Good News
Follow Pooja as she shares some good news around the world over topics related to politics, regular topics in our everyday lives, and other topics in this informative article!
Good News
By Pooja Patel
The year 2021 will be remembered in many ways. So many words can be used to describe this year; some of them can be chaotic, crazy, fun, terrible, or (some may say) positive. There have been many ups and downs this year-- from elections to still living in a COVID-19 pandemic to going back to school, or even witnessing turning point events in our lives this year, including many protests fighting for human rights, getting a new president and many other events, including starting a whole school year with masks and new guidelines. However, as the end of 2021 comes near, it is also important to reflect and acknowledge all the accomplishments that we, as a society, have made and progressed towards. So let us begin…
#1- Indigenous Women Representation in New Zealand
Did you know that New Zealand has sworn in the first indigenous woman as governor-general? This is a major event, especially to women and the Indigenous community who are finally getting representation in the government they deserve. According to Reuters, “Dame Cindy Kiro was formally sworn into the largely ceremonial role in parliament in Wellington...pledging to reach out to migrants and marginalized citizens.” Dame Cindy has pledged to connect to new migrants and former refugees, and to celebrate the many diverse and religious individuals, gifts to the nation of New Zealand. By swearing Dame Cindy Kiro, New Zealand has taken a huge step towards equal representation of the indigenous community and women. This is a big deal for all women around the country who are still fighting for equal representation in the parliament. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed the country’s most diverse parliament during her second term, including a high number of women among legislators.
#2- Audio Accessibility for amc theaters
The AMC Theatres has decided that they will start adding captions to screens at 240 locations! AMC is the world’s largest movie theater chain and is adding onscreen captions in an effort to make watching movies at theaters more accessible. According to NPR, “The change took effect last week and is aimed at improving the viewing experience for people who have hearing loss and for whom English is not their first language.” This is amazing news for people who enjoy watching movies, but struggle with the language barrier due to hearing loss/issues.
#3- Build Back Better Bill
The House of Representatives has approved of Biden’s Build Back Better plan! This bill proposed by Biden makes historic investments in paid family leave, universal PreK, lower drug way pricing, action on climate change, and health care. The bill is now on the way to the Senate for a vote. New York Times states that the house has passed the centerpiece of the agenda, “approving $2.2 trillion in spending over the next decade…” to battle the issues listed previously.
#4- America's first Taste of a woman president
The United States of America had its first woman with presidential power for a total of 85 minutes. President Joe Biden temporarily transferred power to Vice President Kamala Harris while he was under anesthesia for a routine colonoscopy for an hour and 25 minutes. Although this lasted for only a short amount of time, Americans secured their first woman with presidential powers, and it was an empowering moment for women to know that, in the future, there will be a female president leading the country.
#5 - A Win for Those With Disabilities in France
Élénore Laloux is France’s first elected official with down syndrome, and is leading an effort to make her town more accepting of people with disabilities. Optimist Daily discusses how “Éléonore Laloux is the first and only person with Down syndrome to be elected to public office in the country.” She was recently awarded membership in the National Order of Merit for her efforts to bring inclusion and accessibility to all aspects of government. Laloux believes that, “For me, people with disabilities, visible or invisible, are full members of society and have the right to have the same access as everyone else.” Laloux is making tremendous progress towards leading people with disabilities and representing them. Breaking stereotypes in government is important in order to bring in diverse opinions and representations from a diverse population. Laloux has utilized her personal experiences with her condition and innovative ideas to make sure “inclusion and accessibility are a part of every city initiative - from education to transportation to tourism” according to CS Monitor.
That is all I have for my last issue in The Scroll for the year of 2021. This year has brought many opportunities and positive aspects of life for many people around the world. With darkness, this year has also brought light. So, let’s appreciate the good things that came out of this crazy, unstable year and, as humans, remind ourselves to be kind to each other and, most importantly, ourselves. Have a great new year, and the next time we meet will be in 2022, with great articles and new topics to discuss on!
