Our leadership team had been following outbreak trends and implemented social distancing policy a week prior to that of the Spanish government - the day the first death was reported in the Catalonia region. Ned barely made it back from a business trip in Key West - catching the last United Air flight back to Spain with a sprint between gates as the doors closed. (There were 10 passengers on the transatlantic flight and a lot of questioning faces about what a U.S. American was doing on a flight to a pandemic-explosive epicenter).

Soon to follow was what amounted to the most severe lockdown on the planet. While personally challenging, we are glad the government took these measures and are grateful that Tectonica was able to continue to work remotely from our homes. We know that we are lucky, and we are deeply concerned for those hit by the economic impact. Many people in our communities have lost work and face challenges in paying rent or buying groceries.

The lockdown has been successful at significantly reducing the number of cases and deaths. On May 23, the daily death count was at 48, the lowest figure since mid-March. We truly have flattened the curve for now. This week Catalonia was the last region in Spain to enter phase 1 of lockdown - the first step in what will be a 10 week de-escalation (or longer depending on if contagion spikes re-emerge). 

This means our community now sees people out on the streets (in masks), outdoor sections of restaurants have reopened (with distance between tables), and starting next Monday those on the team who want to and logistically can, may join us back in the office. (Auwlyee has been busy taking advantage of the empty office to make improvements from painting to installation of glass idea boards). 

We are immeasurably grateful to our team for continuing to plug away day in and day out to serve our clients with top quality work in what are far from ideal work conditions - from uncomfortable home chairs to squirmy two years olds on Zoom calls to the challenges of collaborating without sharing a physical office and, of course more than anything, the added stress of being shut in our homes and isolated from our communities while we try to survive this global pandemic. 

We’re grateful that our team members have so far all remained healthy. We also hope our world takes this moment as a learning one - one which can radically alter global attitudes and drive needed change. We hope the world wakes up to the reality that our problems are universal problems, and we must work together to find global solutions. We hope that people see major crises can happen at any time, and it’s time to take dramatic action (yes, we can do it!) to curb climate change and save us from our own extinction.  

We hope we can learn to truly appreciate the extraordinary value of those who are too often compensated as though they have the least value in our society - from delivery people to teachers to grocery store employees - and that we begin to work to fight for a fairer share for these individuals in our society. 

We hope that there is a growing understanding that we need governments to listen to experts and science to keep us safe. (Certainly, the countries who have based their COVID response policies on the advice of experts and scientists have done best).

It is also our hope that we come together as societies to protect those most in need and impacted by this crisis and its economic impact.

And lastly thank you to all of you: our community, fans, followers, and clients. For your patience, caring, hope, and continued commitments to the work you all do.