As the election came to an end and the results were confirmed, it became clear that the winner was candidate Joe Biden. With his total electoral college votes of 306 compared to the 232 of the sitting president, Donald Trump left office on January 20, 2021, making way for President Biden. We saw a shift in America and a divide became even more apparent between the parties. All the while a recent insurrection at the capital still loomed in the minds of the American citizens.

Since the new presidential term has started, a lot has been done in our country. The administration and CDC have made strides in increasing vaccinations and reducing cases of Covid-19. The president has made progress in the environmental priorities in our country also by organizing an international climate summit. Biden has been attempting to create better immigration laws by establishing a task force to help reunite children with their parents that were separated at the border. Similarly, he increased government supervision of ICE to make sure that they are held accountable for past inhumane treatment of immigrants.

On the other hand, like most politicians when they are elected, they make long lists of promises. While Biden has made a dent, he still leaves many questions unanswered. Issues with voting in Congress have seemingly stalled his efforts towards racial equality. For example, his promise to extend voting rights has been put on hold and efforts to implement oversight in the police forces to prevent excessive force have been dropped.

While the country is still dealing with the many problems we face, we can all agree that we are heading in the right direction. Covid cases are going down and there is more hope and awareness for racial injustice. The employment rate is increasing and people are going back to work and providing for their families. Our hope for next year is to continue on this path to a better America.