Photographers are sharing vivid accounts from frontline workers in an Instagram account called 'Humans of Support,' and it's showing others what life is like in essential services

Zoë EttingerApr 17, 2020, 02:24 IST

Nick Smith and Cäsar Jacobson are essential workers in Vancouver.Josh Neufeld/Charles Zuckermann

In mid-March, Vancouver-based photographer Erich Saide started the project, "Humans of Support," a photo series that documents the work of frontline workers in the coronavirus pandemic.
The project started with a photo Saide took of a healthcare worker in a crowded park, which was aimed at promoting social distancing.
Saide has since enlisted three local photographers and a writer to help him take photos and share the stories of people in essential services.
The team has photographed and interviewed healthcare workers, cashiers, flight attendants, and others to illustrate how they risk their lives each day to do their jobs.
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Before the pandemic struck Canada, Erich Saide worked as a sports, lifestyle, and celebrity portrait photographer. However, after the coronavirus hit, Saide saw much of his work dry up. He decided he wanted to do something for his community with his time and talent.

In mid-March, he started a project called "Humans of Support," which was partly inspired by the popular "Humans of New York" series, and shared it on Facebook and Instagram. "Humans of Support" features the photos and stories of frontline workers, the "unsung heroes" as Saide said, in Vancouver.

Saide began his project by photographing a healthcare worker, William Orsua, in a crowded public park. The photo was meant to show others "how people still weren't doing social distancing," and that people like Orsua rely on others to stay indoors so that hospitals do not get overrun.

After posting the photo, Saide was contacted by many other frontline workers who wanted to share their stories. To help him document each one, he recruited three other photographers, Zenna Wong, Josh Neufeld, and Charles Zuckermann, and a writer, Tracey Wade, to help him tell each story.

So far, they have photographed healthcare workers, cashiers, flight attendants, and others to help illustrate what it's like to be an essential worker.

They have received a huge response. One Instagram user said, "Your stories are the positive light we all need right now. I love learning about these heroes among us."

Saide is now working to expand this project to other cities, and is collaborating with photographers worldwide.

Take a look at all the Humans of Support who have been featured thus far.

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Fiona Wang is a cashier at Apple Farm Market in Vancouver. She works tirelessly to keep her store safe and sanitary for customers.

Wang told Neufeld how the coronavirus has affected her work: "I have to wear masks throughout the day, which took time to get used to. It was difficult to breathe easily the first day. Sometimes I am afraid to even take a sip of water."

Wang told Neufeld how the coronavirus has affected her work: I have to wear masks throughout the day, which took time to get used to. It was difficult to breathe easily the first day. Sometimes I am afraid to even take a sip of water.

Cäsar Jacobson is a cashier at Nesters Market. Her work allows others to purchase essential items.

Jacobson told Zuckermann, "Cashiers are often not thought about as the frontline, but we are part of that frontline. I take an active role in sanitizing baskets/carts between uses, disinfecting pin-pads, and cleaning our newly installed plexiglass shields."

Jacobson told Zuckermann, Cashiers are often not thought about as the frontline, but we are part of that frontline. I take an active role in sanitizing baskets/carts between uses, disinfecting pin-pads, and cleaning our newly installed plexiglass shields.

Chris Gomes is a power engineer at Vancouver General Hospital. He and his team keep hospital boilers running.

Gomes told Neufeld, "It is encouraging seeing our city become more empathetic and kind towards each other. I have noticed this difference when at work, at grocery stores, and when passing by people on the street. I hope we can continue these positive trends going forward."

Gomes told Neufeld, It is encouraging seeing our city become more empathetic and kind towards each other. I have noticed this difference when at work, at grocery stores, and when passing by people on the street. I hope we can continue these positive trends going forward.

Kim Monteith is a senior welfare officer with the British Columbia SPCA. She also operates Charlie's Pet Food Bank and Vet Services.

Monteith told Saide, "We are doing our part to stay safe and follow the direction of human health experts, however, we still need to be out and in the community to help some of the most vulnerable people and animals. We are trying to help the people by giving out pet food, asking them to keep their distance from each other, and moving them through quickly."

Monteith told Saide, We are doing our part to stay safe and follow the direction of human health experts, however, we still need to be out and in the community to help some of the most vulnerable people and animals. We are trying to help the people by giving out pet food, asking them to keep their distance from each other, and moving them through quickly.

Eirielle Engelke is a community nurse manager and registered psychiatric nurse, and she runs two of Coast Mental Health's community homes.

Engelke told Saide, "There can be a lot of fear surrounding the pandemic for both clients and staff so I've made increased efforts to lead by example by providing increased on-going support, being even more present onsite and having transparent and open communication of information."

Engelke told Saide, There can be a lot of fear surrounding the pandemic for both clients and staff so I've made increased efforts to lead by example by providing increased on-going support, being even more present onsite and having transparent and open communication of information.

