It seems like things are getting better, and things are getting worse. New York’s COVID death count is apparently leveling off, but may be quietly miscounting those who die at home, or of unrelated illness that goes fatally untreated by it’s overburdened system. State leaders are banding together to protect and prepare us for what’s next, but nothing can stop the bodies piling up, and clogging the covid corridor. The American president assigned his name to checks that were sent out among direct deposits of relief, but is apparently trying to kill every American he thinks won’t vote for him. And in a move so disappointingly aligned with every other one he’s made, for his inaction and dishonesty, he’s scapegoating the world. And if defunding and interrogating the World Health Organization in the apex of a global health crisis isn’t dangerous enough done, misrepresenting the response and current state of other countries surely is.

So, this week, we’re seeing the world, the way it sees itself.

“Radio Quarantine Kolkata”
by Sriyanka Ray
03:22

A group of friends came together to set up Radio Quarantine Kolkata on an online streaming platform. They wanted to provide “an intimate space for solidarity and to preserve friendships” even as “the word ‘social isolation’ kept being bandied around”. The station runs through the day, with original programming between 5 pm to 2 am. Radio Quarantine Kolkata includes a kids’ show, story-telling sessions, and a music show. One of its more popular segments, “Quarantine Diaries”, includes social commentary and interviews, and has attempted to continue the discussion about the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens amid the pandemic. Kolkata and the people of Kolkata have always loved music, discussions and community. This is a way to bring it all together during these difficult times. In this piece, we talk to two of the founders behind this project and discuss the Bengali language, the need for music and community and the movement back to radio programming.

“Mert Erogul”
By Ross Tuttle
12:59

At the start of this crisis, we met Mert Erogul – an Emergency Room doctor in a local Brooklyn hospital that’s been completely overtaken and overburdened by corona. In this episode, Dr. Erogul steps out of the ER and heads to a repurposed nursing home to tend to covid patients on the mend. The change of scenery comes with a change of tone, but the underlying condition remained the same.

“Health in Haiti”
By Ross Tuttle
19:05

Healthcare is not created equally and in countries where systems of care are already overburdened, a viral outbreak can mean total disruption. Facing the added influx of a stream of deportees constantly arriving from the United States, a team of doctors, health workers, and community scientists in Haiti jumped into immediate action.

“E.B. White”
By Shirin Barghi
22:39

E.B. White's essay 'Here Is New York' is more than 70 years old, but still stands as one of the greatest, and most poignant love letters ever written. In this episode, we go back in time, read between the lines, and fall in love with our city all over again.

“Social Distancing”
By Emily Boghossian
24:33

As the world hunkers down to fight the coronavirus, how do we even begin to convey covid-related terms such as social distancing in different languages and in the context of different cultures?

“Weekend Weather with Griffin”
By Emily Boghossian, Taylor Cook, and Lauren
34:20

Weekend forecast for Brooklyn, New York brought to you by Junior Meteorologist Griff City.

If you have something to say and want us to share it, all you have to do is...

1. Call (917) 719-0021 to reach our Voicemail Box
2. Tell us your name, neighborhood, email (we’ll edit this out – just want to know how to reach you!)
3. Tell us any and all of the things that you need or want to say.

• It can be a story, a joke, a secret, or a fact.
• It can be something that you overheard from six feet away, or have been thinking about, worrying about, or a thing that made you smile.
• It can be a way that you're coping with, processing, and navigating this moment, and what you’re hoping that the next one holds.
• It can be a movie recommendation, a book you love, a self care tip or breathing technique that you’re finding very useful...
• or anything else that you want to share with the world!

 
And if you’d rather just record yourself and send it in, just...

1. Open up your phone’s Voice Memos / Voice Recorder app and hit RECORD.
2.  Follow Steps 2 & 3 (from before).
3. Email the audio file to brooklynusapodcast@gmail.com.

 
We’re here when you need us, and we can’t wait to hear from you.
 
See you on the other side, in Brooklyn, USA.

Brooklyn, USA is produced by Sachar Mathias, Emily Boghossian, Shirin Barghi, Khyriel Palmer, Mayumi Sato and Charlie Hoxie, with help this week from Ross Tuttle, Sriyanka Ray, Junior Meteorologist Griff C, Lauren Germain, and Taylor Cook.

A special thanks to all the amazing contributors who shared their stories with us: Taha from New Delhi, India (1:17) — Carla from Alicante, Spain (5:06) — Meron from Ethiopia (8:30) — Ed from Quito, Ecuador (12:04) — Inigo from, Amsterdam, The Netherlands(14:41) — Piotr from Moscow, Russia (18:05) — anonymous caller from Wuhan (20:49) — Anna and Gabriele from Rome (24:30) — Ross from Brighton (28:22) — Ade from Nigeria (32.37) — Stacey from Thailand (35:29) — Arthur from Brazil (40:43) — Colin from Zurich, Switzerland (45:20) — Billy from Mexico (49:24) — Eri?? from Tokyo, Japan (53:20) — Winie from Haiti (55:38) — Laila from Kenya (59:12) — Judy in Ireland (61:01) — Ohad from Tel Aviv (65:11) — Hosna from Tehran (67:03) — Stefan from Montreal (68:33) — Wajiha from Karachi (73:31) — Mariam from Ramallah (76:42) — Hania from Sydney (82:01) — Raquel from Chile (87:13) — Sid from Guyana (92:54) They say it takes a village, and this one certainly did, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you to Ethan Liu, Daniel Rios, Siji Awoyinka, Ana Catalan, Ilya Shnitser, Arthur and Jamie, Marion and John, Billie Peter and Helen, Paul Mains, Jessica Lander, Lucie, Allyson and Santi, Yonatan Rosen, Dave Mark, Jack Barrett, Tanya Keilani and Ellen Barrett for reaching out around the world, and bringing their communities to ours. For more information on this and all BRIC Radio podcasts, visit www.bricartsmedia.org/radio.