The Distance: Coronavirus Dispatches

4.7 (32)
DOCUMENTARY

The Distance features short, first-person stories from all over the world about how the pandemic is changing the way we live. Each episode is a dispatch about one or two people and a brief window into their life, right now. A podcast about uncertainty, distance--and human connection. From VICE Audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12/16/2020

Sheltering Native Foster Youth During Shelter in Place

In the midst of the pandemic, a new foster care model based on community living and known as a "children's village" has opened up to foster youth on the Cheyenne River Reservation. It's a collaboration between the tribe and an organization called Simply Smiles -- with members of the tribe leading the way by sharing traditional knowledge at a critical time. This story was reported with support from USC’s Center for Health Journalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 min
12/09/2020

Helping Others Sit With Death

Alua Arthur is a death doula in Los Angeles, California, where she helps people prepare for death emotionally, spiritually, physically, and even logistically. She says the pandemic itself has a lot in common with the end-of-life experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 min
12/03/2020

Trans in El Salvador

Bianka Rodriguez is a transgender woman and activist in El Salvador who says the pandemic has hit the trans community especially hard -- and that even government aid programs discriminate against trans people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 min
11/25/2020

From the Archive, Giving Thanks - Mothering a Newborn During Quarantine

Tanzina Vega is a journalist, host of The Takeaway, and a new mother. She gave birth to her son at the end of January--and not long after found herself raising a newborn alone while in quarantine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 min
11/18/2020

Saying Goodbye to Busking, For Now

Natalia 'Saw Lady' Paruz had been busking in the New York City subway for over 20 years until the pandemic forced her out -- leaving her without a place to do what she loves most. This story was reported by Drew Schwartz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 min
11/11/2020

Living Through Another Lockdown in Kashmir

Rayan is a journalist in Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority territory, where a political lockdown imposed in August 2019 was starting to lift when COVID struck in March. We spoke with Rayan for a shorter dispatch back in April, and wanted to hear more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 min
11/04/2020

A Mental Health Crisis in Two Cities

Jordan Danielle experienced a mental health crisis that started in Philadelphia--but because of the pandemic, it took her two hospital admissions, an unwanted hospital release, and a solo train ride across state lines to get the care she needed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 min
10/28/2020

Flying to the US to Vote

Gabriel is a US citizen who immigrated to Stockholm, Sweden with his wife and kids because he believes it gives his family better quality of life. But with so much at stake in the US election, he decides to return so he can vote in person. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 min

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4.7

out of 5

32 Ratings

The Distance features short, first-person stories from all over the world about how the pandemic is changing the way we live. Each episode is a dispatch about one or two people and a brief window into their life, right now. A podcast about uncertainty, distance--and human connection. From VICE Audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.