As 2020 comes to a close, we are also closing a remarkable four-year chapter in history. Here is what is on my mind as we dive into 2021.

First and foremost, I could not be more excited that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be in the White House in 22 days. It took a Herculean effort to defeat an incumbent president, and we have broken yet another glass ceiling for women and people of color.

At the same time, I am gutted that Donald Trump received over 74 million votes. When so many of us sprung into action four years ago, we desperately wanted America to reject Trumpism with a deafening roar. Instead, we have had to fight for every inch of ground, and our country is more bitterly divided than ever before.

That said, nothing can eclipse the power of hope. The road to change is a long and winding path, but progress is so very possible when we demand it. I have become stronger, more awake, and more determined than ever to push ahead. I invite you to reflect on your own journey over the last four years, and I want to share what I will carry with me into 2021:

Patience. We can’t fix everything overnight. What we can do is take action right now to lay the groundwork for success in the future, seize every opportunity that arises, and celebrate our accomplishments along the way.

Perseverance. Change can take decades, or even centuries, and every one of us has a part to play in the journey. We will succeed because we refuse to give up.  

Hope. Hope is not a promise that everything will be fine. Rather, it is an acknowledgement that the future is not written yet, and every day we can act to create the world as we want to see it. We must not be deterred by loss or failure, we must instead wake up the next day knowing that we have another chance to succeed.

This country faces great challenges. But in a democracy, we the people have the power, and every day each of us gets to choose how we are going to contribute to solving these problems. We must take the time we have, and the cards we are dealt, and play the best hand we possibly can. There is no going backward, only forward. And the future we envision that keeps our hope alive is worth it.

Warmest wishes of resilience, peace, and good health in the new year.



Rita