Photos: Tucson women of the pandemic
We are celebrating International Women's Day (March 8) and Women's History Month through the stories of our resilient neighbors, mothers, daughters and friends. This is Tucson partnered with La Estrella de Tucson for a special bilingual series, Tucson Women of the Pandemic. See who was featured in the series and how they're stepping up to support their families and their community during the pandemic.
Women of the Pandemic, Regina Romero
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Arizona's female political leaders agree that the path to the positions they now hold has not been easy. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero got involved in politics to increase representation of women and Mexican Americans in politics. That leadership resonated amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when Romero joined the mayor of Phoenix, and then-Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, to take on Governor Doug Ducey in demanding tougher measures to stop the spread of the virus in Arizona. Read about how Romero got involved in politics at tucne.ws/1h39
Women of the Pandemic, Martha Téllez
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Martha Téllez, a phsychologist in Hermosillo, Sonora, contracted the coronavirus twice. Those were the only two times she stopped providing therapy to her clients. "We mental health providers are also exposed to the same things as everyone else," says Téllez. Psychologically and emotionally, being a therapist during the pandemic has taken its toll. Read more about how she and other Latinas working in mental health have helped heal the emotional scars brought on by the pandemic. tucne.ws/1h3b
Women of the Pandemic, Desireé Guerrero
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South Tucson Community Outreach started with just Desiree Guerrero — buying groceries out of her own pocket and delivering boxes herself. “I love seeing the community come together and help each other out,” she says. “I started doing it myself but I would not have been able to continue and be where I am now without the community support.” Read more about how women in Tucson have helped their communities during COVID-19 at tucne.ws/1h3a.
Women of the Pandemic, Anissa Taylor
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Aniissa Taylor poses with her seven-month old daughter Aurora Pena. Taylor says all she's experienced over the last year from the birth of her daughter to losing her mom and brother has brought more compassion and empathy to her work as an epidemiologist. Read about what life has been like for Tucson moms living, working and raising children through the coronavirus at tucne.ws/1h3e
Women of the Pandemic, Patricia Dorado
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Every day for almost a year now, Patricia Dorado-Lawrence, a Spanish immersion teacher at Ventana Vista Elementary, and her eight siblings connect on a video call with their mother to pray and talk. That family connection helped her get through the pandemic as she adjusted to online teaching, a new job and as she battled the virus a few months ago, she says. Read more about how she and other essential workers have managed the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h3d
Women of the Pandemic, Kate Gallego
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“COVID challenged every person, city and state with issues we could not have foreseen. I am proud of the City of Phoenix for stepping up to ensure that the health and safety of every resident is prioritized," Phoenix Mayor Kate Galleg said. Read more about Arizona's female political leaders and how they've responded to the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h39
Women of the Pandemic, Sonia McElroy
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For Sonia McElroy, who cleans clinics at the Arizona Cancer Center and administrative offices at El Rio, the pandemic brought on new fears as she had no choice but to continue showing up to work every day. “We’re practically at the forefront of everything," she said. Read more about how she and other essential workers have managed the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h3d
Women of the pandemic, Raquel Terán
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The new Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, Raquel Terán, began her career as an activist fighting against the controversial law SB-1070. She says the political landscape for women has changed in recent years, but there are still barriers women face while pursuing politics. Read more about Arizona and Sonora's female political leaders and how they've responded to the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h39
Women of the Pandemic, Fanny Doran
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Fanny Doran, founder of the Monarch Butterfly Center in Phoenix, is a thanatologist (a specialist on death and dying) and an expert on family constellations (a therapeutic technique). “I am also in therapy, I'm helping myself a little bit, because the pandemic has affected me a lot personally, as well as my family," she says. Read more about how she and other Latinas working in mental health have helped heal the emotional scars brought on by the pandemic. tucne.ws/1h3b
Women of the Pandemic, Glenda Aguirre
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Glenda Aguirre decided to homeschool her 5-year-old daughter this year because of the pandemic while also caring for her 2-year-old son and working on her two businesses and helping with her husband's business. Read about what life has been like for Tucson moms living, working and raising children through the coronavirus at tucne.ws/1h3e
Women of the Pandemic, Alma Hernández
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State Rep. Alma Hernández, a Tucson native, is the youngest member of the Arizona House of Representatives. She says being a public person in politics and a woman has led to some barriers. "We have to work very hard to get a seat at the table," Hernandez said. Read more about Arizona's female political leaders and how they've responded to the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h39
Women of the Pandemic, Dorely Valdez
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Dorely Valdez has been working from home while caring for her two-year-old daughter for a year. Evenings and weekends are spent working on her classwork for her MBA program and her growing photography business. Read about what life has been like for Tucson moms living, working and raising children through the coronavirus at tucne.ws/1h3e
Women of the Pandemic, Jimena González
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Originally from Tijuana, Baja California, Jimena González is a thanatologist — grief specialist — and reiki therapist in Phoenix. "I think that right now is an ideal time to look inward, tap into our inner wisdom, put ourselves in another's shoes, and ask what we want to do with what we are feeling, where we want it to take us." Read more about how she and other Latinas working in mental health have helped heal the emotional scars brought on by the pandemic. tucne.ws/1h3b
Women of the Pandemic, Kerri Lopez-Howell
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Kerri Lopez-Howell, executive director of the Sunnyside Foundation, says collaboration among women stepping up in Tucson has allowed for community groups like the foundation to help those in need. “Women are everywhere and they’re hustling through this pandemic,” she said. Read more about how women in Tucson have helped their communities during COVID-19 at tucne.ws/1h3a.
Women of the Pandemic, Monica Prieto
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Monica Prieto was promoted to captain of the Tucson Police Department’s Operations Division South in August, amid the pandemic and during calls to defund police departments across the country after protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Read more about how she and other essential workers have managed the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h3d
Women of the Pandemic, Dr. Khadijah Breathett
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Dr. Khadijah Breathett, an assistant professor at the UA College of Medicine and a heart failure specialist at Banner University Medical Center, says the past year has been painful because of loss of life and difficult because of the country’s reckoning with social injustices. Read more about how she and other essential workers have managed the pandemic at tucne.ws/1h3d
Women of the Pandemic, Gina Santos
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Gina Santos took this selfie of herself and her mom, a retired teacher reading to her son during a break in his class Zoom meetings. "We still wear masks inside the house," she says. Read about what life has been like for Tucson moms living, working and raising children through the coronavirus at tucne.ws/1h3e
Women of the Pandemic, Renee Quihuis
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Renee Quihuis with her daughter Audrie, son Milo, and her mom Sandra Quihuis. Renee's mom Sandra helps make lunches and helps make sure the kids are focusing on schoolwork while Renee teaches her own third grade class from home. Read about what life has been like for Tucson moms living, working and raising children through the coronavirus at tucne.ws/1h3e
