Top 10 Things and Reflections of 2021

Over the last few weeks, I've done a top 10 happenings for the week on Fridays. Since this Friday also ends the year, I decided that a top 10 for 2021 would be appropriate as well. So much has happened in 2021 (including this blog being started) that narrowing it all down to a top 10 is difficult, but here are my top 10 happenings and reflections for 2021.

1. The Attack on the Nation's Capitol

When Joe Biden won the election in 2020 many of us suspected that Trump wouldn't go out quietly, but most of us didn't know how it would go down. While some of suspected that he'd claim without any evidence that he was cheated, we weren't sure how far he would go with that claim. On January 6, 2021, we all saw how far he was willing to go with what has been labeled "the Big Lie" that he was cheated out of the 2020 election when his "Save America March" rally turned violent and led to the US Capitol being overrun, resulting in 5 people dying at the Capitol and 4 subsequent suicides by officers who defended the Capitol. Most of the responses have been largely along political lines, with those on the right downplaying what took place and those on the left wanting justice. The US House has since set up a January 6th Committee and is expected to have an interim report prepared by the summer of 2022.

2. Texas Blacked Out for a Few Days

In February, Texas had a winter storm that caused statewide blackouts for several days causing 210 deaths around Texas, 43 in Harris County alone. Since this all took place during a legislative session, many hoped that the state legislature would address it. However many are still concerned that the legislature did not do enough to prevent blackouts in the future.

3. Multiple States Passed "Jim Crow 2.0" Voting Laws

In a previous blog, I wrote about the voter suppression efforts taking place around the country by Republican-led legislatures. Since then many states passed what has been labeled as "Jim Crow 2.0," which restricted access to voting, which is expected to disproportionately disenfranchise minority voters.

4. Vaccines Were Made Available for Everyone 5 and Up

After social distancing for most of 2020, many were anxious for a vaccine. Early this year, the vaccines began being issued. First responders got some of the first doses, followed by high-risk individuals, then the general public. So far, everyone over the age of 5 is eligible to get their "Fauci Ochie." Unfortunately, there has also been a good deal of misinformation about the vaccine and a large anti-vaccination movement, which has slowed down the vaccination rate around the country.

5. Critical Race Theory Became the New Boogie Man in Public Education

Although it is mainly just a law and grad school elective, Critical Race Theory (CRT) became a large topic of discussion this year, being cited by Fox News over 1,300 times in less than 4 months. This year 9 states passed legislation to ban it from the classrooms, although only 2 actually use the words "critical race theory." Also, the discussion of CRT was a large talking point by Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, which I discuss more in-depth in a previous post. Also discussed in a different previous post, this move to control what can be taught in the classroom appears to be a response to the 1619 project, but seeing that it appears to be helping candidates win offices as high as state governor, I don't expect that it is going away anytime soon.

6. I Became the 1st African American to Serve as President of the HCDE Board of Trustees

I usually don't like to talk much about my own accomplishments, but this year I unknowingly broke a 132-year record and didn't realize it for 6 months. At our May board meeting, I was elected president of the board for the Harris County Department of Education, but 6 months later I was informed that I was the first black person to hold that position in the organization's 132-year history. Houston Public Media did a brief segment on Monday, November 22nd, 8 am local news segment (I'll have to add a link later when I find it), but breaking the barrier was one that I didn't expect and let me know that there are still many firsts left to be broken.

7. Juneteenth Became a Federal Holiday

Juneteenth, a holiday known more in Texas where it began 156 years ago, became a federal holiday when Biden signed it into law 2 days before this year's Juneteenth. I discuss the deeper meaning of the new holiday more in-depth in a previous post, but seeing that it is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Day was instituted in 1983, it is definitely worth noting.

8. Some Cops and Vigilantes Were Held Accountable for Killed Unarmed Black People

This year had a number of trials of people responsible for killing unarmed black people. Probably most famous was Derek Chauvin, who in April was convicted of murdering George Floyd on Memorial Day 2020. Kim Potter, another officer who claims to have mistakenly used her firearm when trying to use her taser, was also convicted of manslaughter by a jury for the death of Daunte Wright. Additionally, the 3 vigilantes responsible for the death of Ahmaud Arbery were all convicted of murder. While I'm glad to see these convictions, there still seems to be a prerequisite of a videotape, as was available in each of the aforementioned cases, for everyone to see just how bad each party acted in these instances.

9. Redistricting Took Place Around the Country

Every 10 years in the year following the Census, redistricting takes place. In Texas, as I discussed in a previous post, in places like Texas, the process has been used to better ensure a Republican majority, even though the vast majority of the population growth favors Democrats.

10. Congress Passed a $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Deal

Even though Congress and our nation are pretty polarized, Congress passed a $1.2 Infrastructure Deal, which will help our nation's roads, bridges, electric grids, and more. I discuss this deal in more detail in a previous post as well, but with all of the polarization, it was great seeing a big bipartisan deal get through Congress.

That's my top 10 list. Look it over and feel free to chime in what else what have made your top 10 for 2021.