Upper mid Felicia Wang regularly volunteers at the local homeless shelter. She also serves the Taft community as an EcoMon, and as a math, physics, chemistry, and writing tutor. But her dedication to service runs even deeper: She frequently spends time in service to the local Chinese community.
"I think it's really cool that we are all American, but are still finding cultural and ethnic connections and embracing our ancestral cultures in these communities," says Felicia.
So when family friend Li Song Zhang called on Connecticut's Chinese communities to come together in support of area healthcare workers—including her husband, a respiratory physician at Waterbury's Saint Mary's Hospital—Felicia was eager to get involved. Looking to YouTube videos, hospital requirements, and other public resources for ideas and specifications, Felicia began making face shields for the medical teams at Saint Mary's.
"Li Song is really responsible for this face-shield project, and for the vast mobilization of Chinese families in Connecticut," says Felicia. "I made a few experimental shields and then FaceTimed with Li Song and her family to see which ones would work best."
As the initiative grew, those crafting the masks began sharing tips and techniques to improve their form and function. Felicia's sister and mother are also making masks, using materials from around the house, along with items purchased online and at local craft stores before they were closed in response to the state's executive orders. The project, for which both Li Song and Saint Mary's Hospital have expressed their deep gratitude, was something of a natural fit for Felicia.
"I have an interest in engineering and computer science, and have always enjoyed crafts and building things with my hands—being a really mechanical thinker," Felicia says. "I like being able to create and build things; it gives me a sense of power and freedom."
And now, a sense of community and support.
For those interested in making protective masks, Felicia recommends YouTube videos like this one. She also notes that any soft material that makes the shield more comfortable on their forehead can be substituted for the foam and that the elastic can vary in thickness.