Pandemic Travel

During this pandemic, one of the things most looked down upon is travel. People who travelled around the world helped increase the spread of COVID-19. When the pandemic began, I did not leave my apartment for weeks on end unless it was an emergency or I was driving around to stay sane. But when I was in my sophomore year of college, I made a promise to myself that no matter what, when I graduated, I would fly out to Denver, CO and stay with my aunt for a while. The pandemic hit New Jersey hard in March, but by the time June rolled around, I had made my mind up to go. I knew travelling put myself in danger of being in close contact with people who might have COVID-19 but I was determined to have a change of scenery. Prepping for the flight, I made sure to pack my gloves, multiple masks, and sanitation wipes. On the flight, all middle seats were empty to allow for social distancing on the plane. I flew out to Denver the first week of June and stayed with my aunt for 15 days. 

A wide shot of the State Capitol shows the homeless population currently occupying the lawn in a large encampment as an ambulance is parked on the right-hand side of the sidewalk.

Denver wasn’t very different from Jersey; people did not follow social distancing rules or mandatory masking. The first night there, the curfew was lifted, meaning people could protest until the early hours of the morning. Helicopters would circle every night, broadcasting events on the news. Every day we went on mini adventures around the city and I saw the aftermath of the protests. Stores were boarded up and the atmosphere was somber as I walked the streets. My main goal was to visit many of the places I hadn’t seen in years, such as Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre and the Mile-High Steps at the Colorado State Capitol. The Amphitheatre was closed due to wildfires and Covid-19 restrictions so I could not re-experience the massive steps and stage carved into the mountains. 

On one of my last days there, I got to see the Capitol. The last time I visited the building was in 2015 when I stood frozen, reveling in the historic value of the building. Never would I have thought it would look the way it did when I returned 5 years later. Approaching the building, “Black Lives Matter” was meticulously painted in vibrant yellow on the road. As I reached the sidewalk, I saw an encampment of homeless people. An ambulance approached a tent on the right-hand side of the sidewalk and that's when I started to feel anxious. I was not expecting the amount of people I saw taking pictures of the building. The need for crowd control and social distancing became apparent. 

In thinking I could travel to catch my breath post-grad, I lost sight of the reality of the pandemic. I was employed, however I was not working due to Governor Murphy’s order to keep New Jersey on lockdown. Seeing the capitol lawn scattered with encampments brought me back to reality. More people are displaced during these uncertain times, causing a heightened sense of fear in the homeless community. 

A statue of Jack Howland, a Civil War cavalryman, stands in front of the Colorado State Capitol splattered with multiple statements spray painted in vibrant colors.

The homeless population surrounding the building has greatly increased since 2015. Over the past few years, the Denver Public Library lawn housed many of the homeless from around the city. Since the Denver Public Library closed due to coronavirus policies being implemented, many of the homeless moved onto the capitol lawn. The Colorado State Capitol building shut off the sprinkler system and tried to adjust to the new influx of people. However, the protests made it difficult to control the property. 

Living in a city, large-scale homelessness is something I was hyper aware of since I was young. On some roads I frequent during my daily commute, I catch glimpses of small encampments. However, the capitol lawn was a new experience because the last time I visited, all I saw was grass.  It’s not that I thought 5 years wouldn’t change anything. Weaving through small groups of people to get to the stairs, the concrete was covered in puddles, murals of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and graffiti. When I reached the Mile-High Steps, a wave of sadness washed over me. I was conflicted emotionally because as a History minor I learned about preserving monuments and artifacts. But, as a Black person during this time of heightened police brutality, I completely understand why people are defacing monuments around the country. 

An image of Breonna Taylor, an EMT who was murdered by undercover cops as she slept in her home, was etched in chalk next to the image of George Floyd on the steps of the capitol.

An image of George Floyd drawn in chalk, surrounded by dried flowers, highlights the break in the stairs leading up to the Mile-High marker at the top of the steps.

I left New Jersey thinking Denver would be an escape from what had erupted in the country. But now I was faced with the reality that, as a Black woman living in America, the idea that I could ever escape the severe matters at hand seemed far-fetched.  Police brutality and COVID-19 are two pandemics plaguing America’s society, and neither can be ignored anymore.

Denver based artist Thomas Evans, @detour303 on Instagram, painted a mural honoring the life of George Floyd as part of a series called “Spray Their Names” to honor the black and brown lives lost to police brutality.