We are living through great change.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities have come together in astonishing and inspiring ways. In March 2020, the Discovery Center partnered with the South Seattle Emerald to reach out to local communities to ask, “How are you dealing with the pandemic?” Answers came in the form of stories, recordings, and photographs. This collection inspired the online exhibition Enduring COVID-19: Stories from our Transforming World,

As the pandemic wears on, it has affected more lives than we ever imagined—and the stories we began collecting have grown into the exhibition you see now. This exhibition explores the collective needs that have arisen or come to light during COVID-19, inequities of race, gender, and geography, and the question,

“How do we experience change?”
How do we survive change?
How do we bring about change?
How are we changed?
How are we changing?

We hope you will reflect on your experiences as they relate to these stories, share your thoughts and experiences in the interactive sections, and find resources to take action and make a difference in your own community—and beyond.

Bringing together stories of strength, innovation, and hope from our community in Washington State during the COVID-19 pandemic, this online experience creates a forum for connection, empathy, and healing.

Exploring the challenges, inequities, creativity, and community spirit arising during the pandemic, the experience highlights stories under five main themes: Fighting and Treating COVID-19, Spreading Joy and Healing, Sharing Critical Information, Meeting the Needs of Communities, and Essential Workers Meeting Everyday Needs.

Explore the experience online now, and in the Gates Foundation Discovery Center’s galleries when it reopens to the public (TBD).