A close-up selfie of mom and I sitting together at an outdoor event on a bright, sunny day. Our faces fill most of the frame, leaning in closely, cheek-to-cheek, both smiling warmly at the camera.
My mom on the left wears her favorite reflective aviator sunglasses and a black jacket. Her hair is styled with bangs across her forehead, and her smile is wide and relaxed. The reflection in her sunglasses shows hints of the crowd and surroundings.
I am on the right with my short, natural Sisterlocks and a bright, open smile. She leans in with a sense of ease and closeness, her expression joyful and present.
Behind them, rows of people are seated closely together at the kickoff of the Chancellor’s Associates Scholars Program that would fully pay for my undergraduate education at the University of California San Diego. The sunlight is strong, casting clear shadows and highlighting the warmth of the day. Many people in the background appear relaxed and engaged, contributing to a feeling of shared public joy and normalcy.
Above the image is a social media post reading:
“Christine Evelyn Nolan with Syreeta Nolan
March 18, 2021
❤️❤️❤️ Yay for happy times without masks… can’t wait to get back to more normalcy,”
This picture is from before the pandemic started and before what was normal was gone for the foreseeable future where we held a sense of togetherness, closeness, and ease that would soon become complicated. The photo reflects not only a shared joyful experience, but also a time when physical closeness in public spaces felt natural and unguarded.
Today would have been mom’s 70th birthday
Today I would have been celebrating her with her
Instead I applied for 7 jobs in person desperate for a job ASAP
Desperate b/c money from school ran dry
😰
10/730
Bills due
4/6 for my car payment
4/9 for my cell phone
Can you help me?
V: Syreeta-Nolan
