In 2021, a coalition of national museum and library associations awarded the Peale (Baltimore, Maryland) a Communities for Immunity grant. The goal of the project is for trusted, local institutions to engage their communities in order to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence. Since being awarded the grant, we've been gathering stories from people about their experiences with COVID and getting the vaccine. Listen to this medley of young Baltimore voices.
Speaker 1: We hit lockdown. And during that time I felt very paranoid to go outside.
Speaker 2: My favorite store, shut down. I was mad.
Speaker 3: I played hockey, so we don't have no games, no more. I miss game with my teammates and stuff like that.
Speaker 4: I basically feel like I got robbed for my last year. Cause we ain't really go to school that much.
Speaker 5: It's the same feeling. We've all experienced something. And I think the lesson here really is that you really don't know what you have until it's gone.
Speaker 1: When the vaccine was developed, it was just a lot of misinformation on the internet and social media. But as time went on, I decided to take matters into my own hands and you know, do my own research. And I got the vaccine, and you know, the anxiety just leading up to getting the vaccine was worse to actually getting the vaccine. It was just like a little pinch that I got on my shoulder.
Speaker 4: First shot, my arm was a little sore. I ain't gonna lie. My arm was sore.
Speaker 2: I was so nervous. But other than that, I had to do that today. It's cool. I'm here.
Speaker 1: I realized that this vaccine is the opportunity for us to really get normalcy back into our lives and just the way to keep everyone safe.
Learn more about the Communities for Immunity project on the Peale's website: ThePeale.org. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this recording do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. If you have any question about whether your product requires this statement, please contact the Office of Communications at 202-653-4757.
