In April 2020, I created a one-hour weekly virtual children’s project that spanned youth participation in Canada, England, India, and the U.S. Our name was a neologism of Corona (for COVID-19) and adaptors (for ourselves). We practiced positive flexible-thinking strategies and played synchronized, interactive games that helped support the social and emotional wellness of ourselves and each other. We cultivated our adaptability and built our resiliency while working on projects and learning about our different cultures!

When schools resumed in September, we had a monthly Coronadaptor Community Zoom on Sundays from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. EST. Inclusion was our priority, so we welcomed extroverts, ambiverts, and introverts who also had learning accommodations and acquired English as an Additional Language (EAL).

In April 2025, we decided to shift responsibility of the monthly Zooms to the children and youth. They have agency over how and when they connect, nurturing their friendships and well-being that started as the pandemic unfolded, continuing today and onward.