Shanika King Oral History, 2022/03/03

Self-description:
“My name is Shanika King. I am a mom. I’m a doula. I am a leader in my community. And, yeah, I love people. I love this world. I love birthing moms. I’m just an all around loveable person.”

Some of the things we spoke about included:
Learning about the pandemic while working at a local women’s homeless shelter
Changes in at the shelter: everyone isolated in their rooms, delivering lunches and water, no permission to leave except for work, the difficulty in sharing love with clients when you can’t see them
Survival mode
Children struggling with homeschooling; how generational differences in teaching styles and school content makes it hard for parents to help their children; the loss of in-class learning experiences, like lab dissections and chemistry experiments
How fostering children changed during the pandemic: a shift to online meetings with workers, the inability for children who’d like to see their parents/siblings to see them, staffing issues getting in the way of visitations
Being of service and the joy of giving: caretaking as a child for father, raising siblings after the age of 17, becoming a doula, working in the shelter
Having been a teen mom and that experience’s impact on deciding to become a doula
Daughter with ADHD completing the last year of high school; impact of the social experience of high school
Keeping children aware of the pandemic through watching the news and open dialogue; asking doctors for more information
How a doctor’s bedside manner shapes trust in doctors
The importance of a doula’s support, and the exceptional importance of having a doula in COVID when community is cut off
Catching COVID in August 2020 with extent medical issues and worrying about mortality; bedridden; anxiety about having potentially gotten anyone else sick; stopping working after catching COVID; stigma
Spirituality; continuing to attend church; COVID precautions in church: social distancing
Getting vaccinated
How amazing pregnancy to birth is
Patient advocacy in healthcare
How maternal trauma and stress impacts development in the womb and after birth
Access to masks: price and availability
Seeing the COVID vaccine like the flu shot, a regular part of health maintenance; easy access to vaccination
Going on a trip in June 2021 to Hawaii
People doing the best they can during the pandemic
Worries about future generations and hoping for change that will empowering them
Selfcare through gospel music, bible study, getting nails done, self-help books
Learning about oneself as a path to better self-loving
Anastasia Lenna and seeing the women fighting in Ukraine; feeling empowered by other women
The Bible as a guide for Christian life
Awareness of services are a determinant of access to services
Technological innovation
Feeling like history class as a child didn’t reflect relevant experiences and learning to love history as an adult

Cultural references:
Birdbox (2018), Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Cox (long distance hugging wearable technology)

March 3, 2022

Kit Heintzman

Shanika King

Kit Heintzman

Video

English Health & Wellness

English Religion

English Home & Family Life

English Education--K12

English Music

family

religion

doula

Zoom

Omaha

Hawaii

mental health

ADHD

Bible

children

Christian

church

community

COVID+

depression

doula

fear

flu

fostering

fosterparent

God

gospel

health

highschool

homeless

hugs

inflation

introvert

masking

music

Nebraska

nonprofit

Omaha

onlinelearning

parent

positivity

pregnancy

Black Voices

Motherhood

04/18/2022

10/13/2022

10/14/2022

01/18/2023

03/20/2023

03/03/2022

Kit Heintzman

Shanika King

Omaha

Nebraska

United States

Video

English

01:02:22

Some of the things we talked about included:
Learning about the pandemic while working at a local women’s homeless shelter
Changes in at the shelter: everyone isolated in their rooms, delivering lunches and water, no permission to leave except for work, the difficulty in sharing love with clients when you can’t see them
Survival mode
Children struggling with homeschooling; how generational differences in teaching styles and school content makes it hard for parents to help their children; the loss of in-class learning experiences, like lab dissections and chemistry experiments
How fostering children changed during the pandemic: a shift to online meetings with workers, the inability for children who’d like to see their parents/siblings to see them, staffing issues getting in the way of visitations
Being of service and the joy of giving: caretaking as a child for father, raising siblings after the age of 17, becoming a doula, working in the shelter
Having been a teen mom and that experience’s impact on deciding to become a doula
Daughter with ADHD completing the last year of high school; impact of the social experience of high school
Keeping children aware of the pandemic through watching the news and open dialogue; asking doctors for more information
How a doctor’s bedside manner shapes trust in doctors
The importance of a doula’s support, and the exceptional importance of having a doula in COVID when community is cut off
Catching COVID in August 2020 with extent medical issues and worrying about mortality; bedridden; anxiety about having potentially gotten anyone else sick; stopping working after catching COVID; stigma
Spirituality; continuing to attend church; COVID precautions in church: social distancing
Getting vaccinated
How amazing pregnancy to birth is
Patient advocacy in healthcare
How maternal trauma and stress impacts development in the womb and after birth
Access to masks: price and availability
Seeing the COVID vaccine like the flu shot, a regular part of health maintenance; easy access to vaccination
Going on a trip in June 2021 to Hawaii
People doing the best they can during the pandemic
Worries about future generations and hoping for change that will empowering them
Selfcare through gospel music, bible study, getting nails done, self-help books
Learning about oneself as a path to better self-loving
Anastasia Lenna and seeing the women fighting in Ukraine; feeling empowered by other women
The Bible as a guide for Christian life
Awareness of services are a determinant of access to services
Technological innovation
Feeling like history class as a child didn’t reflect relevant experiences and learning to love history as an adult

Kit Heintzman 00:01
Hello.

Shanika King 00:02
Hello.

Kit Heintzman 00:03
Would you please start by telling me your name, the date, the time and your location?

Shanika King 00:08
Yes, my name is Shanika King. It is March 3 2022 at 10:06am and I am in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kit Heintzman 00:17
And do you consent to having this interview recorded, digitally uploaded and publicly released under Creative Commons License Attribution Noncommercial Sharealike?

Shanika King 00:28
Yes.

Kit Heintzman 00:30
And would you please start by just introducing yourself to anyone who might find themselves listening to this? What would you want them to know about you in a place you're coming from?

Shanika King 00:37
Yeah, definitely. My name is Shanika King. I am a mom. I'm a doula. I am a leader in my community and yeah, I love people I love this world. I love birthing moms and I'm just a all around you know, lovable person so.

Kit Heintzman 01:01
Tell me a story about life during COVID-19.

Shanika King 01:05
Yeah, life during COVID-19 was defin- definitely different something that I haven't seen ever in my you know, years of living it was scary it was unknowing kind of didn't know what was going to happen, you know, just kind of living in the unknown it was sometimes, it was kind of warming because you had all your family there with you, you know that your inner family but your you know, other outer family you weren't able to see or talk to and you know, it was just you know, phone calls and different things like that. But I would say just a up and down time you know, it was times where are still is times where you know, you think you're confident in what you're doing when it comes to the kids going to school and you know, just going to doctor's offices and stuff but then it's you know, when you watch the news and see the numbers and how they're rising you know, you really wonder you know, is it ever going to be something like it was before?

