“One of the things about Camus’ 'Plague' is he recognizes the way in which the plague cancels all our plans and changes the way we see our lives unfolding, and we have to meet it with this kind of weary persistence that doesn’t lead much of anywhere, and the students are feeling that,” Piering said. “They are persisting, but it is wearisome and all the plans they made and the way they thought their college experience would unfold have been upended, so it really did resonate with them in incredibly meaningful ways.”Erika Rodriguez-Escobar, Flagstaff Shelter Services“I went from working at an office and having a normal 9-to-5 to working from home or doing housing assessments in the lobby of a hotel, to having a meeting with somebody in a parking lot,” said Erika Rodriguez-Escobar, housing case manager at Flagstaff Shelter Services, reflecting on 2020. “But we have to adapt.”She just marked her one-year anniversary in November with FSS, where she spends her days working to connect individuals with needed resources even beyond housing. Throughout the pandemic, she has noted an increase in behavioral health and other medical needs among FSS’ growing clientele — community members in need of extra support in 2020.

Source: Daily Sun December 27, 2020 12:56 UTC