The World Turned Upside Down...Again

Yes, a gratuitous Hamilton reference, but I simply couldn't bear using the adjective "unprecedented" in the title.

Like so many of us, I began 2020 with high hopes, entering the year with great momentum and endless potential. Not to mention, 2020, the date itself — symmetrical. 02.02.2020, a palindrome date — what could go wrong?

COVID-19. It's synonymous with the year 2020 now, and it has been challenging on countless fronts, professionally and personally.

For many, it caused us slow down and appreciate the loved ones around us or, regrettably, grieve a loss. Others, it unearthed the truth and realities around systemic racism and deep inequities in our country. And some were energized and emboldened to exercise their civic responsibility by voting.

We as individuals confronted these realities, and it didn't end there. Our work to hold organizations and companies accountable resulted in a long overdue audit and restructure to place value and investment in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Organizations had to reinvent ourselves; we had to adapt to our normal — remember when we still called it a "new normal"?

Through all of this change, one thing has remained the same: data enables us to tell compelling stories and create some sense of normalcy during tumultuous times. That is the silver lining that has continued to move me through the past 10 months and the next 12.

So, what's your story, 2021?