Internationally, the World Health Organization declares Coronavirus, Covid-19, a global pandemic. Because of this, the entire world shut down leading to the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression and over 1 million deaths within the first year alone. Medical scientists rushed to make an effective vaccine for Covid-19, ultimately being released by the end of the year in an emergency. Overall, the world was in shambles by the tolls the shutdown took on emotional/mental health and the global economy.
Nationally, Democratic Joe Biden won the presidential election against Republican Donald Trump, gaining 51.3% of the popular votes and 306 electoral votes. What is fascinating about this election is that the states that “flipped”, all flipped from Republican majority to Democratic majority.
Locally, hundreds of people rallied and protested against policy brutality, especially that forced against George Floyd. These protestors walked the downtown streets of Somerville holding signs saying things like “Black Lives Matter” and “Silence = Compliance”, emphasizing what the people believe in response to frequent police brutality.
Because 2020 was the beginning of Covid-19 quarantine, it’s all a bit of a blur for me between going virtual for school and being in that awkward tween phase. We kept a routine so it was similar to doing school just at home, which my Mom takes credit for because my brothers and I stayed on track. By this point in my life, I had chopped my hair super short and was rocking a cute cherry red color!