VOA Š CONNECT 
EPISODE #173   
AIR DATE 05 07 2021   
TRANSCRIPT
 
OPEN ((VO/NAT)) 
((Banner)) 
Alone Together: Fears 
((SOT)) 
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
The worst fears for me is I contract it and don't make it and 
IÕll leave wife and child behind. ThatÕs my worst nightmare. 
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner)) 
Alone Together: Mental Health 
((SOT)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
Early on, I actually sought counseling because my anxiety 
was, it was really bad. I was having trouble sleeping. So, just 
being able to like freely talk about that, no judgment, nothing. 
You know, I canÕt control what everybody else does, but I 
can control what I do. 
((Animation Transition)) 
((Banner)) 
Alone Together: Hopes 
((SOT)) 
((Catherine Lieberman, Director, Bell's School, 
Asheville, North Carolina)) 
Hopefully, this will make us better people and a better nation 
moving forward. That it will make us kinder in the long run 
and make connections that are positive and not try to hurt 
each other.   
((Open Animation))  

BLOCK A 
 
 
((PKG)) ALONE TOGETHER -- FEARS   
((TRT: 07:38)) 
((Topic Banner: Alone Together: Fears)) 
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Grover, Vero Balderas)) 
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))  
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Cherokee, 
North Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina))   
((Main characters: 6 female; 3 male))  
((Text on Screen: As COVID-19 ravaged the United States, 
it brought with it fear.))   
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
My name Sheyahshe Littledave. I work at Cherokee Indian 
Hospital on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina.  
When COVID-19 first came on the scene, I had actually a lot 
of fears and a lot of anxiety. And initially, a lot of the 
concerns were around older people who are more at risk. 
So, I immediately had fears, anxiety about my parents, 
especially my dad. My dad's really high risk. So, I was very 
adamant about, ŅYou don't go anywhere. You wear your 
mask.Ó I'm sure I probably got on their nerves, but I felt like, 
in that moment, that was the only thing I could control. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Kevin Mahoney, Peer Support Specialist, Mountain 
Area Health Education Center, Asheville, North 
Carolina))  
IÕm vaccinated. IÕm still ultra-cautious; two masks, social 
distance. I donÕt go out. I donÕt go to restaurants. ThatÕs in 
the interest of public safety. I've had five bypasses of my 
heart, two years ago. You know, coagulation issues, 
because COVID causes your blood vessels that react 
strangely. Terrified each day like if I get it, I'm not, I don't 
think I'm going to make it. So, extensive anxiety, fear of 
death, and fear of, you know, losing loved ones and friends. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina))  
My name is Nicole McKinney. IÕm a paramedic with 
Buncombe County EMS [Emergency Medical Services] in 
Asheville, North Carolina.  
In the very beginning, a lot of people were scared. And so, 
we saw a significant decline as far as like people calling 911. 
And I think that was bad in a way because people were 
scared to go to the ER [Emergency Room], but they know 
that they needed help. But then, they were waiting like 
almost too long. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia))  
My name is Henry Johnson. I am a peer recovery specialist 
in Fairfax, Virginia.  
I am in recovery for serious mental illness myself. I am more 
vulnerable to uncertainty and anxiety due to not knowing. I 
have been terrified of mutations. From the very beginning, 
when I heard of the option to, you know, mass expose and 
achieve herd immunity that way, that caused me nightmares. 
The idea that this vaccine isn't going to be enough, that's 
what keeps me up at night. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia))  
I'm Sherrie Arnold. I'm 57 years old and mother of a 15-year-
old daughter. I've worked in information technology in my 
professional career.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
And I'm Dave Arnold, parent of the same 15-year-old 
daughter and I'm a professional French-trained chef and 
instructor.  
Both sets of our parents are right in the demographic where 
if they do get sick, it's going to be a very tough road for them 
to handle. 
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Losing my father in January, that was my worst fear, you 
know, for the elderly people in our family.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
The worst fears for me is I contract it and don't make it and 
IÕll leave wife and child behind. ThatÕs my worst nightmare.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Catherine Lieberman, Director, Bell's School, 
Asheville, North Carolina))  
My name is Catherine Lieberman. IÕm an early educator.  
My husband is a teacher and was exposed by students who 
refuse to wear masks. And the result was that he got sick. 
And I thought that was the worst of it until recently, until last 
week. I thought, maybe, we were gonna come out the other 
side. And we lost a cousin to coronavirus. And that was my 
biggest fear and it was realized. To watch my cousin go 
through this with her very young children, that was my 
biggest fear, was losing someone and itÕs been realized. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Emotions are a lot right now to deal with because it's so hard 
to deal with this. We never would have thought this would 
ever happen before. We werenÕt prepared and we didn't 
know how we were going to feel about it. Sometimes, it's like 
I'm stuck. I have 10 assignments that are missing, and 
everything's due in two weeks, and I have no clue what to 
do. I'm stuck. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Angela Conner, Senior Therapist Supervisor, 
Alexandria City Community Services, Alexandria, 
Virginia)) 
Angela Conner, licensed professional counselor. I work for 
Alexandria City Community Services, Child and Family 
Behavioral Health Services.  
I think teenagers feel more anxiety now.  
They no longer have their face-to-face peer interactions. 
They no longer have their safe places to go. They no longer 
have teachers or counselors or their support systems to 
outreach to. More so, itÕs just the therapist and itÕs virtual, 
which makes it, you know, super stressful. You know, a lot of 
teenagers have lost people because of COVID. And that's 
brought about a lot of challenges for them to function. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina)) 
With this job, you're headfirst into it.  
So, it's, you're fearful at work, but then you don't want to take 
it home. So, you're doing everything that you can to make 
sure that that doesn't happen. But unfortunately, it still does 
happen sometimes. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
I think what's helped is just how we've adapted over time. 
And everybody keeps calling it, you know, the new normal. 
But the new normal is kind of, it's comforting for me, 
because, you know, I know what the expectations are. And I 
know, you know, wear your masks and wash your hands, 
you know. I am comforted by the guidelines and things now 
just because, you know, we are a little more settled into this. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
One of the things that decreases my anxiety is unplugging. I 
found that taking time off, not watching the news, you know, 
multiple hours a day, you know, doing things like listening to 
music or meditating, you know, they help a lot more. I've 
read quite a bit and I've gotten into audio books. You know, 
escaping to other worlds rather than just dwelling on the 
imperfect present.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up 
((Banner)) 
Getting Help 
((SOT)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
So, talking through a therapist really helps because they're 
kind of like removed from the situation. And sometimes it just 
helps to vent and just say, ŅThis really sucks!Ó 
 
