Driving through downtown on Friday night, the city is empty. On Sixth Street, businesses have boarded up their doors and windows with plywood, leaving the once-pulsing strip of bars looking post-apocalyptic. My first thought when I see all of this is that it no longer feels like Austin. Without people, without a sense of community, everything feels eerie. But then I start to notice the writing spray painted onto some of the boards. On Ah Sing Den: We are one world. Pour Choices: United we most stand. Despite the vacantness of the city, small messages of hope and encouragement are sprinkled throughout, displayed on everything from marquee boards to sidewalks to boarded up windows. Although the emptiness can be startling, it feels good to know that the people that make our city what it is are still here—they’re just at home. Here are a few of those messages.

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