A Data Visualization Newsletter

Businesses in America have been devastated by the pandemic, with many forced to close either temporarily or permanently over the last year. Unfortunately, these effects have been felt even more severely in underserved communities. We collaborated with Yelp to report on the resilience of diverse business owners during these tough times, who have found ways to thrive despite the adversity.

A year since the first stay-at-home order was issued in the United States, Instacart reflects on how our grocery shopping tendencies have shifted. Our team helped analyze their trove of shopper data and design graphics for their report, which reveals how our shopping lists, schedules, and responsibilities changed throughout the year.

Anti-Asian attacks have tragically risen across the country over the last year. The New York Times identified 110 media reports of race-based hate towards Asians, ranging from physical attacks to acts of vandalism. This piece chronicles the concerning rise since March 2020 and shares examples of the widespread attacks.

COVID-19 dealt a devastating blow to the retail industry, with even the most prominent brands and storefronts falling victim. Quartz’s new project drives you through famous shopping streets like Oxford Street and Rodeo Drive and see the startling number of stores that were forced to close during the pandemic.

On February 1, Myanmar’s military overthrew the government and seized control of the country. And in an attempt to silence protests against the coup, the military has enacted regular internet shutdowns, leaving much of the population without access to the web. Reuters tracked the internet connectivity in Myanmar since January to show the prevalence of these shutdowns, and explains how civilians are fighting back.

Turns out where you live might have an influence on what songs you listen to. Individuals in your city might be jamming out to “Up” by Cardi B right now, while the next town over prefers “La Noche de Anoche” by Bad Bunny. This project from The Pudding explores these geographic music bubbles across the globe.