Kya
Our paths crossed as I was leaving the drug store and she was arriving. Who could resist complimenting her on her sense of style and her cheeky COVID mask? Not I.
She was clearly pleased to have been noticed and readily agreed to a quick street portrait against the windows of the drug store where we were standing. Meet Kya.
Not surprisingly, there was a story behind Kya's mask. I told her about my international Human Family project and she was glad to have me share her photo and story with the project.
Kya is a seamstress and had just acquired a good supply of fabrics when COVID hit, locking down most people's activities. It didn't take her long to realize that she could use her skills and her fabric to contribute to the COVID fight by designing and making masks to keep people safe.
She created a mask design that used 5 layers of spun polypropylene as a virus barrier. She had plenty of this fabric which is used in the health care field but also in protecting seedlings in the community garden where she volunteers.
Soon Kya had her design perfected and began visiting women's shelters to give the masks to women recovering from abusive relationships. "I was a victim of domestic violence myself so I understood many of the issues these women were facing."
Kya, who was protected with transparent gloves and opened her purse to show samoles of her masks, each protected in a ziplock bag. She also had a bag with cards to give out with the masks, explaining what they are made of and how to launder them with organic lavender castile soap.
The quirky moustache? "Oh, I did that for fun. I found it at a children's birthday party store and put it on with Velcro so it can be removed for laundering. I hope it's on straight!" It was.
I invited Kya to share a message with the project. She thought for a moment and said "Give what you can, when you can."
I thanked Kya for using her talents for the good of others and doing it with a cheerful note of humor. The world needs more Kyas.
This is my 873rd submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family at www.flickr.com/groups/thehumanfamily
Kya
Our paths crossed as I was leaving the drug store and she was arriving. Who could resist complimenting her on her sense of style and her cheeky COVID mask? Not I.
She was clearly pleased to have been noticed and readily agreed to a quick street portrait against the windows of the drug store where we were standing. Meet Kya.
Not surprisingly, there was a story behind Kya's mask. I told her about my international Human Family project and she was glad to have me share her photo and story with the project.
Kya is a seamstress and had just acquired a good supply of fabrics when COVID hit, locking down most people's activities. It didn't take her long to realize that she could use her skills and her fabric to contribute to the COVID fight by designing and making masks to keep people safe.
She created a mask design that used 5 layers of spun polypropylene as a virus barrier. She had plenty of this fabric which is used in the health care field but also in protecting seedlings in the community garden where she volunteers.
Soon Kya had her design perfected and began visiting women's shelters to give the masks to women recovering from abusive relationships. "I was a victim of domestic violence myself so I understood many of the issues these women were facing."
Kya, who was protected with transparent gloves and opened her purse to show samoles of her masks, each protected in a ziplock bag. She also had a bag with cards to give out with the masks, explaining what they are made of and how to launder them with organic lavender castile soap.
The quirky moustache? "Oh, I did that for fun. I found it at a children's birthday party store and put it on with Velcro so it can be removed for laundering. I hope it's on straight!" It was.
I invited Kya to share a message with the project. She thought for a moment and said "Give what you can, when you can."
I thanked Kya for using her talents for the good of others and doing it with a cheerful note of humor. The world needs more Kyas.
This is my 873rd submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr.
You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family at www.flickr.com/groups/thehumanfamily