Masheri Chappelle

During COVID, Masheri found ways to continue her leadership of the NH Writer’s Project by partnering with NHPBS and New Hampshire Humanities to present on-line discussions and challenges for writers.

As the New Hampshire Writers’ Project Chair, I suggested we use our budget for our annual fundraiser to pay authors to teach a series of webinars that would be free to our members and to students at SNHU. My wonderful Board immediately agreed. Everyone needed to hear different voices and laughter, see new faces, and focus on creating something in a time of great devastation. In our last effort to provide comfort, we added a literary Bingo game night. People came together with their favorite beverage and dessert to talk about everything and anything except the pandemic. We were grateful for the opportunity to feel a little joy, a little hope, and a little normalcy for two hours. BINGO!

In 1967, a summer at my father’s apartment in Harlem had strict travel boundaries. I could not go any farther than the blazing hot walk to Colonial Pool, or down the hill to play on the scalding metal swings of Riverside Drive Park. I depended on my creativity, Play-Doh and Colorforms from Woolworth, and an old typewriter in the back bedroom on which I wrote my first Chinese short story for children.

In 1970, I remained at home in the South Bronx. Summers on Beck Street meant kick the can, Archie-our form of hopscotch, jacks, stick ball, handball and a good spray from the fire hydrant or a little splash in Mr. Archibald’s plastic kiddie pool. On Saturday night when I couldn’t go anywhere, there was a Japanese Soap Opera on Channel 47. From my room, I had a cultural experience and listened to a language which made me imagine what the characters said. The show taught me to be homebound does not mean my mind can not explore other areas of the world.

In 2020, I relied on that philosophy to survive within our new Covid culture. The virus arrested everyone. We found ourselves masked like bandits, locked behind our doors and barred from co-workers, neighbors, friends, and family.  Jobs were furloughed and companies completely shut down. Some  people lived on their savings until unemployment aid was accessible. Gratefully, I was healthy, safe, and employed, but outside my front door a sense of helplessness was rampant. I wanted to offer some comfort during this difficult time.