The New Normal

News and Public Affairs Series / 2 Seasons

On the surface, Seattle is slumbering. As the vast majority of Washington’s citizens are homebound, the actual lived experience of others, especially the people at the front lines of the crisis, can be somewhat mysterious. But there is still a lot happening behind doors as the community struggles to respond to the virus.

Watch Latest: S2 E5

7m 46s

Ballard's Opera Man

S1 E10 / 8m 11s

Since March, Stephen Wall has performed daily opera concerts in his East Ballard neighborhood. For Wall, the shows provide a sense of normalcy and balance in his life. For the neighbors, a reason to rejoice and be together from six feet apart.

Worship on the Small Screen

S1 E9 / 6m 22s

Father Strange has been a priest at St. Joseph’s in Issaquah for nearly a decade, ministering to a flock of 4,500 parishioners. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced him and the church to adapt quickly — live-streaming services, conducting socially distanced confessions and trying to keep their community together and uplifted at a time when they have to be physically apart.

The City Councilwoman

S1 E6 / 6m 30s

Varisha Khan is a first-time city councilwoman in Redmond. She drafted, proposed, and passed recent legislation that protects Redmond residents from late fees, evictions and offers support during other hardships.

Transporting Seattle, One Bus at a Time

S1 E5 / 5m 13s

King County Metro operator Clay McClure is one of the many essential workers who helps transport Seattle's residents to and from destinations during the pandemic, risking his own health and safety to help others.

Vaccine Hunters

S1 E4 / 5m 7s

Molecular Virologist Dr. Jesse Erasmus is part of a team at UW Medicine developing a vaccine for COVID-19. The team is one of several around the globe in the race to produce an effective vaccine at record speed.

Caring for our elders, one grocery bag at a time

S1 E2 / 6m 55s

From organizing mahjong games to sending pictures of his dog, Sunny, on WeChat, Henry Liu tries to make seniors feel young again. Liu, a program manager with a nonprofit that serves primarily Chinese elders, is faced with a new set of challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and anti-Chinese sentiment.

Unexpected Frontline

S1 E1 / 6m 45s

Between stocking shelves and the usual “paper or plastic,” at check out, working in a supermarket can seem thankless. But, people need to eat, and in times of crisis, stores become frontlines and the employees keep them running. But, Erin Simmons says grocery workers have always known they were essential. Now everyone else knows it too.

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