During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, stories are playing out in ways we never imagined, and teens around the world are being profoundly affected in ways that are both challenging and inspiring. It is imperative that these moments of their lives, which are being forever changed, be archived. Reflections on QuaranTEENing: Stories In Photo and Word is a project of Generation Human Rights that invites teens around the world, ages 13 -18, to capture the myriad ways they are living and coping during the pandemic, quarantined in their homes or as they re-emerge into the new ‘normal’ that is our world now.
The project aims to inspire teens, archive their current experiences, and support educators with a new curriculum as they build their framework to discuss these times with their students.
These are the stories of our times! As we catch a glimpse into the lives of teens around the world as they QuaranTEEN, we can find the connections to one another, begin to understand the ways our lives differ as well as how they are similar, and appreciate our deep interconnected humanity.
We are living in an extraordinary time in which history is being made every day! We invite you to contribute to how this period will be remembered. This is a chance to be a part of recording your generation's history by sending us photos and written reflections from your life in quarantine or as you begin to re-emerge into the new 'normal' that is all our lives now.
Use these hashtags: #quaranteening #insidemyroom #theviewfrommywindow #challenges #newnormal #mymentalhealth #quaranteenischangingmylife #virtualschooling #whatImiss #whatIwish, etc.
Upload your photo and/or written reflection to be included in this archive that will serve as your voices of the era and shared with other teens around the world.
At all life-changing moments, the perspectives of our youth relay the full impact of the era. During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, teens around the world are being profoundly affected in ways that are both challenging and inspiring: homeschooling is becoming the norm for some, while education for others has been delayed. In the US, high school seniors’ graduations and proms have been cancelled and college entry dates remain unknown. For many, screen time is all day, while others feel isolated from friends due to lack of technology. Other consequences are boredom, anxiety for parents’ and grandparents’ health, and for some, home is not a safe space. Teens are also learning new skills and finding ways to be of service in their communities.
It is imperative that we capture and archive the moments of lives being forever changed. Photos or stories that teens have been asked to submit to capture their experiences, will become a living archive that will live on the Generation Human Rights website as a visual and narrative history for their generation - Reflections on QuaranTEENing: Stories In Photo and Word
Generation Human Rights will create a multimedia-based curriculum that will include the archive and will be available to educators when schools reopen, either in-person or online. The lesson plans will support educators as they bridge the gap in time since students were last together in the classroom and provide a platform to not only discuss and support the teens’ experiences during the pandemic but also to connect their experiences to human rights issues and challenges.