Kit Heintzman 02:12
Do you remember when you first heard about the pandemic?

Shanika King 02:14
Yes, definitely. I was at work I worked at a shelter here a local shelter in the women's shelter and we were getting ready for I think just a regular day and about to have you know, a meeting and they our director got a call saying that you know everything needed to shut down and you know, the homeless population is a really you know, vulnerable population they don't you know, have a lot of places to go they, where are they going to shelter in place at? You know, like you know, everyone we went to shelter in place who's going to shelter the people that don't? You know, so we had to do, you know, different measures so I just remember we having a meeting and just getting everybody, say you know that either you leave the shelter, or you couldn't leave anymore, you had to stay in the shelter if you left there had to be for work and that was it and you have to have a pass so I remember being at work and getting the call and then kids school canceling and everything so.

Kit Heintzman 03:18
I'd love to hear whatever you could share about how the pandemic impacted your work at the shelter, and sort of daily operations.

Shanika King 03:26
Yeah, definitely. We had to kind of quarantine everything, we everyone couldn't gather together anymore. We everyone had to stay in their rooms, you know, in the shelter, we had different family rooms so it was about 20 rooms on each wing. And so they, each family had to stay in that room we had to deliver lunches, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, we had to take them water, the room had a bathroom in it. So you know that family had that but we just had to make sure that we you know, kept them fed. And we you know, had masks we had the PPP, PPE, sorry, on and it just made it you know, very difficult to be able to interact with people and still show your love. Like it was different showing your love, you know, we were talking through to them through the door and you know, seeing you know, whatever they needed, but we just really didn't, it was the fear of of the unknown. You didn't know what was going on. It was just that, you know, the government got on saying that, you know, we needed to do this and that never had happened, you know, not in my living. So it was a real shock.

Kit Heintzman 04:30
Do you remember your sort of early emotional reactions to hearing about the pandemic?

Shanika King 04:36
Yeah, scared. Definitely nervous not knowing what's going to happen as far as like what kids, are kind of reminded me of a movie that was like on Netflix at the time. Like bird. I think it was something where you couldn't see or something or, but it just made me think of that to know, you know, it was unknown. You know, you had to have your eyes blindfolded. We were going in there blindfolded, we didn't know what to do, we had to go by the voices of, you know, what everyone else is telling us and kind of how you know, the universe, and God is telling us, you know where to go. And so we had to really follow I think, here, and during this time, and just go with what you know, and survive, you know, we had to buy food and, you know, homeschool our kids and still be a parent and still try to go to work, you know, if you were working remotely, you know, and if you were an essential worker, like I was, you still had to go to work. So you know, your kids, our kids are failing school, because, you know, kids are gonna be kids, they're not gonna do school. So, you know, like, not if you make the, you know, sometimes, but, um, so it just, it made it harder. Definitely. For moms.

Kit Heintzman 05:49
I'd love to hear more about your kids and the homeschooling while you're still having to work in essential services.

Shanika King 05:55
Yeah, it was crazy. So, definitely. So being a, you know, having to maintain your own work, and still go and care for these people that, you know, they need care for, too, but you're still leaving your kids at home, you know, during that time, you know, they have all that time, but they're supposed to stay focused, but you know you're supposed to be there to guide them. So it was hard being an essential worker and trying to work on home to and being a, you know, a mom, and homework and kids, but you know, you had to have that one on one time. But it was hard, because the way the teaching is different from when I went to school, so it's like, it was hard for me to teach my kids or, you know, tell them a certain way when they didn't learn that way before, you know, so it was very different to adjust to that. And it's still hard for my kids to adjust to getting back to school, you know, from they went from not going at all and then they went from online, and then they went you know, half online half into school to where they're back in school, but they're still so anxious and have that fear of, you know, I don't want to get COVID. You know, I'm putting my mask on our, you know, don't touch me or just not being able to socialize and have that one on one time or personal time with people that you really need, you know, during to get you by sometimes.

Kit Heintzman 07:13
May I ask how old your children are,

Shanika King 07:15
Yes, I have a 17 year old gonna be 18. She's graduating and then I have a 11 year old in fifth grade. And then I also have two foster babies that are 12 that is in sixth grade, and then 13 That is in eighth grade. So.

Kit Heintzman 07:33
you know, I know absolutely nothing about fostering during the

Shanika King 07:37
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 07:37
pandemic. Like, I don't even know what questions to ask.

Shanika King 07:40
Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 07:40
So tell me something about that. Like, does communication with a state change? Like.

Shanika King 07:40
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 07:42
What happened?

Shanika King 07:46
Yeah. it, um, changed a little bit, but our worker, you know, they still checked in and, you know, came, we did a lot of Zoom meetings, Zoom was the best friend, you know, we had a lot of Zoom family meetings and stuff. I think for the kids, it's hard because they can't see mom, you know, because you're going from family to family, so that you don't want that COVID exposure, you know, especially when it's high. And so when an agency or like essential workers don't work or they can't work because they have families, you know, then that affects the fostering system or the kids, you know, that wants to see their parents or the parents working so hard to see their kids but they can't because of the situation. So, you know, it was definitely hard for my kid my, you know, my girls dealing with having to, you know, talk to their parents or brothers and sisters on Zoom. Or, you know, only seeing them once a week, you know, because of staffing issues because somebody had COVID You know, our couldn't come in because of COVID You know, so it definitely make, makes it hard.

Kit Heintzman 08:47
And what was it like watching a high schooler sort of go toward completing high school at this moment?

Shanika King 08:55
Very hard definitely struggled because you already get the senioritis anyway. So it's like you have senioritis way before you even got there because you know, you're sitting at home, you know, you're, you, you're watching school, you know when they're doing it, but you can still lay in bed, you know, you're chill, you know, your mom's not there. She's at work, you know, she's essential worker. So, you know, I think it made it rough because you, you get in that mode, you get you know, I'm chill, I'm gonna turn in what I need to turn in and you don't get that hard work, that dedication or even that high school experience, you know, that high school experience it is what it is, you know, but you experience it and you never forget it. So I think that their high school experience, hers will be different because she was at home a lot and you know, she likes being at home but now I think she struggles with you know, making friends or you know, getting out there being social because she's used to being at home playing our game, you know, hanging out with our siblings, you know, so I think it's hard but I think she's, she's getting by she's getting you know, through and, and I think they struggle even more when they I struggle with a disability, you know, my daughter has ADHD, you know, so it was already hard enough for her to get to where she's getting now. And then the pandemic came. And then you know, she, she's out of that cycle or out of that, you know, repetition of her going to school or doing things or feeling empowered or intrigued about something you lose that, you know, you can't do science from home, while you're, you know, school is different, you know, we got to dissect a frog and, you know, chemistry projects and different stuff like that, you can't do that at home in science, you know, you're just looking at a computer screen or, you know, doing it on, you know, iPad or something. So it's definitely different. I think it affects.

