A Year in Review

A Year in Review – Looking Back at 2019 & Forward to 2020

The world of 2019 witnessed positive progress worthy of praise and recognition. In just one year, our world accomplished so much. Let’s Review.

2019 Review – The United States

• We swore in the most diverse class of lawmakers in history.
• A Federal judge kept the Trump Administration from ending no-cost birth control.
• Lizzo revolutionized the body positivity movement in the music industry. 
• Baby Yoda made his big debut.
• Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast.

Global Review

• The EU took a huge step to protect the environment by banning single-use plastic
• Greta Thunberg led the climate change movement
• Same-sex marriage became legal in Austria
• The UK went a week without using a coal-fired power station for first time in 137 years due to use of more renewables
• Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage

However, we must not overlook the struggles.

• The Uighur Muslim minority still remain locked up in China
• Venezuela’s economic and humanitarian crisis continues to worsen
• Brexit breaks the unity of the EU
• The Hong Kong protests violently rage on
• The Amazon burned
• The US-China trade deal still continues 
• The US-Iran conflicts continue to bottle to a critical point

I hope that in 2021, the struggles of 2019 become the accomplishments of 2020. May 2020 bring a remedy to the ailments.

As a new year and a new decade approaches, we must not limit our ability to affect positive change. Whether it is on the local, state, national, or international level, every act has an impact. 

Cheers to 2020. May the new year bring more memories than the last.

Ariel Zhou

Ariel is a student at Vestavia Hills High School and a member of the Springboarders program.

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