 
BREAK ONE                                                                    
BUMP IN ((ANIM))                          
 
 
BLOCK B   
 
 
((PKG)) ALONE TOGETHER -- MENTAL HEALTH   
((TRT: 09:18)) 
((Topic Banner: Alone Together: Mental Health))  
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Grover, Vero Balderas)) 
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))  
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Cherokee, 
North Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina))   
((Main characters: 4 female; 3 male))  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Text on screen: As the pandemic upends daily life in the 
United States, isolation and uncertainty takes a toll on 
mental health.)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Social life is crazy because I want to see my friends. ItÕs 
really hard to have friends right now.  
We have to like make sure you FaceTime each other or just 
like give like a text like, ŅHey, how have you been?Ó Because 
we haven't talked in like two months.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Her life has shrunk so greatly, just basically to her bedroom 
and the house. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Being basically locked in your room all day, doing 
schoolwork. ItÕs just very stressful to look at a computer all 
day, and then do two hours of homework, and then eat 
dinner, and then go to sleep exhausted. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
I love books, but I just, I can't sit down and just stay in one 
spot and just read, you know. So, I think there has been, and 
I've had trouble sleeping. And sometimes, I still have trouble 
sleeping. I tend to be a worrier by nature anyway, so. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
The ability to focus has certainly been a challenge. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
The biggest thing that itÕs done is itÕs made me realize how 
much social pressure, seeing people in person, is a really 
good thing for our health. IÕve noticed that if IÕm not seeing 
people for five days in a row, I am forcing myself to shower, 
IÕm forcing myself to brush my teeth. You know, I am 
oftentimes forcing myself to change clothes. You know, 
keeping up basic health routines and hygiene is one of those 
things that takes conscious effort at this point.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Angela Conner, Senior Therapist Supervisor, 
Alexandria City Community Services, Alexandria, 
Virginia)) 
Mental health is your ability to manage your emotional,  
physical, cognitive state of mind. It is being aware of your 
thoughts, being aware of your emotions, and being aware of 
your behaviors, and how those all intertwine, and your ability 
to manage that and recognize that sometimes they do go out 
of whack. Sometimes they are more severe than others 
depending upon factors.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
So, talking through a therapist really helps because they're 
kind of like removed from the situation. They aren't your 
family. They aren't your friend. And sometimes it just helps to 
vent and just say, ŅThis really sucks! And I'm going to talk 
about it for an hour.Ó And they're going to say, ŅYeah, it does 
suck and we're all going through this.Ó It really helps to know 
that it's not just like us going through this. Like the entire 
world is going through this, and that we all most likely have 
the exact same problems.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
Early on, I actually sought counseling because my anxiety 
was, it was really bad. I was having trouble sleeping and just 
wasn't rested. So, it was basically just talking it out, a lot of 
my concerns, because we tend to keep things bottled up. 
So, just being able to like freely talk about that, no judgment, 
nothing. We went through like exercises I could do at home if 
I'm getting like worried or stressed about stuff. And then just 
kind of going with the motto, you know, ŅI canÕt control what 
everybody else does, but I can control what I do and 
essentially what my kids do, and how we keep ourselves 
safe and keep our family safe.Ó 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
The biggest psychological change that I've noticed in myself 
since the beginning of the pandemic has been loneliness. 
And I am someone who is hyper-social, and itÕs been really 
hard not seeing people, not being able to interact with 
people, except through these, you know, electronic devices 
in our pockets. 
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Virtual doesn't cut it. Being together physically does make a 
difference. And I don't think I knew, at the start, how much 