Kit Heintzman 10:39
How could you talk to your kids about the pandemic, when it started?

Shanika King 10:43
Um, I, you know, just explain, I'm very upfront I like for my kids to know what's going on. So they can be, feel empowered and know what to do and make, you know, decisions and with my guidance, you know, but how they felt, I just, you know, let them know what was going on. Really, nothing. We watched the news together, we all sat, you know, watched- I'm a news person anyway, I like watching the news and TV shows, but I, you know, we watched it together, they had questions, you know, what's going on? You know, we had to definitely be honest, you know, I don't know what's going on, but you know, we gonna stay safe. You know, regardless, God, God has us, like, you know, we have, we can't have a spirit of fear. You know, he's gonna take, take us through and, you know, we we're getting to the other side, we're getting through, you know, we just, we stuck together, you know, and even with family members that have had COVID. And I, you know, I had COVID, You know, it definitely affects you a lot, you know, afterwards that you didn't think, you know, it would so, but just sticking together, and I just explained to em what was going on, and that we had each other's back, and we was gonna get through.

Kit Heintzman 11:52
Would you tell me a bit about what it was like to have COVID?

Shanika King 11:56
Yeah, it was not fun at all. I was, I definitely thought like, it would be my last time being around because it was very painful. When you have, I had already had medical issues. So I think maybe it got me a little bit, you know, more than maybe someone else. But I was a lot of body aches. I was sick. I was in bed for a long time, I slept. And then me and my whole family got it. So it was like 15 of us that got it cause we all go to church together. You know, so one got it then it like we, it rippled one after another, you know? So, but it was tough, you know, you feel lonely because no one can be around you, you know, no one, your kid, you know, I was in a room by myself for about seven days, you know, seven days until, you know, people could you know, come but my kids, they didn't get it. But they, you know, had their mask on and stuff. But I stayed in a room didn't eat a lot. Very weak. Yeah, your mind, I felt like my mind was like, lost, like, I didn't know what to do. Even after I healed. Like, I felt overwhelmed with everything. I felt out of breath. I felt like everything was like, oh my god, what am I going to do? But it's like, it's not even like that. I don't have to be like that, you know. So it took a while for me to ease down and calm down the anxiety afterwards. Or even going back to work or being around people. It scares you. Because it's like, I didn't want to hurt anybody. Because I felt like I gave it to everybody, you know, for me working at the shelter. And then I went to church. So it was like, I felt like I had gave it to everybody. So it was you know, I'm scared to be around people. I don't want anybody to touch me. You feel like you got like a leprosy or something. And people, that's how people after you told someone that you had it is like, oh my gosh, get back. Like don't look at me, you know, like you had COVID You know, so it was it was definitely difficult.

Kit Heintzman 13:45
Do you remember when about in the pandemic that was?

Shanika King 13:49
That I got COVID?

Kit Heintzman 13:51
Yeah.

Shanika King 13:51
It was about four month-, six months in March. August. No, yeah, I got it August 2020. So five months, so I'm-

Kit Heintzman 14:01
Really during the pandemics.

Shanika King 14:03
Mhm. Yeah, and it wasn't a vaccine either. Like I'm vaccinated now, you know, but before that vaccine, like it was horrible, like, and now I feel like maybe I might have had it as far as after the vaccine, but I didn't have any symptom. You know, I felt fine. You know, I might have felt a little tired or something. But you know, but before that vaccine, it was definitely and it hit all my family members were in the hospital like it was really really bad.

Kit Heintzman 14:30
Tell me what church has been like and community has been like during the pandemic for you.

Shanika King 14:35
Yeah, none. During the pandemic, there really wasn't no community our church did stay open. But we just made it to where, you know, certain pews were open and you know, we everybody, all each family had to sit in the same row together and it was skipped rows and you know, it was roped off. But for that, that was my family you know, is my community is my church, but outside of that it wasn't you know, a lot of ordered groceries. I, you know, I didn't see a lot of people, you know, once I stopped working after I had COVID I stopped working because I couldn't, I didn't feel like I could maintain or think or, you know, handle everything that was going on even though I was handling it before, you know, I couldn't handle anything. And that's why I was like, What is going on? I know I can do this, you know, why do I feel this way? So I fell off. But we definitely what was what was the question again?

Kit Heintzman 15:25
The question is about church and community.

Shanika King 15:28
Oh, yeah. Community, right. That's right. So yeah, we, we didn't have a lot of community, you know, neighbors didn't see your neighbors. I could think of a time, you know, when I first bought my house, we all used to be outside all the time, and the kids playing and stuff, you don't see kids playing outside anymore. You don't see them outside riding their bikes, you know, not like it was before pre COVID. Most definitely. But the community there was no, you know, there's no sense of, you know, community right now. You know, it's I think it's growing back, you know, as you know, stuff dies down, and everybody's getting vaccinated and stuff. But at that time, there was, yeah, no, no community.

Kit Heintzman 16:08
I'm curious, what does spirituality mean to you?

Shanika King 16:11
Yeah, um, just means a closeness, a relationship with your Creator, and you know, who you, as far your universe, your source where you get your source from. For me, you know, I God, I very, you know, just I like to be filled. I like to feel complete, just empowered, and I, I'm a very positive person. So I like to, you know, just know why I feel that way. I know, there was a lot of things in childhood or things that I've grown up around that I know, or I knew wasn't correct or right, but it was a inner thing. It's like something is telling me, and, and for me, I'm intrigued, like, why am I why? Why is this person like this? But I think like this, you know, so it made me think a little, you know, and want to know, more of, you know, something bigger than me.

Kit Heintzman 17:00
How did you decide to enter this path of working in shelters and working as a doula and becoming a foster mom?

