We have all experienced the life-altering affects by the pandemic. In THIS INTERVIEW you’ll learn its toll on multitalented artist Gabe Hammes.
The inspiring singer, songwriter, musician, music educator, and producer took time to answer our “2000 BC Q&A”, reflecting on his life before COVID-19 and how things have changed personally and professionally since.
Tell us what you miss most from life before COVID-19.
I miss people being comfortable being around each other. The open mics, the live nights, I know they’re starting to come back, but I think the community gatherings have been a big thing that I miss.
Where were you when you learned about COVID-19 and how did you respond?
I was actually at my grandma’s watching TV. She’s into the news. I saw President Trump make the announcement about COVID, and my thought was, well, it ain’t coming to Lansing [Michigan]! That’s a one state thing!
The feeling brought me back to 9/11. I know I wasn’t born back then, but it’s another monumental thing that’s happened to our world…and I don’t know what to do. So many from my generation don’t know about 9/11, they don’t know about what happened with the finances. We’ve got to bring those things up!
What, for you, have been the personal and professional benefits, and setbacks, from the pandemic?
The benefits have been being able to give the time to learn. I’ve learned so much, and not just about myself but about my talents, about other people, about the music, about a lot of different things. That’s been amazing.
The setbacks have been no community gatherings, not being together, the dynamics. We’ve all had some arguments and have thrown some things and just been frustrated at some points.
Do you have faith in the vaccine?
Like KT [The Conscious Poet] said, I think people make the decision.
I think the basic thing I want to say is be educated. Know what’s what. Whether it’s good or it’s bad, be educated about your decision. Don’t go off of what society or what your community thinks, or what the president thinks or what the governor thinks or what the doctors think. Be educated by asking, by taking those facts from the people who know more than you. Be educated.
Who do you talk to the most to keep your spirits up and help you stay optimistic?
God, number one, and also the community. I have a high place in God. I love God. We have amazing faith and God helps us a lot, right?
But he put a community in place for us for a reason and for a purpose. I want to make sure I’m talking with them and learning with them and about them. Learning together about what’s going to happen next.
Has the pandemic caused you to value your life and the lives of others more than you did already?
That’s a good question. I appreciate the value that’s been added on by all the learning I’ve been able to do. But the value of our community coming together… Even with George Floyd and everything that’s happened, we all came together for one purpose – to love each other.
We all supported the nurses, we all supported the doctors, we all said thank you to them. We’re valuing the people in our community who help us.
What about your immediate surroundings have you become more aware of?
I think about how people are communicating through this situation. People are reacting. Now that we’re starting to get out more, do I wear a mask, or do I not wear a mask? Just being aware of what other people think and being respectful of that.
What’s something that had to change because of the pandemic that you hope doesn’t change back once it’s over?
I know I keep talking about the community, but I think that’s our strength that we’ve built up. We’re all in this together. And I hope I never stop learning. I hope that never changes! My mindset of always learning, always being ready to take on whatever is next! |THIS.
[By M.J. Walker]
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