About Us
Welcome to Shift Change.
The coronavirus has quickly changed our entire way of life. In New York alone, thousands are being diagnosed every day with COVID-19, while critically ill people stream into our hospitals. Our healthcare professionals are working around the clock to care for the sick, even when they’re overwhelmed and don’t have sufficient equipment or resources to help patients. They work long shifts and don’t have time to eat and sleep. Nearby grocery stores are overcrowded, potentially spreading the virus, and long hours make cooking a challenge. Our restaurants, clubs, venues, cafes, bars, and retail stores are closed, and many of them will likely never open again. In the future, we will demarcate life before and after the introduction of this virus.
Shift Change’s goal is to tell the stories of ordinary people on the frontlines of this transformational period. We want to capture glimpses into what the lives of a diverse group of Americans look like during this tragedy. These may not be extraordinary or inspiring — though naturally some will — but they reflect the texture of the everyday; the ordinary disruptions of lives, dreams, and routines; and the small and large solutions people find for these problems.
We’re doing this not only to capture a historical record, but also to express our gratitude and provide support for the dedicated workers on the frontline. We’ve teamed up with David Schönstein, whose partner is an intern at Maimonides Medical Center in South Brooklyn. His organization Supply Drop works with local restaurants to deliver meals to the most affected hospitals so that healthcare professionals can spend time doing what they do best: caring for the sick.
Thank you for reading.
Our Staff
Shift Change founder Sam Chennault is a writer, curator, and business owner living in Brooklyn.
Supply Drop founder David Schönstein has a partner on the frontlines treating COVID-19 patients in Brooklyn. He is also part of the Phoenix Community Garden, which addresses food insecurity.
Coordinator Abigail Covington is the features editor at Third Bridge Creative. Originally from North Carolina, her criticism and journalism have appeared in Oxford American, The Nation, Slate, Pitchfork, and Men’s Journal.
Copy Editor Stephanie Garr is a freelance writer and editor currently based in Boise, ID, but itching to get back out on the road to continue documenting her adventures as one-half of Big & Small Travel. She writes about music, travel, food, nutrition, and plenty of random topics in between.
Social Media Manager Melissa Locker is a writer, music fan, and podcast enthusiast who lives in Brooklyn, but is still an Oregon girl at heart. She has written for publications including Vanity Fair, The Guardian, TIME, Rolling Stone, Elle, and The Believer and worked on and off air at WNYC.
Project Manager Mosi Reeves is a content editor and reviewer in Oakland, CA. He has written for dozens of publications over two decades, including Rolling Stone, SPIN, NPR, Revolver, and many others.
Image Editor Misha Vladimirskiy is a photographer and filmmaker from San Francisco via Tiraspol, Moldova. He is also the founder of Filterless. Misha has worked with Coachella, Levi’s, Airbnb, StubHub, New Era, GoPro, The Players’ Tribune, Banana Republic, and many more. He has been featured in leading publications such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, and New York Times. Misha specializes in making creative content, partnerships, and brand strategy for companies all over the world. His personal work is a reflection of his own interest in music and art, and the people pushing the boundaries of the creative world.
Coordinator Wil Williams is a podcast creator and journalist based in Phoenix, AZ. She has written for Polygon, The A.V. Club, Kotaku, The Takeout, Vulture, and more.
Coordinator Jonathan Zwickel is a lapsed music journalist who reluctantly transitioned to corporate communications in 2019. Based in Seattle, his writing has appeared in Pitchfork, Thrillist, New York Times, The Believer, KEXP, and elsewhere. His first book, Beastie Boys: A Musical Biography, was published by Greenwood Press in 2012.
Our Contributors
Jim Allen has contributed to print and online outlets including Billboard, NPR Music, MOJO, Uncut, Rolling Stone, MTV.com, Bandcamp Daily, Reverb.com, and many more. He’s written liner notes for reissues by everyone from Bob Seger to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and is a singer/songwriter in the bands Lazy Lions and The Ramblin’ Kind as well as a solo artist.
Nirmala Nataraj is a freelance writer, editor, and book coach based in the Hudson Valley, NY. Aside from her passion for books, she spends her time as a facilitator and educator in the fields of restorative justice and community wellness through the arts.
Adam Rothbarth is a food and music journalist living in St. Louis, MO. He currently works as the staff writer for Sauce Magazine, and has been published in places like Vice, Rolling Stone, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.
Justin Sarachik is the editor-in-chief of Rapzilla.com and co-owner of NewH2O.com. He has been a journalist for 10 years and has written or edited for Relevant, Christian Post, BREATHEcast, CCM, Broken Records magazine, and more. He also likes to work with indie artists to develop their brands and marketing strategies. Catch him interviewing artists on Survival of the Artist podcast.
Philip Sherburne is a music critic and journalist. Currently a contributing editor at Pitchfork, he has written for many outlets over the past 20-odd years, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Resident Advisor, and SPIN. He was born in Portland, OR, and lives on the small Spanish island of Menorca.
Michael Tedder is a freelance journalist who has written for Esquire, The Ringer, Stereogum, and Playboy. He lives in Hoboken, NJ.
Doug Wallen is a freelance writer and editor based in Beechworth, Australia. He writes regularly for The Big Issue, The Australian, and Broadsheet and hosts the Aus-focused radio show Waste the Alphabet on Indigo FM.
Matt Williams is a writer and photographer based on Canada’s east coast. His work has been published in outlets including National Geographic, VICE, The Globe and Mail, SPIN, No Depression, and The A.V. Club.
