Colorado short-play festival commemorates five years of the COVID-19 pandemic

“March 18, 2020, was my 18th birthday and the day Gov. Jared Polis closed schools in Colorado.

I don’t remember much about the day itself, beyond a cake of chocolate, strawberries and cream. There’s a video of my family singing “Happy Birthday” before I blow out the candles. The sound is supportive yet strained. We had forced the elephant in the room into a faraway cupboard.

When I share that I’m class of 2020, people shove misplaced sympathy on me. I didn’t mind the loss of senior prom because I don’t like to dance. Virtual learning was a breeze because my teachers were more focused on the news than grading. COVID-19 affected most people far worse than it did me, and already, it feels like a footnote in my life.”

Article by Cannon Taylor

Colorado short-play festival commemorates five years of the COVID-19 pandemic