The Pandemic and Brighton Beach • Photo Gallery 21/01/2021 FreeZone Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_1.jpg Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_2.jpg Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Bianca&Anna_3.jpg I’m currently working from home. I work at a college in the city, and I would really like to go back to working in a physical space as opposed to a remote space right now. I really miss going to Central Park and being in a public park, so, you know, beaches are public parks. So that’s why we came out here today. Because we’re in a relationship, it’s nice to spend time outside our homes, even if we’re not going to go swimming, just being outside and, you know, spending time together is really nice and rare right now. -Bianca, 24 In the frame Bianca & Anna Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Brigitte_4.jpg I’ve been living in the city for 50 years, and I think it’s time for me to just get into an area that is a little bit more manageable. I will miss the city always because I love the city. However, I think just as far as lifestyle, expenses and also just the outdoors is more important to me now than it used to be. That and having my children and my grandchildren come visit. That’s my life. It’s my life going forward. -Brigitte,70 Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Christian&Ivan_5.jpg Well, me, I’m a freshman coming to college, and I didn’t really expect my college year as freshmen having to do most of my classes virtually. For my younger brother, it might be the norm for him to take his classes virtually in the future as well. It would be a different take from what my older sister’s experience who went to college as well and didn’t have to do that. -Christian, 17 In the frame Christian and Ivan Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Leon I_6.jpg I learnt a lot of things about the beach at school today and I learn at home too. I learn by watching videos. Rule no. 1 stay at the shallow end Rule no. 2 do not go to the deep end Rule no. 3 have fun and be safe -Leon I, 7 Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Norma_7.jpg This pandemic is making people think about life differently. So my job, I’m a union organizer and I really love my work. I’m very passionate about it. I can see myself continuing to do that for many years, but also, there’s an appeal to living kind of a simpler life where you let other people do the fighting and you just say, you know, like, I’ve done this and now it’s time for the next generation and the temptation to, you know, kind of go somewhere and leave New York. But, yeah, I love this place. I love being here now and exploring now. And I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m optimistic. – Norma, 33 Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Sephora&Sophia_8.jpg I think everything will work out. I’m hopeful. I mean, life continues. My life evolved and grew. I’m worried about different things now compared to before. Being home and having time to see things about the world and not just what’s taught to you. Self-care, like sitting down and taking care of myself and not rushing to do everything and like spending time with my family, actually seeing them for the people that they are instead of going out having your 9to 5 and not having time time for anybody else. So it’s like those things opened my eyes. -Sephora, 18 In the frame, Sephora and Sophia. Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia_Yuri_9.jpg Two years ago, I was training some kids, dreaming about a parkour school in Ukraine. It was promising. With everything happening, I hope all those kids grow up well and find themselves and maybe one day we could hangout and actually start the school. Hopefully there won’t be so much corruption and lies around then. For now, I’m just trying to live my life here, make some money and feed my family though with this Corona stuff, it sometimes feels like the world is against me. Hopefully it goes away soon Yuri, 26 Yuvraj Khanna Brighton Beach_Vogue Italia-10.jpg Yuvraj Khanna