Living Record Initiative Reopens COVID-19 Time Capsules

Back in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world faced unprecedented upheaval. In the midst of this turmoil, I, alongside a colleague, conceived an initiative allowing young people across Chicago to document their experiences during the pandemic. The goal was to capture their perspectives for posterity. This initiative later evolved into Living Record, the organization I now lead.

Five years have elapsed, and we have started to unveil these time capsules. Contributors, from diverse age groups throughout the city, are revisiting their submissions. For the children involved in creating the capsules, the pandemic was a time filled with uncertainty and disruption. They chronicled missing friends, family gatherings, and everyday routines in their capsules.

One child lamented missing birthday celebrations and soccer practice, while others expressed longing to see grandparents.

Now, as students examine these past entries, many react with surprise. Comments such as, “I wasn’t that sad,” highlight the difference in perception between then and now. While entries focused on simple pleasures lost, today’s students remember the pandemic as being full of family time and laid-back school experiences, like attending classes in pajamas.

This shift in perspective underscores a key learning: time modifies not only our circumstances but our outlook as well. While the pandemic posed notable challenges, it paved the way for new relationships and opportunities.

Today, a sense of pessimism lingers over various societal aspects: political divisions, economic uncertainties, and evolving technological impact create anxiety. Recent polls reveal record-low optimism levels in America. However, the reopening of pandemic time capsules offers a hopeful message – changes come faster than expected.

Reflecting on how perceptions change and challenges evolve, Living Record collaborates with the Chicago Public Library at the Obama Presidential Center. This partnership encourages public engagement with contemporary issues and aspirations for the future. Responses will contribute to a new time capsule, set to open in five years, providing future generations a window into today’s thoughts and challenges.

Five years from now, these future custodians will possess insights we currently lack about what lies ahead. Living Record’s mission continues, bridging art, storytelling, and historical preservation.

Stacey Gillett is the co-founder and executive director of Living Record, a Chicago-based nonprofit facilitating connections through art, storytelling, and time capsule experiences.