decided to stay put and follow the guidelines. "Because it's the right thing to do for everyone else”, he said. He is grateful that he has his cousin here and he has a home where he can be comfortable.
SUMEDHA
Sumedha told me how all their plans got affected with the new situation - she was due to visit India to celebrate her parents' 50th anniversary end of next month, a celebration that was going to be a family reunion and had been in the works for about two years now. Not just that, but plans to even get their puppy Skye's already overdue haircut got cancelled!
Time seems to have slowed down for them and she is watching both her kids connect on so many levels, whether it is them playing board games like Monopoly with American cities or how her younger one is motivating and pushing her brother to improve his sprint time by timing him and giving him "motivational" speeches. Meanwhile older brother is teaching some cool basketball moves!
Sumedha's husband told me how he is spending time with the kids now. "A lot more than expected! I'm now able to watch the kids more. It takes a lot more to keep them busy, engaged and entertained. I have so much appreciation for teachers now and I truly admire their passion." Sumedha also said how even the teachers have been more concerned about wellness than the assignments.
Her daughter told me how they have been baking cookies, experimenting with almond flour and using orange zest and coconut. So much more than just a standard cookie!
Bailur family's message - Less is more. You don't have to do everything for your kids to excel. Just keep them in things that they truly enjoy and look forward to doing! Don't strain yourself. Don't get consumed by the social media. Sit back and take only the relevant information.
ERICA
"During times of crisis you like to be with your family. It's been so rewarding to see how my boys interact with their partners. They have excellent relationships and they are very respectful towards the women in their lives. They work well together." Erica said proudly. Erica's two sons and their girlfriends from the city moved in with Erica as soon as this crisis began. Erica told me how it has been both challenging and rewarding having all of them together under one roof. Six of them and their two dogs. When I went to photograph Erica's family, I asked them all to hug each other. Erica's son's girlfriend leaned in close to Erica and hugged her. That in itself is a testament to how Erica and her family have connected with each other. When asked about the magic that made it all work, she laughed and said that it was still very much a work in progress! She thoughtfully added, "Flexibility and respect. We are six people and we have one-and-a-half bath. It's six of us in a small space so we all have to be flexible with each other's needs. In terms of being respectful towards each other - Well, we have set up a system where each pair prepares a meal a day, a night time meal and that's when we all gather." she said.
These night time meals, Erica told me, are joyful, funny, warm, provocative and hopeful. She also emphasized how there is gratitude. There is a lot of gratitude.
"At least we have a place to make a meal and so far we are all ok. This is the time for people to reflect and reconnect and get centered. It is a huge reset for everybody.” Reset is also what they have done in their distillery business with starting making disinfectant for the local hospitals.
TOM
"I discovered that lady at the other end of my couch. She’s my wife. Wow! We talk a bit more and share worries. We plan on how to adjust: our exercise regimen, meals, and how and when we can see our kids again soon." Tom said. He told me how strange it has been, this new normal. "I have been working out of my home for 19 years so it hasn't really changed my modus operandi, other than that my wife (who's a teacher) is now here." Tom said.
Tom further added how this situation has actually been crippling his style a little bit because usually around lunch time he plays the drums but now that everyone's home, he doesn't want to disturb them. Tom's wife Mary told me she has been grateful for the time because it's not something they get usually during the school year. So it has been nice!
Mary's message to all the moms out there who are stressing over homeschooling their kids, is to be patient. "Take a deep breath and be patient. Try to get to know your kids. Get inside their heads a little bit and help them help themselves. You think you know them, but there's a side of them that you don't know, the side that sometimes drives their desire to learn or to behave a certain way." Mary said.
Tom added further how this event is going to change the whole paradigm in how we use our time and resources and interact with each other. "It's a big massive jolt to your lifestyle and it gives you perspective whether you want it or not. You get a perspective on what really matters and what's really important. This is the sort of a way of clearing the decks." Tom said.
His message to everyone: "Create a life balance. You will get healthier, stress less, you will realise that work is work and it's just a part of the bigger picture. You will value and appreciate the little things more and more everyday. Each and everyday that you get to open your eyes, it might sound cliche but make the best of the day!" Tom said.
When I went to photograph them, Tom and his beautiful family stood outside their home with a banner that said "#grateful" echoing their valuable thoughts.
AYESHA
As our long time friends, the Hamiltons made time for us while pausing their work calls, literally! We think their portrait is apropos for these times, don’t you agree?
"I am reconnecting with what I have always known," Ayesha Krishnan Hamilton says, "that my family is fantastic!"
In this new normal, Ayesha tell us, "A and I have been cooking a lot, something we used to love to do when she was little. We have also been going for long walks. K is connecting with all of his friends via PlayStation but every once in a while, will come over and give me a hug! He also listens to me on my conference calls and in a particularly heated one, came over and gave me a high-five."
When I spoke with A, she told me how it's been an adjustment having all four of them sharing bandwidth and finding the private place with the best wifi.
But there are positives to this scenario as well, something that is even harder to learn than at the regular school - Watching her mom and dad work from home she is learning life skills and working styles from them. She says she has learnt communication skills from her father, and how to talk to people in a way that everyone gets to say their piece. A loves watching her mom prepare for her cases. "She has a really good work ethic. She knows how to get the work done." A says, continuing on to tell us that from her mom she has learnt to be assertive, but in a gentle manner.
