Notes from Nina: New Year Reflections

Hi TADA! Friends and Family,

Happy New Year! It’s 2021. I was going to write that doesn’t mean much. Everything is still the same and this will be another tough year with COVID-19 and the effects it has on our lives.

But then, something happened in this country that shifted my entire focus: Citizens of the United States of America stormed the Capitol Building.

The following paragraphs are my opinions and beliefs. They are not about TADA! so if you don’t want to read my views of the last couple of days— stop reading now. Open the next Notes From Nina in two weeks when I will be talking about my feelings of turning 60 and my work at TADA!.

As I watched the chaos unfold on TV and read people’s reactions on social media a number of things went through my mind (my head was already pounding from a migraine which is why I was lying down in bed and able to put the TV on). How did it get this out of control? How did people actually manage to get inside the Capitol? Why wasn’t there more security? Why did it take so long for additional help from law enforcement and the National Guard to get to the Capitol? I was both in disbelief and at the same time I was thinking— we knew something like this was going to happen. I mean if I expected it, then others had to as well.

I mean, really? People flew to Washington, DC specifically to march. This was known. It was known that these people were angry and believed that the election had been stolen from them. You can’t honestly tell me that there wouldn’t have been safety measures in place if these were BIPOC protestors. This is unacceptable behavior. I’m talking about the mob that attempted the coup as well as the law enforcement and politicians that allowed this to happen. We cannot accept the unjust systems in this country to remain.

I’m hoping that change for the better will happen with the transfer of power about to take place politically. There were also some good things that happened in the last few days. The Georgia Senate run-off election was won by Warnock and Ossoff who are respectively the first Black and first Jewish senators to represent Georgia. I am very happy to say that they will be joining Kamala Harris who is the first female, first Black, and first South Asian to become Vice President. Oh, and I was reminded today by Mary, the coup was unsuccessful— another good thing to be happy about that.

Change is happening all around us. Isn’t it great to be alive right now? We need to realize the true state of the United States of America. We don’t all think alike. We need to all take the opportunities we have to talk to other people, argue, debate and work to move America forward to be the just democracy it truly can be. None of us can sit back and rely on other people to make change happen. We need to be a part of the change— look at yourself, your coworkers, audiences, associates, family, friends, acquaintances, and your work.

We can make the world a better place. I really do believe this.

If you read this far, thank you.