Shanika King 17:08
Yeah, um, my many years of serving growing up, I was, I'm the big sister, I took care of everybody. I took care of, you know, my family. My dad was really sick before he passed. I've always tooken care of him all my life. All my friends, my cousins, just I've always been that person that takes care of people. And so as I went through, I knew I wanted to be in nursing or take care of people, but I became a teen mom. And so I didn't go to school. I went to school to be a medical assist. I knew I wanted to assist people. I didn't know how, and I knew I liked medical but didn't know, you know, the, you know, everything. So, I just continued out on in life. When I was younger, my, my brother and sister, I raised my brother and sister from when I was 17 After I graduated, and so I, just kids, I mean I, kids flocked to me, I mean, I, I feel like I relate to them, I understand them, I let kids you know be who they are but even when it comes to relationships and people just I let them, I meet them where they're at you know, I don't judge I don't you know if that's, you know, I'm here, you know what you need me to do? I'm here to serve you and I love serving people. I love helping people. I love giving my all my sister always is like what is wrong with you? Why do you want to give people stuff? And I'm like cuz I just like giving stuff it makes me happy. I don't know but the serving and then doulas I love pregnant women like I worked in OBGYN For so long during the time and I just loved, I loved it you know, but the only reason why I had got out of it because I was trying to, you know as far as look for some- What, what am I supposed to do? You know, I want to know business, I want to know- So it was I feel like it all came together. As I look back at it. You know, I've been my friends doula doulas, you know throughout their childbirths, all my family, my sisters, you know, I've always been there. So then when I look back, I'm like, what!? I've been doing this. Why do not you know. So, that opened that up. I started to doula in OB, but I think it all started from when I was eight, I assisted a lady have a baby. With my I was with my mom- I my stepdad. And he was there. My mom was gone and the lady was there. And she went into labor. And he, he ran, he screamed, and so I was there to assist him. I was eight years old and she had a baby right in front of me. So I think that really opened it up for me. And so I think that's yeah, so and that, I put that and then serving people I'm like duh! I like I love catering to pregnant women. I love being there, support them and make them feel good. So that's where it came from.

Kit Heintzman 19:48
Tell me a bit about what it is you do as a doula.

Shanika King 19:51
Yeah, as a doula I support, I encourage, so during birth or during even pregnancy with me I love to you know, be there, if you want me to be there, I'm there, if you need support, if you need help with transportation, you know, I like working in the inner city here is North Omaha, and that's where I live, but being able to support them, because I know when I was a teen mom, you know, I caught the bus or I had people, certain people, you know, that was there for me and stuff. So I always wanted to be that for someone else. So I like being able to mentor and help them, you know, if they have questions, because I didn't have anyone to ask a lot of questions to, to be like, you know, well, is this right? Or is this okay? Or I was too nervous, or I was I was young, who's gonna listen to me, you know, who's gonna answer you know, who's gonna take me serious, as, you know, when you and, you're pregnant, and you're young. So that, that's what, definitely.

Kit Heintzman 20:48
2020, 2021, and 2022 already have been pretty, like notoriously big years.

Shanika King 20:56
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 20:56
I'm wondering what beyond COVID and the pandemic has been on your mind over this period of time?

Shanika King 21:03
Yeah, um, just growth, being able to support and change the dynamics of how women and birthing rights and just people are treated, I don't, you know, just I like for people to be treated, how other people want, you don't want to be treated, but being able to be a advocate and be a voice for other women that maybe not want to be a voice or may not have that voice yet, or it's not there. You know, they don't see that inside of them. But I, I see as far as just the change, being able to support and grow the word about doulas and how, you know, it's not just for certain women, you know, everyone deserves a doula. It could be a doula in any part of your life, beginning and postpartum. You know, if you're having a surgery, you need someone to be able to assist you and not saying that, you know, you have a spouse, even if you do, you know, you still need that one on one, you know, support, especially in the pandemic too, because you're not getting that, you know, you're not getting that community, you're not meeting up with all the moms at the park, that you guys are all pregnant together, and all your kids are playing together, you know, so I feel like growing up, that's how I got to know all my people that, you know, around Omaha, you know, we, our moms might all went to a school together, a certain school, or a certain group that all met up and all of us played together at one point in time. And, you know, now we grow, you know, we know each other from (inaudible), but I feel like it's, they know, or will you know that, okay, I know that person, or I feel secure, or I know, you know, make you feel secure in places, not just in your birthing experience, but now outside of your life in your job in your home, you know, you got someone that you know, has your back, and that's supporting you, you do a lot better. I feel like.

Kit Heintzman 22:51
I'd love to hear about what you'd like to see happen with birthing rights.

Shanika King 22:56
Yeah, um, that I would like to see that. As far as just every one woman has heard, you know, not, not saying that it has to be a certain way or that it has to be, you know, this, that everyone has heard, because everyone is different. Not everyone in this world is alike at all, you know, they might have similar traits or similar, you know, features or similar demographics, but they're all different, everyone's spirit is different. So what might work for this person might not work for that person. So being able to have a choice and being able to express that and not feel judged, or, you know, for someone to meet you halfway and know that you have a team behind you in anything.

Kit Heintzman 23:40
To the extent that you're comfortable sharing, would you say something about your experiences with health and healthcare infrastructure prior to the pandemic?

Shanika King 23:49
Yeah, um, prior to the pandemic, I mean, I worked in the health field for majority of my time. I didn't feel heard. I didn't feel seen in, in my health wise and, and in professional wise, also, you know, so, when it came as far as like, health wise, you know, when it's something, okay, well, I feel this way. Well, no, this is, you know, percentage say, you know, or putting in demographic wise or, well, this is what this is saying. But, you know, that's not how I feel, you know, I've I made a lot of medical decisions off of what someone else told me or what I felt like, you were right, you know, I you know, you're telling me, I'm thinking you have my best interests, but then at, at the end it didn't, you know, I'm in more pain or I'm, you know, suffering a little bit more. I think there is room for as far as like diversity just to be able to close the gap in the health like spectrum of like race and you know, getting people to come in I think if people felt you know, heard and seen and, oh, there's somebody like me here then I, I feel comfortable, you know, just like I say, you know, you might know this person because I I grew up in this community, a lot of people, you know, came to a certain place a doctor's office because I w- you know, you work there, you know, you see these people, they feel comfortable with you. So I think closing that gap, and building an infrastructure where there's diversity when there's inclusion, when there's somebody, you know, there to be seen somebody to advocate for somebody, when they're not being seen and not feel judged, and not feel like you're less than or not feel. Just heard. So I think it, you know, great, you know, that we have, you know, doctors are a blessing. I love doctors, you know, like, God, I mean, the devil didn't make those, you know, God, you know, that was definitely, but I think it's just the business part. And as far as getting to be able to close that gap to be able to have a,a more healthier world, you know, because you're not pushing people away, you're meeting them your bedside manner is different, because you have that person there, you know, or even you're learning from somebody that didn't come from the same road as you but you're open to knowing you know, what is going on, and how I could better treat my clients or your, your patients that you're taking care of.

Kit Heintzman 26:10
Has, has the process of finding clients or tending to them changed because of the pandemic?

Shanika King 26:20
Yes, I think so. Because they feel alone, they want to be supported, you know, they might call a little bit more or text. As far as, as clients, I would say, finding them. A lot of people don't know what doulas are. I never knew what it was, I wish I would have knew back then, you know, that's- I was like oh my God, why didn't I know about this! This would have been the best thing ever, you know, but a lot of people don't know. So showing awareness and you know, telling people that hey, you can have this, this is you know, this is accessible to you, people don't you know, in this neighborhood are in other neighborhoods around the world and country don't think that certain things are accessible. But if you feel empowered, to know and people tell you that these things are accessible, then you know, and then you can use them and then I feel like and that that would make it better, you know, a better birth a better postpartum, a better mom, you know, no pote you know, decreasing that postpartum depression because you feel supported. You know, if depression is you don't, you don't feel like no one has your back, you know, but if you have someone being there for you, showing you being there, and in that vulnerable time, having you, having someone there during that time, you know, it speaks volumes and it goes a long way because you're always gonna remember that you're always gonna remember how you felt when you had that doula or you had that person there supporting you. So.

