COVID-19 Student Interviews - Byer, Rebeccah
Abstract
Description
Rebeccah Byer is the owner and an instuctor at the Olio in Winston-Salem. She is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Wake Forest Center for Entrepreneurship. The Olio is an organization dedicated to fostering appreciation of the arts by inspiring learning and facilitating enjoyment within the community. They aim to achieve their goal by creating an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and sustainability through education, hands-on learning, and sustainable glass recyling programs. Byer, owner of the Olio, describes her initial thoughts on COVID-19 as being very concerning since their glassblowing business relies on workshops and classrooms that traditionally happen in person. In this interview, Byer discusses the effects and planning that went into closing the Olio due to the pandemic. Instead of focusing on workshops, the Olio shifted their revenue source to retail opperations. She also touches on the idea of community involvement and the ongoing issues of racial strife and inequalities both in Winston-Salem and across the United States.
Keywords
Coronavirus infections--History--Sources, COVID-19 (Disease)--History--Sources, Wake Forest University--History--Sources, COVID-19 Student Interviews, Office of Civic and Community Engagement