“We’re social distanced as if on a long spaceship journey.”
WHO declared Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic after it spread across six continents and more than 100 countries on March 11, 2020. Countries around the world have closed borders, declared state of emergency and placed strict measures in social distancing, in order to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causing the COVID-19 disease.
Spaceship29 is a text thread during COVID-19 pandemic among current and former residents of 29 Monadnock Street, a house owned by Bob Haas, a long-time community activist in Dorchester, USA. “We’re social distanced as if on a long spaceship journey. Mars takes 2 years? This is shorter” as Bob puts it imaginatively. “I hope each one of us is well and coping with new reality. Please, let’s hear from each other about the ways we can be more supportive and caring”.
Keiko Hiromi is a current resident of 29 Monadnock Street.
Genny Peterson during her morning walk in Dorchester.
On the text thread, Genny texted “I want pictures of flowers :) Or cats! It’s the little things. I’d be more depressed if Covid was hitting us in January and February”. Genny is a native of western New York who considers Boston her second home. She is currently working from home as a project coordinator with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston where she is also finishing her master's thesis about the anime "Gundam Wing" and Postwar Memory in Japan. On the thread she regularly shares pictures from her daily walk, calling them “A bit of Boston Beauty and Hope”.
Austin Pinilla at his dining room in Dorchester
“I move around the houses with my two computers” the Panamanian graphic designer and animator says. Working from home, Austin is actually busier than ever with his remote projects. Although, he misses his routine, such as saying a prayer before leaving for work and once more at night. Austin first forgot his prayer in the morning, when he stopped leaving the house for work. He now switched to quick thank you in the morning. “I keep you in my prayer” as he texted. Austin at times plays Nintendo to help clear his mind so that he could focus on his projects during work from home.
Rahema Mooltrey at her back yard in Dorchester
“I wish I were in Trinidad right now” if she had only known that she would be working remotely, Dorchester native says. As a Boston Public School teacher, she teaches on-line class twice a week with Google teaching. She has mastered the program but now has to learn to be more resourceful when teaching to her special-need class. She also heads the non-profit organization “Radical Joy, Kill Fear With Selfcare”. She is working on grants to help families with rent money during COVID-19 pandemic. She texted “Definitely a time of reflection to think about how we let ppl in our lives know that we love them”.
Andrew Harmon at his front yard in Dorchester
“I received a nice bread baking book for my birthday. Working from home lends itself to kneading and baking breaks well” Andrew texted. A Michigan native who works for St. John the Evangelist Monastery and Guest house at Harvard Square says “This is my first full time job”. Andrew feels grateful that he has economic stability during this trying time. Two months ago he moved in with his girlfriend to a house next to #29. He could not be happier. “We are finding out we are really good for each other. That’s just growing a lot of love.”
Ben Gadwah in front of his condo building in Somerville
The new Somerville resident adopted a cat from Feral colony on Saturday, April 4. “I’m started to feel isolate and trapped living alone here” He had texted to the thread. He named the cat Early Grey for its hazy and muted fur colored like the grey fog in the early morning. They are spending bonding time now. “We are listening to Jazz right now. I hope someday he’ll sing along.” he texted. He sometime shares updates on his 15 years old sister on the text thread, she is stuck due to lockdown in another state while visiting a family member. She is going through a difficult time. He struggles to find a way to comfort her. He texted to the thread to ask “What if I say: “You and the world matter and valuable. Thank you for being honest. I know you can get through this. If you need professional help, there is probably ways to get that in Kansas. Caleb and I have been video calling our therapy sessions. Do you want to meet my cat sometime soon? He’d love to see your face”.
Bob Haas stands inside the window of his front parlor in Dorchester on April 3, 2020.
Bob purchased his house, then a dilapidated Victorian mansion in 1971, and subsequently restored it with a group of friends. An Ivy-League educated man, he worked at first in electrical engineering jobs at several Boston-area defense contractors, but later found his calling in community activism. He has an underlying heart condition, which makes him high-risk for serious complications from a virus infection. He has not left his house since March 19. He texted, affectionately to his housemates: "I love you all -- you make this house be really home for me, and I hope also [home] for you."
