I think we can all agree that the past few years have been difficult. From the on-going COVID-19 pandemic to the crisis in Ukraine, there’s a lot to feel pessimistic about. While we shouldn’t forget about these issues, it’s important to also focus on the positive strides we’ve made in our society. Here are three things we can celebrate from the first three months of 2022:
- Ketanji Brown Jackson
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On February 25, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court. The confirmation process was unnecessarily brutal for Jackson and those who felt represented by her. Her nomination and her stoicism during the process was an inspiration to all Americans and a reminder that more needs to be done to uproot this unjust treatment. Jackson was recently confirmed by the Senate, meaning America now has its first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
- Global Public Health
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There’s a lot to mourn because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this crisis has highlighted the strides we’ve made in global public health, and in 2022, we’re continuing to make progress against this disease. The COVID vaccines are the fastest vaccine to ever be created. Scientists and researchers from around the world showed a sign of unity as they tackled this endeavor and produced something that is saving millions of lives. Because of these vaccines, we’re seeing progress in the fight against COVID and also an increased effort to provide vaccines to nations with less resources.
- Gen Z Olympic Athletes
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Generation Z saw a lot of representation during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Although they’re young, these athletes came to win. Athletes like Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu took home medals and became even bigger icons for their sport. Gu even took home three medals from the Games, two gold medals and one silver medal. Other athletes like Maame Biney continue to revolutionize their sport. Biney was the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. in short-track speedskating in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, and she continues to represent.
Although the world has seen one negative event after the other, it has continued to show off its resilience. 2022 still has a lot more in store for us, but who says there can’t be good things?