INTERVIEW FOURTY: URVI

Urvi, the founder of an organization called Curious Cases of COVID, discussed how Gen-Z are advocating change for issues made clear through the global pandemic and shared sentiments about running an organization.

1. It’s a pleasure to speak with you, Urvi! You are the founder of an organization called Curious Cases of COVID, which “provides reliable information about the pandemic in relation to various global issues.” What inspired you to start this initiative and how did you come up with its mission? 

Hi! Thank you for having me and it’s such a pleasure talking to you as well. So, I started Curious Case of COVID in April when there were so many misconceptions and rumors about the pandemic. Most people thought it’d be ‘over’ by June and many ate weird foods to be “immune to COVID”. I just recognised the opportunity as something that could go down in history and after some encouragement from my teachers, I thought about starting a blog to promote awareness about this virus, something which most news channels did not highlight.

2. What specifically is the type of content you push out? How does your team go about researching and creating graphics for your Instagram page? 

We started by doing a global survey on individual experiences during lockdown to understand the perspective of people on the pandemic. We started by representing accurate statistics on COVID but as we went on, we tried to connect the pandemic to various global issues and how they could be interrelated. It was extremely intriguing, to say the least and we started writing articles on politics, society, economics and various other spheres. 

Our team members are really interested in various issues and we personally make it a point to read newspapers regularly. Most of our content is from verified neutral news agencies with a personal touch. Our team is quite dynamic in the sense that they have a say in outreach, writing, and graphics. Our designs are all made by me but approved by everyone on the team!

3. “I’m.. passionate about observing economic as well as political patterns. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed so many opportunities for change and revolution by unveiling institutional voids.. it’s up to our generation to revolutionize the way of thinking.” In reaching out to us, you’d stated this. In what ways are Gen-Z advocating change for issues made clear through the global pandemic? 

I personally run the Curious Case of COVID blog and create and sign petitions. I feel that activism starts at the very grassroots and it's so important to spread awareness on subjects to people around you. I’ve conducted webinars, debates and group discussion on a number of topics related to not only covid, but various social and economic issues as well.

4. Who are your favorite activists speaking about pressing matters on their platform? What other organizations would you recommend people follow? 

I feel strongly that behind every Greta Thunberg and Yara Shahidi, there are thousands of organizations advocating justice, in the widest sense. I’m personally a huge supporter of the work put forward by Jamie Margolin, Tamika Mallory and Ahed Tamimi. Their stories and work are absolutely inspiring and keep us going everyday. I love the work done by Fullstopp organization, Black Polythene and the UNO society and would definitely recommend supporting their work.

5. What are your goals for the future of Curious Cases of COVID? How do you plan to go beyond pandemic related information and expand on the nuances of various global issues? 

The pandemic is something that will have a lasting impact on our society and public mindset. Of course, it will mitigate in a few months but getting over its impact will take years- be it politically, economically, physiologically or socially. We aim to talk and write about all of these subjects with a wide perspective to help engage and involve our readers in the topics.

6. What is the most rewarding aspect of pioneering a youth led organization? Are you currently accepting new members? 

Perhaps the most rewarding moment is talking to and meeting so many new people every single day. Getting to know what they do, how they feel about various events is something that is so amazing! 

Yes, we are currently accepting new members! The application can be found through the link in our bio!

7. If applicable, how do you balance completing school-work and running your page?

It’s challenging, I’m not going to lie but I generally keep a log of work that I need to do one that day. Since we’re working from home, my schedule is quite flexible so I shuffle around with my school work and organization work according to my wish!

8. What has been your greatest accomplishment on Curious Cases of COVID so far? 

Comments like “we never thought about it that way” and “your idea is so fresh and it has really changed my outlook” are such huge milestones for us because we know that we have an impact and our voice matters. Other than that, we’ve conducted global surveys, webinars and we donated over 2000 books for the underprivileged who are unable to access educational resources at the moment.

9. What is the most challenging aspect of running your organization? Do you have any advice for readers who are interested in doing something similar? 

Since we’re working on an online platform, perhaps what’s the most challenging is writing and working without knowing how our readers are reacting to our articles. We’re not seeing them in person and it’s tough to know whether you’re making a difference sometimes. 

But, every little comment and appreciation we get means so much to us and it’s probably all we need to know that our voice matters. Anyone out there, if you’re reading this, your voice matters. Don’t overthink anything you wanna do and go ahead and raise your words. 

10. Is there anything you’d like to say before we wrap up? If not, I’d love to thank you for engaging with our organization to promote the incredible work of yours! 

This organization has become such a huge part of me and I can’t wait to interact with whoever it brings me across! If you’re still hesitant about starting something, trust me it's the most rewarding experience. Feel free to reach out to me if you need support for your mission! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.