YEAR 2020: ANG ARRIVES

2020 has seemed like an apocalypse foretold.

Morning of September 9, 2020, Oakland, California in our loft studio

California wildfires raged early this year. These natural occurrences to our forests and land came at the end of August and into September—a month sooner than previous years in comparison. Unfortunately, the fires were escalated by a family’s gender reveal party gone wrong—igniting a catastrophic forest blaze and adding fuel to the areas that had already been devastated. The skies flooded with dangerous smoke and falling ashes on September 9th, the atmosphere inserted a red visual filter, colored with nature’s anger as if mother earth wasn’t happy with us. Oakland’s air quality index (AQI) measured at 230+. The air was difficult to breathe. Feeling heavy and my lungs smoldering internally, I sat there worrying for my pregnant wife who is soon due to birth our son.

The most alarming part of the wildfires is that in the year’s past, the fires had been contained to NorCal and northern parts of SoCal. But this year, the whole west coast was scortching. Evermore proof that climate change is real and global warming is an undeniable problem caused by our human footprint.

September 9, 2020. Hazardous air quality levels along the west coast.

As the outside world is turbulent and angry, inside our doors have been harmonious and loving. We’ve been sheltering-in-place for almost a whole year, nesting and setting up our loft to be baby ready while staying safe out of harm’s way.

Our home has been our sanctuary, providing us with the ability to still operate through the events of 2020. The wildfires were an added insult to the brutal start of this decade.

2020 Work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nation was already on edge due to the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelming our fears from the a deadly virus, economic strains of sheltering-in-place, and people losing their jobs as businesses shut down. Globally, the deadly virus has killed almost 1 million people and over 200k US citizens. Many of which are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The United States has become ever more distant and the political polarization of racial divisions are ripping us further apart.

On May 25th, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a cop knelt on the neck of George Floyd for 8 minutes and 45 seconds—suffocating him to death during an arrest. It was a prime example of systemic racism and the world felt the sickening shock waves of racial oppression. People were fed up with the tragic murder of so many black men, women, and children by racist cops—protests started as riots broke out. It was the perfect storm for looters and opportunists to covertly scheme while peaceful protesters took the blame by a political side eagerly wanting to divert the responsibility.

Here in Oakland, we were at the heart of the protests, riots, and looting in the Bay Area. Our Jingletown loft sits not far from where the Black Panthers were founded in the 1970s, and today in 2020, the civil unrest continues in the area. With peaceful protestors being engaged by riot police while the opportunist seizes their chance to inflict damage on property and stealing, it has led to uneasy sleep—often with one eye open—keeping surveillance for any unwanted guest with some nights being visited. Rarely did the police show up when we called, and when they did, it would often be too late, leaving us tense and fearing that someone would get injured, or worse, killed during a robbery. Through it, there has been some positives with social change, awareness, and legislative progress.

Let’s hope the good continues and the negatives stop.

2020 Black Lives Matter Movement

A photoshoot for Hyphen Magazine with photographer and fellow nurse, Vi Son Trinh, on Asian American Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement.

Much like most of our activities this year, the photoshoot took place at our home loft which essentially has been the primary setting of 2020. Though we haven’t gone anywhere this year, our home has remained happy and we’ve made good use of our loving space.

August 26, 2020. Gee & Scout sitting in our Oakland loft

While nesting, a look back on July 4th, 2020 at our self-shot Bootleg Maternity photoshoot done in front of a green screen and makeshift home photography studio. Jungle Asian American Heroes theme inspired by comedian Ali Wong. Gee is just about 29 weeks pregnant with Ang in the womb.

September 13, 2020, the day before Ang’s birth, the air quality index continued to show unhealthy values here in Oakland and across the west coast. I worried about taking Ang home in these poor conditions, whether my wife, Angie, would be okay, and hoping that Ang’s delivery would go smoothly. The goal was 3-in and 3-out. I don’t think I slept a wink that night.

Ang was born September 14, and things went as smoothly as they could. Both baby and mother came out happy and healthy. Miraculously the air cleared up, and the AQI dramatically improved the night of his birth, staying pure.

September 15, 2020 the air quality miraculously improved

Ang’s birth cleared a lot of heavy energy that was weighing down on me. The fears of a deadly virus. The anxiety flooded from friends and family looking to a health care professional for some answers that I don’t have. The economic strain of our community. The health concerns and maneuvering around to safely perform our daily tasks. The health of my wife. We went into the hospital under terrible atmospheric conditions with my lungs heavy. But when I saw Ang, healthy and strong, along with his mom, nothing else mattered, and I was able to breathe deeply and clearer. Much like how the skies cleared up on that day. I hope those are good signs to come…

9.27.2020 - Oakland, California. Family photo