To say that 2020 was a challenging year would be quite an understatement. Kicking off with a global pandemic and ending with one of the most contentious elections this country has seen would have been quite enough for one nation. Nevertheless, the death of George Floyd ignited an anger and anguish felt by millions and precipitated a cultural reckoning on racial injustice, the likes of which have not been seen in a generation.

American activism became global activism, as thousands of demonstrations and public campaigns were held worldwide. Meanwhile, the eyes of allies turned inward as they made long-awaited reflections on their own communities and internal biases. If we did not yet know, we have now learned, that silent allyship is insufficient – it is simply not enough to not be racist, one must be actively anti-racist. In order to decimate the racially unjust social constructs that have cocooned many of us for so long, such that they may never again be revived, one must actively work towards change and equality.

Where does one start when the issue seems so large and ingrained that one person could not possibly make a difference? They say that “change is the end result of all true learning” and self-education on the topics of racial diversity and injustice is indeed necessary to implement the changes that 2020 has shown us our nation needs.