impact that would have on me. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Now, everybody views everybody else as a source of danger 
or something could happen if we get too close. And also the 
wearing of the mask. You can't read people's emotions, how 
they feel or sometimes even recognize the people because 
you don't have all those cues.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina)) 
I was considered essential and so many people were not. 
And that was a huge blessing for me, and I use that blessing 
to help other people through a really hard time because so 
many other people were suffering and were, you know, on 
the verge of losing their homes and their cars. And that was 
personally very hard for me. So, we made sure to eat out, to 
tip well, donating, whether it's money, clothes, food, 
whatever we could do. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Kevin Mahoney, Peer Support Specialist, Mountain 
Area Health Education Center, Asheville, North 
Carolina)) 
Things that I've learned since the pandemic was that 
addiction behaviors, as a disease, really doesn't go away. 
Even though I've been in remission, as soon as I was 
isolated in my apartment, the way my brain went, ŅHere I am, 
13 years in recovery, and all of a sudden, I'm not 
accountable, except to myself.Ó And people who have less 
recovery are even less accountable going, "There's nobody 
gonna know.Ó And I figured if my brain was going there after 
all this experience and all the coping skills and mechanics 
that IÕve acquired, what was going on with the people that 
IÕm serving, which, as I found out very rapidly, a lot. 
We were already in an epidemic. We were already in an 
addiction behavior epidemic wrapped in a pandemic.  
AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] and NA [Narcotics Anonymous] 
meetings were suspended. They got up to speed virtually but 
there was that gap there where you couldnÕt...thatÕs a huge 
support system for people. All that went away. Not a lot of 
internet up in the mountains. ThereÕs not a lot of phone 
coverage, the homeless factor, somebody living in a tent. 
Your recovery family and your recovery community is kind of 
out of reach. Then IÕm stuck with, ŅHow do I get a hold of this 
person?Ó So, I have to try to go visit when I can.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
Over the course of time, I learned that there was a rise of 
domestic violence, especially when people are stuck at 
home, and they're stuck at home with their abusers, and they 
don't necessarily have those outlets and resources. So, I 
created a blog. It's called ŅOgadvnvisdiÓ and that's Cherokee 
for ŅWe are ready.Ó And it's to empower indigenous voices to 
kind of share story about what it was like surviving domestic 
violence, just so people have a community in place to share. 
You know, we're in a pandemic. There's not, you know, we 
can't go and meet people. You know, we've got to protect 
each other. But what can I do? And for me, the only thing I 
could do was create this blog, create a community for people 
to share. But in doing so, understanding that I have to be 
vulnerable as well. Just in dealing with the aftermath of 
surviving domestic violence, you know, I just hope people 
know itÕs okay. It's okay to reach out if you need that help.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
I'm a singer-songwriter. So, that has really helped, just like 
even if it's putting a note in the note apps on my phone, just 
like get those emotions out and get it on paper. Throughout 
this whole COVID thing, me and my mom, we've never 
stopped doing horseback riding. We go every single 
Saturday. And it's all outside. ItÕs all social distanced. And 
that's the one thing that we have continued to do throughout 
this whole thing. So, that's really helped knowing that like 
thatÕs the one stability thing that I have. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina)) 
The one thing that has grown the most with me is, I've grown 
farther more into my faith. It has definitely allowed me to 
really dive in and get closer to God. And I'm very thankful for 
that. And it's hard because like you have such a terrible time 
in the world. But I just truly believe that in all bad things 
comes good, and you just have to be willing to look for it 
because it's right there. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
 
 
TEASE  ((VO/NAT)) 
Coming up 
((Banner)) 
Regaining Time 
((SOT)) 
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Despite the circumstances of COVID-19, the one thing that I 
really appreciate is the time that I've been able to spend with 
my husband and with our daughter. 
 
