Victoria B on 22 October 2020
Question thumbnail
Q. How are you finding the project so far?
To me, Covid Realities is like living history. I tell myself that in the future, students and possible future politicians will read these stories the way historians read diarist from the Victorian era and similar. I feel like I am a part of the history of this country, a small humble part perhaps (as I'd be shocked - but thrilled--if any of our current party leaders actually read and learnt from what we share here) but it feels huge to me. As someone who's always felt alone and ashamed of my situation in life, of being a single mum on benefits (something I never planned for or wanted for my children), I always felt voiceless, unimportant and invalidated. Outnumbered by all the middle and upper classes who hate us cos they fear being like us (I often think that's why we don't try to end poverty in this country, which we could easily do with a more fairer welfare system, because people mistakenly think that a society must have a poorer class and they fear if the members of that class move up then they will move down and they don't want that. By keeping the poor poor, the rich stay rich). Through Covid Realities I've felt heard, I've felt my opinions and perspectives are listened too and respected (even when people disagree with me), mostly I feel like I am part of something bigger than me. Something that I hope will help others short term, maybe others reading my posts will feel less alone (as I feel when I read others), and long term (I really really hope that this helps lead a change in policy towards a more inclusive and less punitive welfare system - we all need a dream, Covid Realities helps to keep me from giving up hope of mine). I want a better world for my children to be granted. I want to do anything I can to help bring that about. I believe telling our stories can be a very powerful way to call for change that can actually be felt by people on the bottom rungs. I know my hands are tied in the things I can do to spread the word, in an ideal world I'd be out there with my real name to my posts, pushing on every platform for people to pay attention to the struggles of real people shared within this project. As it is I can't do anything so risky, the world isn't ideal and my ex is a real threat to my children's safety, so anything I can do anonymously, via text or non recorded video, I would happily do. I want the world to know about the Covid Realities project. I want it to be part of history of this country, something taught in future schools, reminding children and future politicians how many people suffer when a few powerful men care more for their pride and egos than for the country they're meant to serve. I think Covid Realities project is a drop in the ocean that can build a wave of social change if enough people are willing to share and learn from it.
Contributors featured in
More media logos
Menu