So far, the year 2020 has had a lot to share: COVID-19, the presidency of Donald Trump, the death of George Floyd, racism, and Tik Tok. The two topics that have affected my life are COVID-19 and the death of George Floyd.

We were starting with COVID-19. March 13, 2020, was the last day of being outside, in contact with other people, and going places. This pandemic has changed the world and affected millions of people’s lives. Not only is this virus deadly, but it spreads fast enough for the whole country to close down. During the three months of being in “quarantine,” we were only allowed to go to the grocery store. And we weren’t allowed to have a family to come over without getting in trouble with the law. And we can’t forget the first month of quarantine when toilet paper and hand sanitizer were running out, which had people fighting and taking away these essentials from those who needed it the most.

And the biggest struggle was millions of unemployed people that need a job to put food on the table and roof over their family’s head. And then in June 2020, President Trump decided to open the States back up only to have COVID cases go up significantly. This decision led to us being closed down again, knowing the world is not ready to open back up. Fast forward to today, there is still no cure or vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. So what are we doing?

Moving on in 2020, the death of George Floyd captured the Nation’s attention. On May 25, 2020, a 46-year old black man named George Floyd was killed by a white police officer during an arrest over a $20 bill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His death changed the world and opened the eyes of the black community about systemic racism. His death began a protest and a movement and added a new chapter to black history. The demonstration and riots for George Floyd’s death lasted till the entire month of June. And of course, there was a lot of controversy during this time based on decisions that the White House chose to implement during the time our black community was going through the loss of George Floyd.

After writing this essay, I was led to pose questions to our audience. First of all, drug companies are in phase 3 trials of the vaccine. Do you believe that it is safe and effective against COVID-19? Next, I would like to allow you to comment on George Floyd. Police officers are trained to protect and serve. Do you feel that Mr. Floyd was protected or served?

In conclusion, as stated earlier, the year 2020 COVID-19 put a stop to “normal life,” we have learned. Science has told us that the virus can only be slowed, through social distance, wearing masks, and hand hygiene. That is our new normal. As an African-American and a sister with three brothers, I fear that it is not safe for them to go out globally. I pray that they will not catch the Coronavirus or become the next George Floyd. 2020 has been a rough year. I am looking forward to 2021. What happens in 2020 should stay in 2020.