 
BREAK TWO                                                                   
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))                          
 
 
BLOCK C  
 
 
((PKG)) ALONE TOGETHER -- HOPES 
((TRT: 04:52)) 
((Topic Banner: Alone Together: Hopes)) 
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Grover, Vero Balderas)) 
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))  
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Cherokee, 
North Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina))   
((Main characters: 4 Female, 2 Male)) 
((Text on screen: Hope for a better future emerges as US 
COVID-19 vaccination rates increase.)) 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Nicole McKinney, Paramedic, Buncombe County 
Emergency Medical Services, Asheville, North Carolina)) 
I can look at like the pandemic time as being a blessing 
because I really think that it helped myself and a lot of 
people that I know to slow down. It just gave me a time to 
really focus on, one on myself, and then my relationship with 
my husband, and then the relationship with my daughter and 
my family. 
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
Despite the circumstances of COVID-19, the one thing that I 
really appreciate is the time that I've been able to spend with 
my husband and with our daughter. We would not have had 
this type of in-depth time together under pre-COVID 
circumstances.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Madeline Arnold, Student, Alexandria, Virginia)) 
I know I've gotten to know like my mom and dad a lot more. 
So, I feel like family time has been very important throughout 
this past year. So, I feel like coming out of this, weÕll all have 
this better sense of what family means to us.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
When everyone is vaccinated and the infectious rates fall to 
near zero, I'm going to host a huge barbecue. And I mean 
going all out, spend a whole paycheck on it. 
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
Gosh, a vacation with my family and we don't have to worry. 
You know, we donÕt have to worry.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sherrie Arnold, Information Technology Professional, 
Alexandria, Virginia)) 
We've had some really good things come out of this about 
slowing down, about spending more time with each other, 
about finding new activities, new hobbies, new ways to take 
care of ourselves. And I would like us to not lose that.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
I hope to spend a lot less time in the house. I want to see all 
the baseball I can. I want to eat a hotdog in a stadium.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Sheyahshe Littledave, Author and Publisher, 
Cherokee, North Carolina)) 
My future hope would be two things. One is that everybody 
learns a little bit about letting go of things you can't control.  
And the other thing would be for people to take this as a 
learning lesson when it comes to mental health, to not be as 
judgmental. Well, you know, everybody's struggling with 
something, you know, and if we can just be a little kinder and 
have a little more compassion, mental health wouldn't be as 
much of a stigma as it is.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
IÕd say that my life has improved because of COVID-19, only 
in the fact that it's made me aware of some of my 
vulnerabilities. I've gone from someone who doesn't believe 
in anything to someone who passionately sees every day the 
existence of virtue in our society by little things like, you 
know, neighbors wearing masks or, you know, communities 
respecting each other's distances. You know, like those are 
small sacrifices, but it shows an awareness of both the value 
of themselves and the world in which they live. You know, 
when you see that, that has been very comforting to me.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Catherine Lieberman, Director, Bell's School, 
Asheville, North Carolina)) 
Hopefully, this will make us better people and a better nation 
moving forward. That it will make us kinder in the long run 
because we've all, as a world, have experienced this great 
trauma. And how can we be better, a better society moving 
forward, and make connections that are positive and not try 
to hurt each other.   
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Henry Johnson, Peer Recovery Specialist, Fairfax, 
Virginia)) 
My hope is that just enough of us learn lessons, so that in 
the future, we can do it better. I hope that the government is 
learning how to handle a pandemic better, just in case 
another one comes relatively soon. We had 100 years 
between the last two major pandemics. If we learn the 
lessons and we improve it, so that next time, it's not as bad.  
((NATS/MUSIC))  
((Dave Arnold, Chef, Alexandria, Virginia))  
What I hope will come out of this is, people will realize that 
we're all in this together. People can have different opinions 
about a lot of things. But we just, I think, have lost sight of 
how much we do have in common. And I hope that that will 
have some impact on us going forward as a nation and as a 
world population.  
((NATS/MUSIC)) 

CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM)) 
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BREAK THREE                                                                       
BUMP IN  ((ANIM))                          

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