Reflecting upon her own personality, during this time she discovered that she really likes planning, making a task list and then seeing a finished list. For a middle schooler to say such wise words, we think A should be highlighted in her own portrait.
Her message to kids her age who are in the same situation of home schooling is - "Don't give up. It's really hard the first few days. You have to get out of bed yourself and you have to do things yourself. But it gets easier. Do your best. It's not going to be perfect.”
PALAVEE
As I photographed Palavee and her beautiful (and perfectly color-coordinated) family, the wind chime with OM hanging over their heads was ringing in a powerful peaceful message of hope. It was a delight to watch them play on the balcony while I was far away in the parking lot.
When I spoke to Palavee she told me how her older daughter was blossoming into a mentor for their younger one and what a proud feeling this has been for her to watch, now that she she has the time to do that. She told me how her younger one loves to “give directions” to the older sister.
Palavee’s husband, Abhi, had been traveling a lot in the last seven years. Their older daughter loves making videos and he always only got to see the final product. In these weeks though he is enjoying watching the process of how she makes them, gives a peek into her thinking process. Those little moments of observations are precious to him. Their daughters’ teacher encouraged them to make a daily silver lining video which is such a positive reinforcement for the parents.
Abhi’s message to everyone - "Educate yourself and make conscious decisions. Don't believe everything that is out there. Be smart about social media.”
SASHI
Sashi and Sree emphasised the power of saying "yes!” When the family is in close quarters and wants to do something different from the other, say YES. That “yes” may not be immediate. It may be later on today, tomorrow, or even a week, but it is still a "yes!"
Sree told me how all three of them sing to their own tunes and how close-knit they are as a family. So much so that when we went to photograph them, their dog Chase was also singing his own tune!
Sree's advice to people who have suddenly found themselves in this whole new normal is: “At home find tasks you are good at, and you enjoy doing. Do those with joy. It is your home too.” Sashi’s response to all this free time is: “There was always something to do, some activity, something to catch up on. That's what makes it more meaningful. That's the time you are never going to get back."
They are spending a lot of time now talking a lot more as family. Talking about things they hadn't spoken about in a long time. They are reaching out and reconnecting with family from all around the world.
As I was wrapping up, I saw their young son, inquire of the boy across the street if he would be playing cricket...and that made me realize that my car is just half way between these two boys, who would possibly have loved to play some cricket.
So close and yet so far.
KRUPA
“Take a step back and see what is the best that we can do in this situation, and actually look at what is happening in each other's lives. Help each other." Krupa said as I spoke with her about how she is adjusting to the new normal.
"Sometimes all of us are on conference calls at the same time and we are all talking”, she says, "but it is appreciating and accommodating each other and making the necessary adjustments to support each other that makes us a closer family."
Krupa told me proudly they are being surprised by their daughter's culinary passion and how Krupa is enjoying the benefits of it greatly, whether it is the cold coffee (frappe) that she is treated to or even a beautiful touch of strawberries on the side of their pancakes! Can you see the joy and pride in Krupa’s eyes?
This time working alongside each other has also highlighted each other’s strengths in their work environment. They are taking best practices of each other to lead their own global teams at work.
Despite all the advanced modes of transport that are at our disposal today, this current crisis has really held us hostage in place. Krupa couldn't be there in person as her father suffered a major medical emergency in India. She is grateful to neighbors as they helped her mother through this.
Her message to everyone - "Be there for people whether or not you know them, just help. Stay positive and most importantly, count every single small blessing."
RUCHI
“You will still continue to be friends when this is all over, let go of what you cannot control and instead use this time to find yourself because we have so many more things to look forward in the future. There are far too many serious things in this world and we really need to focus on them.” said Ruchi as she described her disappointment and anger at not having closure to her senior year in college.
Just before I interviewed her, she had received emails indicating that some of her classes were not geared for online learning yet and so the impact was that not only was the convocation cancelled, but her graduation may be postponed.
“I was all packed to go to Cancun with my friends for my spring break. They went, I chose not to for safety reasons. I was also worried that the borders with Mexico may close. Instead I packed for two weeks to come back to my permanent address. We cannot even get upset or angry, this is no one’s fault and yet we feel cheated. Sooner or later we would be separated so this has jump started our future.” she said.
As an out of state student, Ruchi continues to stay in touch with her college friends who she considers her family, by scheduling online work outs together and finding multiplayer games.
Ruchi talked at depth about how being home during the rest of the semester means home-cooked meals and less distractions, no FOMO! With Mom and Dad both being home, she is getting quality time with her parents.
In the past family time just meant watching TV together but now dad takes part in her Tik Tok videos and she does Yoga with mom!
CINDY
Cindy Schwab Rosen is well known locally to bring communities together for the greater good. She saw the mask project on Facebook and in her true volunteer spirit she reached into the donation pile of fabrics there were donated for Project Linus - Mercer County, NJ Chapter, one of her other initiatives. She has set up a pick up station for fabric pick-up and drop off of face masks.
Cindy saw a need and found a way to support the PPE crisis. In this crisis, she has seen that people are willing to step out of their comfort zones and are willing to pitch in. Cindy says everyone has a friend of a friend who is affected. If you have the time and can help support it, the Mercer Mask Project is something everyone can do from their homes. Please check out the official page of @Mercer Mask Project on Facebook.
Her message to everyone: Stay home, stay safe, ensure the safety of others and find ways you can help while keeping your social distance.