Kit Heintzman 27:39
you seem very attuned to the like, mental, emotional, social aspect of the pregnancy.

Shanika King 27:47
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 27:48
Could you, imagine you're talking to an alien who saw it just as a biomedical like physical process. How would you explain like the mattering of that emotional part?

Shanika King 28:03
So the matter of the emotional part of just birth I would say you know, just you I mean, you look at it you would what else in this world are two something I know like you know, science, but two organisms coming together and growing inside of a woman and holding that you know, your body is amazing, you know, yes, it does amazing things. But that all came from a but you know, it came from the source so to be able to do that and grow something just like a regular plant, you know, it grows from a little being and you know, you nurture it, you give it you know what it needs, that's anything you have to do that. But then that process of going through and having the baby and just that emotional strength that you put into it and sometimes you do do it alone. You don't have that support. So that baby is your support you know, you feel you're one with that baby as it comes out. And then after that you feel like this just came from me you know, like even though your partner you know, the partners, maybe too but you know what the mom is, is just like this, like it's it's mind blowing to me that something like I've seen science, I've been in chem you know, like, whatever I know, but it's just it's just amazing to me and I feel like the emotional aspect is little human being you're gonna have for the rest of your life and you're gonna watch grow into something that you did you know, and it's outside of science with that, you know, they grow up and you know, you, you yell at them but you love them all in one you know, you can't do that that relationship is not going to be there with anybody else like that when it's with your child. So that process and then when they're coming into that world, babies feel to you know that that spirit they're coming through, they feel that trauma they feel when Mom is tense they feel so that puts a strength on them I feel like when me growing up my mom was in a very just trump traumatic situation. So me coming out, I was very quiet. I was very you know, and I read about, you know, how babies when certain babies come out, you know, they're just, you know, sometimes they're chill, sometimes they're calm, but just that effect that it has when Mom is stressed out, you know, just learning disabilities that can happen or just different things from your baby, you know, just anxiety you be intense all the time. If somebody's come walking around, squeezing you all the time, you're gonna come out, like, Oh, my God, what's going on? I'm supposed to be squeezed. You know, but you know, you just let that go. But just being able to support that mom and just that calmingness, cause science, I feel like what's that, like you? Yeah, kids come out, you know what certain aspects but it's, it's from what mom does, it's what mom eats. It what's mom, you know, puts in her body while that baby is growing. So if you look at you know, a mom that did the certain things and then a mom that not you know, and that child maybe 10 years later, the different effects that might that you know, that child might go through, might be little but you know, it could have been different if you know moms breastfeed and different things like that, but I know some moms don't know that. So just being able to show that outside of that box there is that.


Kit Heintzman 31:19
I'm curious, what does the word motherhood mean to you?

Shanika King 31:23
Yeah, motherhood is a, hm, let me see, motherhood is, hm, it's a calming tornado. That's what I was saying, no. But it is, it's like, it's that person or those, you know, those little children that, you know, they tug at your heartstrings, but still, you have to direct them and you know, you love them. But it's still it's guidance. It's showing them the way it's being support. It's empowering them to go out into the world that you know, you know about, but they don't know about, you know, so it's empowering them for that world and loving on them no matter what. It's unconditional love. Definitely. Especially in the teenage years, so. But yeah, just that unconditional love, empowering., support.

Kit Heintzman 32:22
What does the word health mean to you?

Shanika King 32:25
Yeah, health means to me. Your well being your time here on Earth, you are the way you love yourself. It's important. It's required. It's, I feel everyone should have equal, you know, health, everything. It's something that need, you know, has to be maintained. In order to live a life here. You have to maintain your health.

Kit Heintzman 32:59
What are some of the things you'd like for your own health?

Shanika King 33:02
Yeah, I like to be more active. I like to see as far as more opportunities to meet community and have a like minded experience with health as far as exercise and our well being or more informational is about health, you know, you know, doctors have all the information, you know, knows all the knowledge, you know, but a lot of communities don't know, you know, a lot if, and if they're not intrigued, or if they don't want to know they're not going to ask or if their family members is not going through it or you know, even if they is sometimes they don't look, you know, we got Google now everyone can Google stuff, you know, but just making sure that this accurate information and that our community is aware of, you know, stuff that's going on in our world when it comes to health.

Kit Heintzman 34:00
When you're doing your own searching, how are you determining what feels more accurate or accurate enough to follow?

Shanika King 34:10
Um, yeah, well, I went to school I, I had a lot of like different medical terminology and stuff and been around a lot of doctors that have, you know, friends, so just being able to talk to them, and I'm a learner, I love being able to, you know, learn new things and why things are this way. So just being intrigued about it. And, yeah, what was the question again?

Kit Heintzman 34:36
Just thinking about how, cuz you were saying that one of the things that's important is for not only people to have access for information, but also to be able to sort through it and see

Shanika King 34:50
Oh, yeah, sure. It's gonna .Right, right. (inaudible overlap talking) Go again.

Kit Heintzman 34:52
So asking how you come to those decisions.

Shanika King 34:55
Right. Just being able was facts, what I know, you know, like, I'm not, like, read, I know, just reading through and discerning what's correct, and what's really sounds and even just confirming it to, you know, writing down questions that I do see, and then going to my doctor and asking them, but you know, if you don't feel comfortable with your doctor, or if your doctor doesn't have that bedside manner, you know, you're not going to do that you're going to be scared so that you're gonna go by what's off the internet, or, you know, what a friend is saying. And so then that leads to miscommunication. And then it goes down, and then it, you know, playing the game, what was it telephone where you tell something, and then it changes, and then it changes to something else as you go through. So you know, that that happens. So being able to just to have that access, and feel comfortable with being able to have that conversation with your doctor or your healthcare professional.

Kit Heintzman 35:48
What does the word safety mean to you?

Shanika King 35:52
Yeah, safety means secure, it means calm, it means inviting. Yeah, protect something to protect you.

Kit Heintzman 36:11
Thinking of the kind of narrow context of safety under COVID-19, how have you been deciding what feels safe for you? And then how have you been talking to your kids about that?

