Type of Mask: Commercially purchased fabric face mask (“EnerPlex Comfort XL 3-Ply Reusable Face Mask - Breathable Comfort, Fully Machine Washable, Extra Large”)

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I chose this mask because: in the early days of the pandemic, different government bodies and public health organizations issued conflicting information about mask efficacy and N95 mask demands. I opted for fabric masks because of their convenient reusability, and the likelihood that my selection wouldn’t harm anyone because of shortages. I opted for the larger mask because I have a larger head, much of which is jaw.

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I got this mask from: a credit card rebate that I used to purchase two sets of masks through the Amazon “store” of a company named Enerplex, based in Philadelphia. Enerplex was originally a solar panel and consumer electronic manufacturer but, after resale to Hong Kong-registered Mayfair Brands Limited, it first moved production over to mattresses and pillows, then expanded to masks to capitalize upon heightened demand during the pandemic. My mask purchase arrived in two days from the Philadelphia office via Amazon Prime, but I do not know if any of Mayfair’s other holdings — or Hong Kong location — were involved in the supply chain behind the masks. 

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My favorite feature of this mask is: its absence of notable features because I’m shy and prefer avoiding attention in public spaces.

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I feel anonymized with/ exposed without my mask. 

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My most memorable encounter with my mask is: about ten minutes of running away from charging police at a protest in D.C., near the White House. This is because legally mandated masks like the one I was wearing were, after the fact, cited as legal pretexts for protestors’ arrests.

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My mask enables me to: avoid undue attention, and keeps me from spreading disease and inhaling allergens.

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When I think of #Logistics during this pandemic, these three words come to mind: panic, rerouting, farm protests.

Davindar Singh, PhD Student, Harvard, Ethnomusicology

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