Project Masked
Many students have found themselves putting a pause on their extracurriculars in a collective attempt to slow the spread of Covid-19. However, some have found ways around these new boundaries and have kicked off their own initiatives to continue helping their community, even during these difficult times.
Shelei Pan is a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis. She started Project Masked in May 2020, after St. Louis Childrens’ volunteering programs were put to a halt. After noticing a shortage in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the local community, especially for the children and teenagers, Pan decided to start Project Masked to make and distribute child-sized masks.
“Many places began providing free face coverings for employees by mid-May, but no one was providing anything for children and youth. I found this to be a problem because the efficacy of PPE is contingent upon fit. If children couldn’t get masks that fit, they weren’t being protected much more than if they didn’t wear a mask at all. […] I figured that we should make and distribute cloth masks as an effective, socially-responsible option.” said Pan.
Project Masked has spread far from its St. Louis origins, having individuals in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, and Nashville. A mini “chapter” has also been started in India in collaboration with “Youth for Developmental Justice” (@youth4dj on Instagram). Its base is made up of over 50 members, with special help from Max Yang, Shriya Koneru, and Maria Dolan. In total, Project Masked has made over 1,500 masks.
“It’s also been inspiring to see how the community has come together. So many of my high school acquaintances immediately reached out to see how they could help after seeing my initial post on my stories. I even had individuals who I had last spoken to in elementary school reach out to me about donating fabric.” said Pan.
Even while having expanded far across the nation, the impact Project Masked has had locally has been tremendous.
“My favorite part of Project Masked was when I saw two children wearing our masks at Dierbergs. It was really nice to see because up until that point, I had no idea about the impact we were having; it could have been entirely possible that our masks didn’t fit and were going straight to the trash. But to see actual children wearing our masks was really heartwarming, and made me happy that children were benefiting from our efforts.” said Pan.
While the pandemic rages on, Project Masked continues its efforts. From its humble roots, the momentum of support has greatly inflated its significance. The increasing contributions only serve to benefit the community more.
“The most important part of Project Masked is that it is an entirely youth-lead project, which allows you and your friends in the community to stay busy, even as businesses, parks, and other entertainment may be shut down. In addition, you gain a sense of belonging to a network of fellow mask-makers, and possibly a new skill if you are just learning to sew.”
From the experience of starting an organization, Pan has not only helped the community, but has had an increased awareness of social issues. Project Masked allows the youth to not just help, but also learn from their local cities.
“The lessons you learn from working with different populations and collaborating with different individuals are what give you new perspectives, and drive you to do more to reach the actual core of the complex problems. It’s these enlightened, genuine efforts over time that ultimately make a difference in the long run.” said Pan.
Instagram: @projectmasked
-Anna Duong