Shanika King 36:23
Yeah, um, as far as just what feels safe, I feel like me and my kids just have, like an understanding, you know, we're gonna wear a mask when we go regardless, you know, of what anyone says, you know, if, if we're going to be around people, you know, for, you know, if you're unvaccinated or not vaccinated, you don't know who is you know, if you're going to be in that space of 10, or more people, whatever, you know, the CDC is saying, then, you know, just wear your mask, and it's okay, it's, you know, you're only going to be there for a little bit, you can go home and, you know, do what you need to do, but I think playing it safe, you know, still using hand sanitizer stuff we should have been doing before anyway, you know, like, why, why is there just, you know, when it first happened, like, why is everyone just now starting to wash hands? We should have been washing our hand, right, you know, like, so stuff like that, but just still following those precautions, and you know, wiping and disinfecting, you know, just being aware and taking those precautions, so then you can, you know, be ready if you need to.

Kit Heintzman 37:25
Whats access to things like masks and hand sanitizer been like in Omaha, sort of, like, at the beginning, middle, and like where we're at now?

Shanika King 37:36
Yeah, I think access at the beginning was, you know, everyone was, you know, getting it out there and trying to help, you know, and making sure everyone had something and people were making masks, you know, it, it became a job for some people, you know, making masks and providing them to people, you know, that maybe couldn't buy them and different things like that. I think it has died off, you can't really, you can still see, you know, they're in the grocery stores. But you know, they're off to the side, you know, they're not so accessible like they were, but and I think the prices went up just because you know, inflation anyway, but the price you know, on Amazon, it's a lot of, you know, some people in the inner city, you know, and other inner cities can't afford that to buy the surgical ones or the N95s and different things like that. So that leads to you know, keep on con- you know, they contract COVID nine- you know, and then it continues to go down and down just because you know, you can't afford it right now or you don't have the right one when you're in a certain place or different things like that. So it continues to circle around.

Kit Heintzman 38:43
How did you decide to become vaccinated and then like, walk me through what that was like in terms of like access the appointment, the physical experience?

Shanika King 38:52
Yeah, definitely. Um, I yeah, I get the flu shot. So I mean, I want to be the vaccinated I you know, especially after having and I'm like, sign me up where can I be like, I'll be the first one if, I, if the other lady didn't volunteer I was going to. Nah. But just being able to I was I felt empowered again to be able to go outside you know, as far as and not feel like oh my god, am I gonna do, you know what's gonna happen or am I gonna get it again? Or, but that process it was easy it was, you know, sign up, I did it online, they had a lot of different places here they still do to where you know, being able to get a shot, they put it on the news every day. Easy went through a process, took a survey even got think, I think I got a gift card out of it, you know, it was a, it was an easy process. And I even got my booster shot because I like to travel. So I just want to make sure, I don't want to give it to any, you know, I don't want to have that feeling like I you know, gave it to someone because I know a lot of people's families were affected by that, you know, and people I've known die, you know, from COVID, you know, so it was just of me wanting to be that person of supporting everybody but still supporting myself to like, I feel like it was keeping me safe, let alone with my family too.

Kit Heintzman 40:12
Have you had much chance to travel?

Shanika King 40:15
Last year, so I started back again last year, 2020 I didn't. But yeah, last year June, I was able to and that's when I got my vax, vaccination, like a couple months before because we were going out to Hawaii. So yeah. Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 40:31
How was it?

Shanika King 40:32
Oh, it was beautiful. It was nice. I never seen anything in the picture. Like I've seen a picture and then it actually looked like the picture. So it was amazing.

Kit Heintzman 40:42
And you didn't have any negative experiences with the vaccine?

Shanika King 40:46
No, nope. I mean, I felt a little bit tired or you know my arm a little, but that's what they need shot or anything. And yeah, I feel like yeah, they wouldn't have made it if you know, it wasn't going to help and be there. You know, doctors made it, you know, like, I I really believe that, you know, it's here to help us if we allow it. But I just think it's feeling that familiar and feeling okay, what the like you said that calmness, feeling safety with it.

Kit Heintzman 41:18
How have you felt about the local government and its management of things like mandates and anything on intent?

Shanika King 41:26
Yeah, um, I mean, I'm really not a political person. But I mean, I think they did you know, pretty well. I mean, I, I feel like I'm governed by God. So it's like, you know, you're not really, you know, you do what you have to do for our cou- you know, what your job is to do, but it's not the last word for me, you know, like, I feel like God always has the last word, but I feel like they, you know, handle it as far as what they needed to, you know, we had a mask mandate, you know, they got the vaccinations out there. You know, they still, you know, trying to make it accessible for you know, everyone and keep that information. I do feel, you know, I was like struggling, you know, like, what food with kids out of school, you know, just being able to have food for them, or, you know, the funds to be, cause they eat a lot, kids eat a lot so, but I feel like, you know, it was handled as, but it, we didn't know how to handle it. I don't think you know, everyone, and I that's me meeting everyone halfway, you know, like you did the best you could, you know, like, you didn't know how to handle this. So you handle it, we get we getting through everybody, you know, most majority of us is still alive, you know, like, it's just yeah.

Kit Heintzman 42:37
How are you feeling about the immediate future?

Shanika King 42:41
Oh, I feel good about it. Positive, open, just, you know, I felt like going into the pandemic was really the unknown. You know, you think you kind of plan your life out, like, I'm gonna do this today, or, you know, next year, I'm gonna be doing this, no one knew we were gonna be sitting in the house for a whole year, you know, like, you know, you never know. So I'm open, Um optimistic, really want to, you know, see how life will be after all of this. And, you know, what the, how this will affect generations to come.

Kit Heintzman 43:12
What are some of your hopes for a longer term future?

Shanika King 43:15
Yeah. My hope is that, you know, everyone in this world as far as just begins to work together, to for the main goal of our country and world and you know, everyone do, if everyone was doing what everyone was supposed to do, then we, everything would work together, you know, without everything else outside, you know, and for everyone was supporting everyone and you know, we see we felt you know, everyone felt seen everyone felt heard, met halfway, and you just mutually connected, because we all are mutually collect, con-, you know, connected in some way. We just don't know how so just being able to respect that and change, just yeah, being open to change for everyone, whatever that is, for, you know, whoever, but just making a change and what's, you know, going on right now, you know, as far as with women and birthing rights, and our high mortality rate and you know, racism and you know, just the government and Ukraine, you know, it just hurts my heart, you know, it's just, its I, I'm a humanitarian, you know, I love people. So, you know, just to think that, you know, other people are going through those things and it's like, oh my God, like, this could be uh- you know, this, you know, at, for me, I just like this could be us like we could be going through like, what if we had to do this? You know, so I'm, I think like that. So just being able to change everyone's perspective of each other and more love.

Kit Heintzman 44:48
I'd like to invite you to just say, a little bit more about the heaviness and the weight of like, all of these things happening at once.

