day 51: the tale of the sad panda

12.02.09 - a few months ago, i noticed someone dressed in a panda costume posing for pictures with tourists near bowling green park. i had always been curious who he/she was or whether he/she was affiliated with some sort of company catering to nyc visitors. about a month ago, my supervisor forwarded me this video clip revealing the identity of the "sad panda". i felt very heavyhearted after learning that this man was forced into retirement, has been unable to find a job because of his older age and most likely because jobs are few and far between in this economy. as an alternative, he has been dressing up as a panda to earn a few measly dollars a day in order to contribute to his family's expenses. as someone who works in health advocacy, i was especially saddened to learn that while his wife works seven days a week as a nurse/caregiver, his family will be losing their health insurance.

i saw the panda again today; but not in his usual spot rather in front of the stock exchange amongst waves of tourists. such a poignant and ironic sight. while we are bombarded on a daily basis with images of consumerism this holiday season, it was also a stark reminder to me that many families are continuing to struggle during these difficult times.