Isolated. Confused. Afraid. Regressed. Quarantined.

The world has been shifted to a state of desolation that has never before been seen in our lifetimes.

Devastation has stricken many households in our very own city of Omaha, Nebraska, when just a few weeks ago, at the beginning of March, people could not imagine we would be living in a solitary state due to the effects of coronavirus COVID-19.

The virus has spread rampantly through 199 countries, with reported 931,991 cases and climbing within a short span of a few months since January 22.

In the state of Nebraska, most “non-essential” businesses have been ordered to be closed, while a limit on gatherings has been enacted in order to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. People are no longer shopping at clothing stores or grabbing a bite to eat with their friends at their usual place of business.

As I walked through the streets of downtown Omaha, the realization of how serious this pandemic really is settled in. I started taking pictures in the evening, before dark and continued to find worthy images to photograph into the rainy night.

On a usual Friday night, you would find groups of young people congregating in the Old Market and Capital District, patronizing the local bars and restaurants after a week of classes or work. But that night, there was barely a person in sight as I ventured through the damp darkness, snapping a picture of the wet streets that reflected streetlights with no traffic to stop. It felt black and white.

The deserted city streets and the eerie weather reminded me of a paranormal movie and made walking along to find something “Instagram worthy” feel that I was doing something terribly wrong or illegal. It was cut and dry that everyone needed to remain at home to stay safe.

This quarantine can maybe teach us all a thing or two – which may include counting our blessings and properly sanitizing our hands. As a community, we can remain resilient and strong but continue to practice social distancing and proper hand-washing techniques. It is on the human population to determine whether we are to deprive ourselves of our daily activities before the pandemic or not.

The 218 cases that have been reported in Nebraska will continue to increase, but just keep in mind as you venture out into the world that you are just as vulnerable as the person next to you. Protect yourself, your family and friends, and strangers that you may encounter if you have to leave your home.

We are now being asked to live our lives with no color. The color we look forward to outside when we wake up gives us happiness and makes us think positively. Life, as we know it, is not always so black and white. There is that gray area that we are very familiar with that is difficult to be judged of being right or wrong – the middle lane – but when dealing with a virus as such, the gray area is no longer an option.

While indoors, bring that same radiance and color that you would put out into the world and put it into everything that you do while in the safety of your residence. In terms of being outside, we can live very black and white to protect ourselves and those we love, but we must keep the positivity flowing through our minds to keep our lives moving and prosperous so we can come back together and grow as a community once again.

André Sessions Jr. is a Journalism and Black Studies student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. What started out as a fun hobby in November 2018, André developed into his craft and has expanded his talents in Omaha and Lincoln, NE. Having shot photos for Big Ten Network, Omaha Fashion Week, worked with small businesses and brands, the future holds no boundaries for André. With aspirations for becoming a screenwriter and producer for films and documentaries, he would love to start another side of his career as a philanthropic/social entrepreneur in the near future. Visit André Session’s Website.

Quarantined: A Photo Story by André Sessions Jr.