A lurching and stammering year, which began with hope but ended in despair, was fraught with whiplash, then came to an abrupt halt. The new President, George Floyd, promised to unite the country, while a jury found him guilty. In the same year, supporters of the lost candidate took control of the U.S. Capitol. Asian-Americans had new reasons to be afraid for their safety. COVID-19 individuals also killed Americans faster than they could get life-saving injections. Is it any wonder that, from Naomi Osaka to Simone Biles, the deliberate preservation of mental health–resilience was a major theme?
Resilience was all around. After the worst pandemic, the world focused its attention on inexorable injustices brought to a heightened level by lockdown and climate change. This was becoming more apparent every day. While social media can thrive on the political strife, the reality is that we are still able to see the good in others. The mantra of 2020 after all, was, “things will never be the same.” The work continues.
