The unemployed

MARIACERDA

Occupation: Self-employed hairstylist Age: 47 Lives in: Carlsbad Length of unemployment: On and off about five and a half months so far

“I am a daughter of a Mexican immigrant father and Chicana mother. I am married to my wife Cori Schumacher of 12 years who is a City Council member in Carlsbad. This is my first time being on unemployment, and almost every individual has paid into it at one point of their lives. I could never live with myself if I didn’t try all that I could to keep my high-risk family and any person safe. Most likely, they will not survive COVID-19, so when I talk to them, I try to love and appreciate them. Masks are an inconvenience, but if it can help save lives and our economy, I will continue to inconvenience myself for the greater good. Being unemployed has allowed me to slow down and go more inward with my thoughts . ... I have been thinking about how our conveniences and privileges have led to much pain and suffering ... especially for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) that are affected ... during this pandemic. No. 45’s rhetoric is not helping and has failed in leadership with racism and greed. My self-care had always been about 35 years of surfing, but since COVID, I have found new ways to be out in nature, like in my tiny garden, and disconnecting from toxic social media as much as possible. It’s really hard for me to be around anyone that feels a sense of entitlement and selfishly doesn’t want to wear a mask. The extra $600 a week has saved me with paying rent, lost wages, expensive grocery bills and cleaning supplies during the first quarantine, but the future will be a different story.”