Portraits of Essential California Workers

A worker in a deli shop wearing a face mask holds packaged meats and gestures with his right hand. Behind him, shelves are stocked with hanging sausages, and a glass display case filled with various food items is visible in the foreground. Another person works in the background, capturing scenes for Berkeley Journalism.

Nicholas Mastrelli at his family’s store, Molinari Delicatessen in San Francisco. Stephanie Penn July 2, 2020 With resilience and a sense of duty, these workers in the San Francisco Bay Area are performing vital services even as the pandemic and protests swirl around them. Andreus Oliver, Budtender at Barbary Coast Dispensary As customers walk into…

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Why researchers hope to test high-risk groups in California

A group of medical workers in protective gear attend to a seated person near a blue tarp shelter in a grassy area. Chairs and a white fluffy dog are in the foreground. Buildings, palm trees, and cars are visible in the background as Berkeley Journalism captures the scene.

Beginning in March 2020, The New York Times joined forces with the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to provide expanded coverage on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting California. Led by the IRP, more than 80 students and nearly 20 journalism instructors organized to report on the impact of the novel coronavirus…

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How do you enforce a law that tramples the land of the free?

A police officer wearing a mask speaks with a man and a woman, both also wearing masks and gloves, in an empty parking lot. The man is in a denim jacket, and the woman is wearing a maroon jacket. Trees and a cell tower are visible in the background as Berkeley Journalism students capture the scene.

Beginning in March 2020, The New York Times joined forces with the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to provide expanded coverage on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting California. Led by the IRP, more than 80 students and nearly 20 journalism instructors organized to report on the impact of the novel coronavirus…

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Another Covid-19 loss? The Jumping Frog Jubilee

An elderly person kneels and watches a frog leap into the air during a frog jumping competition, their hand extended towards the amphibian. The event unfolds on a green outdoor surface, with other people's legs visible in the background. Amidst this scene, one can't help but think of capturing such moments for Berkeley Journalism.

Beginning in March 2020, The New York Times joined forces with the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to provide expanded coverage on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting California. Led by the IRP, more than 80 students and nearly 20 journalism instructors organized to report on the impact of the novel coronavirus…

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Will smoke from controlled burns hurt Covid-19 patients?

A person dressed in yellow flame-resistant clothing and a hard hat is captured in motion, surrounded by a large fire in a grassy area. In the foreground, burnt branches are visible. This powerful image was featured in Berkeley Journalism, where another individual in similar attire can be seen walking up a hill.

Beginning in March 2020, The New York Times joined forces with the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to provide expanded coverage on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting California. Led by the IRP, more than 80 students and nearly 20 journalism instructors organized to report on the impact of the novel coronavirus…

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How the Pandemic Is Making It Tougher to Study Whales

A person wearing a red cap and yellow gloves uses a large knife to examine a whale carcass on the beach. Several onlookers, some with cameras, stand in the background. An individual in sunglasses holds a clipboard and observes closely, possibly gathering material for Berkeley Journalism.

June 29, 2020 For residents of San Francisco, the sight of gray whales making their way into the bay this spring has been a rare treat. But for local marine scientists, the whale sightings have brought increasing alarm. The coronavirus pandemic is upending their effort to determine why, for the second year in a row,…

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An Asian-American Author Talks About Racism in the Pandemic

A park with tall trees framing a clear blue sky and mountains in the background. People are walking and talking, some discussing stories from Berkeley Journalism. An empty bench sits in the foreground, while a white vehicle is parked on the right side of the image.

June 24, 2020 By Thess Mostoles Kelly Yang, a young-adult novelist based in San Francisco, was teaching a free writing class for teenagers on Instagram Live in March when she began to talk about how her writing has been affected by surging xenophobia against Asian-Americans in the coronavirus pandemic. As Ms. Yang was talking, one of…

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Saving Heroes

The cover of East Bay Express, with input from Berkeley Journalism, features a firefighter in full gear looking backward. The headline reads "Help the Heroes," with subtext, "Services Needed for First Responders p7." Additional topics listed include defunding cops, Facebook's issues, and cannabis inequities.

Limited services for first responders dealing with mental trauma June 25, 2020 In 2017, a retired police captain woke up in the middle of the night with his gun in his hand, his wife’s shriek breaking the 3am silence. The metal felt cold against his sweaty palm, his heart beat like it was ready to…

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