A Year for the Ages
Here in the sunset of 2020, listen to the wisdom of Howard Thurman: “In the stillness of the quiet,” he said, “if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair.”
Think about some of the words and phrases that have come to define this historic year:
Pandemic. Coronavirus. Masks. Swab. Zoom. Vaccine. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Protests. Racism. Antiracism. Trump. Biden. Kamala Harris. Anthony Fauci.
Yet amid so much darkness, glimmers of light give us hope.
Black Americans did not have to protest alone against the violence and systemic racism they’ve faced. They were joined in marches and rallies by people of all colors and backgrounds, who recognized this was an issue for all of us to take on together.
Scientists seized on the pursuit of a vaccine, something that should take years, or even decades, to develop, but could be delivered to citizens in record time.
Amid all the election-year talk about the death of democracy, a record 160 million votes were cast in 2020. The people spoke.
And from the election, more history was made. More than 1,000 LGBTQ candidates ran for office, and the first transgender state senator was elected. Bigger news came when a woman, a Black woman with Asian and Indian heritage, was chosen as vice president, and will now be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Driving these history-making changes were young people. Around the globe, including here at BU, the drumbeat of student activism thumped loudly. For climate change. For equality. For inclusion. For their future.
Ahead, we list moments that defined 2020 for Boston University.
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