Staying loose on the final sprint to normality

Being young in the time of Corona is anything but easy: locked in and condemned to do nothing when all you want to do is throw yourself into life. One year into the pandemic, the disadvantages faced by young people and children, as a result of restrictions, are becoming increasingly apparent: increased risk of infection when attending school or social isolation with never-ending online classes at home. At the same time, rules are being loosened for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered. Even in German offices, the situation is sometimes handled comparatively loosely.

Against this background, discussing the privilege of certain groups while simultaneously disadvantaging others is becoming louder. The long-held social solidarity is beginning to show cracks. That’s why we want to counteract this with our April highlights: Images that show what unites us across many differences. And one thing in particular, because we all need it: smiles and a relaxed attitude. We hope that the optimistic cheerfulness that speaks from these pictures will infect you all a little bit! Because these pictures send a strong message: “We’re not at the finish line yet, but we’re already on the final sprint toward normality.”

Sebastian Bentzin

For over ten years Sebastian works in the digital media field. The Hamburg-based social media manager combines his professional background with his interest in photography contributing to the Westend61 outlets.