Shanika King 44:58
Mhm. Yeah, so that heaviness and what you know, just with everything, it's like, you don't know what's going on, you know, you didn't think that you would be made to stay at home, you know, you couldn't come outside, if you were, you know, it's like, you didn't know that. So it's like, it's just the fear of unknown, but that heaviness you know, you think about your kids or your kids kids and how their life is going to be if I'm seeing this right now in my life, you know, what are they going to see? And, you know, I feel like, you know, I'm only 30s, you know, 36, you know, so what else, you know, what's going to happen? But, I'm very optimistic. And I feel like that's why I'm very passionate about change, and want to be that change. So it can change for our kids. And their kids afterwards to be able to feel empowered to do what they need to do and do what God called them here on this earth because it makes the earth better, you know, when you're, everyone's doing and working together, you know, everyone, if do what you love, you know, not everyone is, you know, school school, you know, some people are more passionate about other things, you know, everybody's brain ticks a different way. But finding that at an early age and pushing our kids to go with what's in their heart and what you know, alright, because I feel like if someone would have pushed me back then to do, you know, be more of a serving person, like, you know, already was, but I didn't know that about myself until I got older, you know, but it would, uh, took me out a lot of strife, a lot of trauma, a lot of different things that, you know, set it up to where it wasn't what things were supposed to be, I'm, get, you know, it's going there now, but, you know, where there were bumps in the road because there was no one there empowering me or encouraging or, you know, showing a different or what was inside of me, that, you know, came out later. But just being able to empower the next generation just for that change.

Kit Heintzman 46:57
How have you been taking care of yourself?

Shanika King 47:00
Yeah, I listen to music, I drink tea and I like getting my nails and toes done and stuff, when you know, when you can but doing it yourself during the pandemic it was really hard being able to take care of yourself you know, you had to lock yourself in the bathroom and be like, okay, turning music on because you couldn't go nowhere. But definitely I go to church, Bible study, you know, those are my outlets as far as to being able just to still be me and let that you know just the weight of the world go away during those times because it is a way you know, when you watch the news and you see the war and you know, it's like I can't believe there's a war going, like I it's just blows my mind and then to see how the women there are staying and that they're you know, fighting, it just it empowers I'm like yeah, that's what I'm doing to you know if something happened, you know, but it's just empowering. Like they can do that too. You know, I think it was the beauty queen or whatever over there. Ukraine you know, I'm like yes, that's what I'm talking about. Because I love women just being women and you know, we can do it all you know, I feel like we are every woman when it comes to you know what we can do so just yeah, I love it.

Kit Heintzman 48:13
What kind of music have you been listening to to feel better?

Shanika King 48:15
Yeah, I listen to, I listen to gospel kinda encouraging music. Like Kasha Cobbs. I listen to just like newer artists. What else I lis- I listen to? I like listening to different books, empowering books, and just what, what kind of books is it? Just like self help books and stuff and just learning about yourself like, we're just so like, human beings like they're great like and just everything that we can do and just how different everyone is and I think when people find out about their self they love their self a little bit more and try to do a little bit better you know, because you love yourself a little bit more and so then and that with that it makes the world a better place. So when you know yourself.

Kit Heintzman 49:09
I have another follow up question, but it's gonna take me a second to remember what it was.

Shanika King 49:12
It's okay. It's okay.

Kit Heintzman 49:16
Oh, right. You had mentioned Bible study. I wanted to ask if there are what the Bible means to you as well as if there are particular parts of it that I've been supporting you.

Shanika King 49:27
Mhm. I feel like the Bible means to me as far as it's a guide for Christian life, you know, being able, it shows you and tells you how you're supposed to live in situations, everything that the stories that happened in the Bible are just happen to hear in a different type of way. And it you know, it's just a modern version, you know, kind of how they remake stuff, you know, TV shows, is just a remake. But just all the different stories that are happening that happened in the Bible just in a different way. So I think it's just a guide for me and helped me be able to see different ways- see different things in different ways. You know, I might read a story and be like, Oh, I didn't get that last time. But I get this this time, you know, it's just different ways. And yeah, just talks to me. I like the stories.

Kit Heintzman 50:14
We know we're in this moment where there's all of this, like biomedical scientific research happening. I'm wondering what you think people in the humanities in the social sciences, people who are dedicated to studying the sort of human side of events, what you think we should be doing right now to help us understand the pandem- pandemic?

Shanika King 50:33
Um, okay, can you repeat that for me?

Kit Heintzman 50:36
Yeah. What do you think? What kinds of stories do you think people who focus on the human side of events, so last, like, what's going on inside of the body with the virus, which would be a focus of a doctor, but more like, what's happening in our human social world? What kinds of things should those of us who are, who study that? What should we be looking at right now, what's

Shanika King 50:58
Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 50:58
important?

Shanika King 50:59
I think, important, seeing how people feel, just their mind, it's a lot of mental health, you know, the, the mind because the mind play tricks on you, you know, that's how you feel, you know, but just that what's going on in their life, or how they feel everyone feels differently about certain things, you know, like, somebody might be more passionate, or this might trigger somebody for something, but this might, you know, but just being open and meeting them, and being able to see where they were, you know, as far as during. what region, you know, like geographical on the map, you know, like, where they were, and the resources that were given to that particular play, you know, and to why, so maybe this area had this many resources, but this area didn't have this many. So this is, you know, maybe this is why they, you know, had to do this, I feel like when I was pregnant I had did, you know, as far as made certain decisions or because I was taking care of my brother and sister, I had to make certain decisions that were different from everyone else, because they, you know, were on they had different resources, or they didn't have those, you know, certain things that I might have had. So for someone to meet me halfway or meet me, where I was at, helped me and empower me, because then okay, I can make it to the next step, or, you know, I'm willing to be open and really tell how I feel, because, you know, they really care, you know, they're just not doing it for a certain reason, or, you know, different things like that. But I think meeting people where they are letting showing people that, you know, you care and being able to look at what makes them tick, and why they are, because you know, why they are who they are.

Kit Heintzman 52:55
Would you share something about some of the decisions you've made based on resource accesses?

