Ashley Manning and Daughter Rhiley, 2022, Photograph

Ashley Manning and daughter Rhiley share a moment after Ashley returns home from her shift at Ralph's market in San Pedro on a Saturday evening. During the pandemic, her employer was inflexible with work hours when Manning had few options for childcare amid school closures. After exhausting unpaid leave, Manning had no choice other than to turn to her grandmother for childcare. After the family caught COVID-19, her grandmother passed away from it. Manning blamed herself. This piece honors essential workers who put so much on the line to provide for their families and memorializes the loved ones they’ve lost.