- Women In The White House. This year Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris became the first woman Vice President of the United States. Under the Biden administration, it looks as if there will be a great deal of women representation. According to the Washington Post, President Joe Biden has enlisted mostly women on his economics and communications team. This move is considered a reflection on his pledge during his campaign to create an administration that will represent a diverse America as we continue to maneuver through the pandemic and economic issues.
- Unemployment. Unemployment continues to be on the rise as the effects of the pandemic continues to take a toll on businesses causing them to make tough decisions in regards to staffing and being able to thrive in this new normalcy. Cut backs and remote work have been the key factors in some businesses surviving the pandemic and reports suggest that several of them will not go back to their employee capacity that existed pre-pandemic.
- Student Loans. Students loans had been put on hold for several months however, the date for scheduled payments to reconvene is quickly approaching. Unless lawmakers decide to extend the hold, those who owe will need to review their loans and options to see what types of repayment choices are available to them.
- Holding Civic Leaders Accountable. From elections to the rioting at the Capitol, the integrity and trust of Civic leaders has been questioned and continues to be at the forefront of conversations. Many are hoping for more consistency and building up of the rattled foundation of the United States as leaders work together to restore people’s confidence in the safety of their freedoms and assurance in the security of the nation.
- Virtual Learning. The virtual learning platform has become an alternative learning medium since the pandemic began. Because we are still in the process of navigating through COVID-19, seeing the numerous cases that California and other states continue to report, this option for learning may remain relevant post pandemic life.
- Pandemic Living Then And Now. : In the beginning of the pandemic, many shifted to working from home as well as having to figure out how to effectively help their children adjust to a virtual learning platform. These changes took time and undoubtedly the projection was unpredictable that some would still be in this same living situation as we closed the chapter in 2020 and are now well into 2021.
7. Vaccine. The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine have been given the approval by the FDA and are being administered throughout the country to those who are in the medical field, other essential workers, educators and the most vulnerable citizens. Kizzmekia Corbett, an African American Woman from North Carolina has been praised by many top infectious disease experts for her leading role in the Moderna’s Vaccine advancement.
8. Mental Health. There has been a surge for support in the area of mental health. Because of the restrictions that have been in place which left many for months to spend more time in their homes with limited physical/social interactions, the need for mental and behavioral health services have been vital. It has been reported that mental health is one of the biggest pandemic issues we will face in 2021.
9. Traveling/Vaction. Many have started to book flights and explore the world again, although limited travel is recommended. Because of this, agencies, organizations and community services are now making themselves available on several different platforms such as telehealth and a bigger social media presence.
10. Censorship. After President Donald Trump was banned from several social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter, censorship has now taken on a conversation that will not easily be put to rest as many question if companies have the right to permanently ban speech of the consumers who sign up on these sites to engage and network.
Kayvonna Stigall is a lover of words who enjoys writing poetry and short stories. She is a writer, 3-time published yauthor and the CEO of Rise Above the Clouds/iSpitInk, LLC