Shanika King 53:01
Yeah, definitely. Um, you know, I with resources, I had to, I didn't know a lot, you know, as far as I was only 18 when I, well 17, when I got pregnant but 18 when I had my daughter, but I was also taking care of my brother and sister. So I didn't know a lot of the resources. I was still in high school, I was living with a friend after I got out of high school, I graduated and went and moved in with a friend, you know, just somebody that you know, we could pay the bills together, but I was taking care of my brother and sister so I didn't know about it, not that it might not have been there. It just wasn't no awareness or not in where I was living at, you know, no one was coming to the community center, or you know, my school where I was going to telling me okay, this is what, this is what can help you, you know, case management, I feel like if I had a case manager, you know, being able to help me with my finances, like I had to make a lot of decisions with money, you know, I, my finances were off for a while, you know, because I had to make I had to buy food when I didn't have money, you know, because I just didn't have it. You know, I was working I was going to school, you know, not that I wasn't trying to do what I was supposed to do. I just didn't have it you know? And sometimes when you make a certain amount you don't get help from you know, services no matter who you're taking care of, you know, if you and I've always been a prenov went to school. I went to college, you know, I've always worked multiple jobs, but it's still sometimes just you know, wasn't enough, you know, and I made decisions to you know, either either I had to date somebody because he had money, you know, because even being in a relationship that I didn't really want to be in or it might not have been healthy for me. But I stayed because I, my, my needs were met, I was able to take care of my kid, you know, food, you know, or you know, you might take a job just because it's a job, and it's not what you really want to do. But then you go there and you're miserable. But you know, you're hurting inside because you're not really going what's, you know, in your life. So I think a lot of those decisions I made because I had to if I didn't have kids, I wouldn't of did, you know, I wouldn't have made that decision. Or if I didn't have to do certain things, I wouldn't have made that decision. And I think that's a lot when it comes to, you know, in world in now, you know, certain people do certain things. It's not just because they're a bad person, or because they, didn't you know, know, it's just because they had some just, there was no other option or, you know, so.

Kit Heintzman 55:23
Yeah, thinking like, just 20 or 40 years ahead.

Shanika King 55:28
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 55:29
What are some of the histories you'd like to read about the pandemic? So if someone were writing an article or a book. Thinking back to this moment, what would you want to hear about?

Shanika King 55:40
Yeah, um, I would want to hear from the people that lived it, you know, just what their experience what they did was the games that they play, you know, with their families. I want to hear how the solution what was done, you know, what was the numbers of people that, you know, got a shot or had access to the shot? Or, you know, testing and how was that done. And I want to know, you know, what the kids did, and, you know, what, how was families connecting during that time, and you know, about zoom and how, you know, we got FaceTime back then, you know, we didn't have all this different stuff. So just, you know, knowing about, you know, how the creative ways that people still connected during that time. And I, I always seen a commercial I think is for Cox, like that hub. thing, like, it's a hub thing that I've seen, but yeah, the you know, just learning about different stuff that was innovated and came up with to be able to communicate and still, you know, love people.

Kit Heintzman 56:46
Would you say anything about how digital technology has shaped your connections with people?

Shanika King 56:52
Ah, yeah, I think it, it definitely acts as a bridge, you know, because I'm not, I'm an introvert, I'll stay at home, I like staying at home. I mean, for me, quarantine could have happened about 10 years ago, you know, but, but I like being at home, but being able to still interact with people, you can talk, you know, we can do Zoom, you can still be million miles away, but still being able to connect and still see, you might not be able to feel, but you could still see and see people's reactions and still, you know, feel that from that connection from someone. So I think it's, you know, pretty cool, all the different things that they come out with, and you know, you know, iPad, FaceTime, you know, being able to instantly message somebody, you know, before, we didn't have that it took probably like five minutes before somebody got a message. So it, it definitely is cool.

Kit Heintzman 57:43
And thinking a little further down the line. So-

Shanika King 57:46
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 57:46
thinking about a historian in 100 or 200 years.

Shanika King 57:50
Mhm.

Kit Heintzman 57:51
What kinds of stories would you tell them cannot be forgotten about this moment? What did I have to hunt for and to tell to the next-

Shanika King 58:00
Yes.

Kit Heintzman 58:01
generations?

Shanika King 58:03
How we still stick together during the pandemic, how I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs came out during this time, a lot of Pollock pop up flea markets really started to happen, because everybody still needed it to be supported. So kinda, I would wanna to see, you know, how strong people were how resilient everybody still, you know, was during this time, even though yeah, we still, we had this problem. We had COVID-19 I'm saying had, because hopefully it's gone, but um, had COVID-19 but we still was resilient. We stuck together. We fought together, you know, yeah, we lost some along the way as in any army you do in any war. This is you know, just another war that we're going through. But we all stuck together. We came together, you know, I, lot, I seen a lot, you know, of different businesses and communities coming together, you know, given water when it first happened, food, you know, pizza, you know, if kids needed school supplies, you know, a guy in my neighborhood. Well, from here, he was making desks, he was on the world, the national news, you know, being able to make desks for you know, a lot of the kids here around Omaha and I think everywhere, so it was pretty cool, you know, to see how everybody came together to still you know, get through life regardless of us having this little bug.

Kit Heintzman 59:24
Can I ask you to tell me what resiliency means to you?

Shanika King 59:28
Yeah, resilience means a fighter it means a relator. Somebody that can like a chameleon like they can change, you know, they can go with the flow, they are able to, yes, something happens but you bounce back, you keep going, no matter what. You go towards the go, no matter what, no matter what knocks you down, no matter what keeps you, you know, fight and you continue to go and be resilient, no matter how many times you get knocked down.

Kit Heintzman 1:00:04
I want to thank you so very much.

Shanika King 1:00:07
Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 1:00:07
For your time and generosity of your answers.

Shanika King 1:00:11
Yeah, no problem.

Kit Heintzman 1:00:12
And those are all of my questions, but I'd like to just open some space, if there's anything that you'd like to share it out, please feel invited to do so.

Shanika King 1:00:24
Yeah. um, no. I mean, I think this is great. I love, when I was a kid. I did not like history at all, because I felt like it made. It didn't reflect me. I didn't know anything that was going on. Like, yeah, okay, like this happened a long time ago, you know, like, my mom don't know about this, you know, but just knowing about the generation maybe that came just right ahead of you, you know, and what they did, and the things that they were not so far ahead towards, like, in my mind back then I wouldn't compute in like that. It's like, I don't care about that. But now that I'm older, like, I love history, I love genealogy, like, you know, knowing what was going on, you know, before and what my parents did, and what my grad- you know, I always talk to my grandmother about, you know, well, what were you doing this, you know, you know, she said, she used to have chicken coop in our backyard, like, oh my god, you know, like how like, wow, like, but for me, my grandkids might be like, Oh, wow, you were in COVID-19? Like, what, you know, like, what was that, like, you know, different things like that. So being able to share the stories before to get kids intrigued about history. Because when you know, your history, you kind of know where you came from, and kind of where you're going and you know, what's gonna get you through, you know, if you had a grandfather or a mom or grandmother that was really, really strong or, you know, you someone in your family that, you know, stood the test of time, you know, you feel like, okay, a little bit of that is in me, and I can do a too, and I can, you know, work through whatever problem I have. So, I think knowing about just those generations that came before and the different experiences and how they got through will help the next generation and just like the Bible is just the same thing. Those stories that you know, they got through and all the different walks and stuff that they went through. You know, they you have that in the book now, and it's just those same stories that came through here.

Kit Heintzman 1:02:17
Thank you so much.

Shanika King 1:02:18
Yeah, no prob.