The pandemic has claimed more than 80,000 lives in California. But these people weren't numbers.
They were our community. They were our family, our elders and our neighbors. The were essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic. And disproportionately, they were members of communities already faced with the impacts of systemic inequality.
If you've lost someone dear to COVID-19, we'd like to offer you space on KQED Public Radio and The California Report Magazine to honor them — in your own voice.
We'd like to work with you to record a few minutes of you talking about the person you lost. Don't worry about the tech or taping side — we'll help you on that front.
Your words could then be aired on KQED Public Radio or The California Report Magazine. They might also appear on KQED's website in print form.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, please use the box below to give us your contact details and tell us a little about the person you lost — and what you'd most want to say about them on the radio. We'd then like to get in touch with you, to talk about getting your words on air.
Because of timing, we're sorry that we won't be able to offer everyone who contacts us the opportunity to have their recordings aired. But we commit to reading and listening to every one of your submissions.
And in the meantime, if you've experienced a loss this year from COVID-19, we hope you'll find our guide to navigating grief during the pandemic to be of some help.