When the COVID-19 pandemic spread, and lockdowns began in March of 2020, photographer and Philadelphia resident Kyle Cassidy recognized that we were living through a historic moment. But he also recognized that for many people, especially those working on the front lines of the pandemic, the moment might pass by without a record of our everyday experiences. Cassidy’s project, Between Us and Catastrophe, was created to capture the challenges and changes faced by essential workers across the region. The Science History Institute is proud to share these important stories. We invite you to visit our new outdoor exhibition of large-scale portraits on our Chestnut Street façade, where you’ll see images of the essential workers interviewed in this episode.

Credits

Host: Elisabeth Berry Drago
Senior Producer: Mariel Carr
Producer: Rigoberto Hernandez

Music by Blue Dot Sessions: “Arlan Vale,” “Alum Drum,” “Setting Pace,” “Kalstead,” “Drone Pine,” and “Raskt Landsby.”
Photograph of nurse Sara Cohen courtesy of Kyle Cassidy.