Location
by Victoria

A place that was once busy but now isn't because of quarantine is the National Zoo. The zoo is an important place to me because my family and I go there at least once every summer. Now, we can´t go this summer. During this pandemic, the zookeepers are taking extra care and responsibility to the animals. It's sad that the Zoo closed because there are no happy people walking around and the workers can't do their job. Once reopened the zoo will get a lot of customers.

Dear World,

I’m here to tell you about this special place that only my special friends know about! It’s

called 3NW. At 3NW, we listen to music, we dance around, we throw birthday parties, we

schedule movie nights, and most importantly, we share our stories. We make sure that everyone

knows that they are welcome and can be themselves. However, 3NW has been abandoned since the pandemic.

The Empty Smithsonian
by Shawma

Once filled with hundreds of people each day, it is now a very lonely place
When it was opened before all this started it was like a small booming city
The African American History Museum was visited by people all across the ends of the earth
Every person that entered through those doors were apart of a different culture interested in the history of African Americans
The African American History Museum was not like a normal museum
It takes you through time to see the trials and tribulations of one culture,

by Wendy

Debido a la pandemia que estamos viviendo del COVID-19, las iglesias y el gobierno han tenido que tomar muchas medidas muy drásticas. Uno de los lugares que nunca en mi vida espere ver cerrado o sin personas fue la iglesia. Yo asisto a una iglesia llamada, St Gabriel Church, en la Georgia Ave, DC y la verdad es que ha sido un golpe muy fuerte para las personas cristianas que se congregan en dichas iglesias. Es una locura el observar que antes las iglesias pasaban llena los días sábado y domingo, ya que eran días más accesibles para las personas, y ahora al pasar por ahí y ver todo cerrado da mucha tristeza. Para mi, la iglesia significaba algo especial, era como mi lugar favorito los fines de semana En el, podía encontrarme con algunos familiares, también podía ver a algunas amistades que también asistían. Era un lugar de mucha paz, donde yo podía ir y encontrarme con Dios si hablamos de manera personal. Era una de las mejores cosas que podía hacer mis fines de semana.

I am empty.
As grandly as I may stand, I miss the people that once filled me.
I miss the faces, the lines shoulder to shoulder, the groups huddled to learn or to simply catch up.
The books on my shelves, as holy as they are, have begun to pick up dust with no one around to pick them up.
No longer is the sound of recitation that calmed many hearts heard around the halls, no longer are people being called.

School
by J’yona

I feel so useless and forgotten. There used to be hundreds of kids and adults who needed and relied on me all day everyday and now my hallways are empty and cold and quiet. I am supposed to be the School Without Walls Highschool right in the heart of GW campus, there’s supposed to be people everywhere. All different types of people, the quiet ones, the loud ones, the shy ones, the ones who live in their own worlds.

Location
by Camal Ali

I don't know who COVID-19 is but whoever he/she is, they sure did scare all of my visitors away. I mean they won’t even come in to greet me anymore. Apparently all I'm good for now is a curbside pick up. The promise of guaranteed fun and quality equipment once filed these hallowed halls. Children used to laugh with great vigor upon entering my store (only God knows why). Man I really miss those little guys. They marveled at me in all my sporting glory. I was needed. People came to me for all their athletic and recreational needs. Whether it was sporting accessories and apparel, or something as relaxing as a hammock. I was there.

The Lack of Location during Quarantine
by Duchard

It is difficult adjusting to change during this time, and not having access to places that we consider to be a home away from home of sorts. Whether this place is a church, the office, or even a chair outside of a barbershop. Said places hold memories and have value to someone. A place that holds the most memories for me that is no longer available would be my neighborhood library. Now, I know that might seem boring to those who might say that the recreational park, the mall, the arcade, or other places would be more interesting, but that library and I go way back. I recall the first time I went to Lamond Riggs Library. It was around the middle of fall in 2007. My father had taken me there to brush up on my reading skills after my teacher suggested I would benefit from hunkering down and absorbing some material other than comic books.

An Empty Place
by Andrenae

Your place of worship is supposed to be somewhere you can always go. But you never know what can happen when things get bad and low.

An epidemic so powerful and it’s really letting you know.

When you’re hurt you need a quiet space to talk, to spill all your troubles and even yell without sin.

Use all those screams from within, to put a hole in what you know is broken.

Location
by Najae

I live ina world where

your location defines you.

I live ina society where

kahi o ka makes you.

I live ina community where

people with the

same plaats can break you.

School
by Jailah

I miss school. School was always busy. I miss the crowded hallways that I would always complain about. This place means a lot to me surprisingly. It taught me a lot, academically and so much life-wise. When it comes to your so-called “friends,” and even your family outside of school, you learn who’s really there for you and who will push when you need that motivation.

Dear Diary,

School is now closed and empty because of this serious pandemic. A place that was safe and secure, a place that gave students an education and teachers a job, a place full of networking and connections now is a place that is empty, quiet and unoccupied. I never thought school would make a difference in my daily life but, at this moment, I wish I was there more than ever. School was a place of gathering and a day full of adventures. Now, school is dull and cyber. To others, school is an escape from home and a place to eat but, for me, school is a healing of my boredom.

TJ Maxx
by Temil

As you may know, before this whole pandemic, I was working at Tj Maxx. Before working there, I never really shopped there because I didn’t know too much about it or too much about what they actually sell. Working there for the past few months has proved me completely wrong. Tj Maxx has possibly everything you can think of.