Nick Smith is a paramedic supervisor and advanced care paramedic in Vancouver. "We are all depending on one another to do the right thing," he said.

Smith told Neufeld one thing he wants people to know: "Everyone has a role to play and we all have a responsibility to ourselves, our friends, and our families to fight and fight hard. We are all depending on one another to do the right thing and this is our time to shine."

Smith told Neufeld one thing he wants people to know: Everyone has a role to play and we all have a responsibility to ourselves, our friends, and our families to fight and fight hard. We are all depending on one another to do the right thing and this is our time to shine.

Stéphanie Bourgetel is also a flight attendant for Air Canada. She has flown several repatriation flights for Canadians who were trapped abroad.

Bourgetel described a moment before her plane took off from Lima, Peru, when she saw a man outside on his knee and pleading with a border guard, as his daughter stood beside him.

She continued, "I was then told that his daughter, who appeared to be 10 years old, was accidentally listed as a lap-held infant, which meant that our actual passenger count was 401. One too many. It truly hit me in that moment, just how much turmoil this man must have gone through in the past days or weeks, trying to get back home. It became the crew's mission to go through the plane very thoroughly, and hope that we could find two seats for the dad and daughter. By miracle, we did find two seats, and were able to bring them to Canada with us."

Bourgetel described a moment before her plane took off from Lima, Peru, when she saw a man outside on his knee and pleading with a border guard, as his daughter stood beside him.

She continued, I was then told that his daughter, who appeared to be 10 years old, was accidentally listed as a lap-held infant, which meant that our actual passenger count was 401. One too many. It truly hit me in that moment, just how much turmoil this man must have gone through in the past days or weeks, trying to get back home. It became the crew's mission to go through the plane very thoroughly, and hope that we could find two seats for the dad and daughter. By miracle, we did find two seats, and were able to bring them to Canada with us.

Anna Maria Schirr is a flight attendant with Air Canada and flew several "rescue flights" to bring Canadians home.

Schirr told Saide, "So many beautiful people are coming together to help the vulnerable in our community."

Gerry South is a bellman at a Vancouver hotel that is currently housing healthcare workers.

South told Saide, "We're doing our best to stay as positive as possible knowing this has no definitive end in sight. The guests we do have in house are very understanding and know that we are doing what is needed for their safety."

South told Saide, We're doing our best to stay as positive as possible knowing this has no definitive end in sight. The guests we do have in house are very understanding and know that we are doing what is needed for their safety.

Ingrid Hankanson is the staff educator at the respiratory therapy department at Vancouver General Hospital. "This is what we were built for," she said.

Hankanson is a member of the leadership team in charge of 130 respiratory therapists who work in critical care at Vancouver General Hospital. She told Zuckermann, "This is what we were built for. I feel a sense of self-actualization. Not many people get to feel that they were put on this earth for a purpose — this is ours."

Hankanson is a member of the leadership team in charge of 130 respiratory therapists who work in critical care at Vancouver General Hospital. She told Zuckermann, This is what we were built for. I feel a sense of self-actualization. Not many people get to feel that they were put on this earth for a purpose — this is ours.

Bryan Stebbings is a bus driver in Vancouver. He worries that some aren't taking the pandemic seriously enough.

"There's no such thing as a regular day anymore. From sanitizing our sitting area constantly, to not know what could possibly be brought into the bus, there is a constant fear of bringing something back home with us. So many different types of people come on and off our buses every day. Some people are taking this very seriously and others are not at all. This makes it difficult for us to trust anyone," Stebbings said.

There's no such thing as a regular day anymore. From sanitizing our sitting area constantly, to not know what could possibly be brought into the bus, there is a constant fear of bringing something back home with us. So many different types of people come on and off our buses every day. Some people are taking this very seriously and others are not at all. This makes it difficult for us to trust anyone, Stebbings said.

Dana Doyle, a healthcare worker and mother of four children, posed in the same public park.

The caption to this photo reads: "Dana's four kids would love to be playing on the beach, but they are isolating at home in honor of their mother, a brave health care worker, fighting on the front lines in Vancouver's hospital wards."

The caption to this photo reads: Dana's four kids would love to be playing on the beach, but they are isolating at home in honor of their mother, a brave health care worker, fighting on the front lines in Vancouver's hospital wards.

William Orsua, a nurse, posed in a busy public park to illustrate that many were still not taking social distancing seriously.

"I wanted to create an image where he shouldn't be, so I took him down to a local beach where there were lots of people not social distancing (though we were) and we shot him down there in his scrubs," Saide said.

I wanted to create an image where he shouldn't be, so I took him down to a local beach where there were lots of people not social distancing (though we were) and we shot him down there in his scrubs, Saide said.

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