Writer: Siena Iwasaki Milbauer
I think we can all agree that 2020. Was. A. Lot. 2021 hasn’t been exactly off to a smooth start either. The challenges we must face and the mountains we must climb as individuals and communities seem pretty daunting.
Still, the arrival of a new year is a great opportunity to pause, breathe, and take stock. We asked our AAOP team to do just that. They reflected on their takeaways from 2020 and shared their hopes for 2021. We’ve been sharing their answers all month through our Instagram @aaopmn, and we’ve gathered them all here to celebrate the final day of the first month of this new year.
What our AAOP team had to say varies wildly from person to person. Some offerings are full of humor, some of weariness, some of hope, and many of all of the above. But what they each have in common is determination: a commitment to building from the experiences of the past year and working towards a brighter, fairer future. We are so proud of our entire AAOP community and so excited for the extraordinary things we will accomplish together, in 2021, and all the years to come.
Vince, he/him, Board Member:
2020 has shown that community-supported infrastructure and support systems are paramount to successful communities, and I’m proud to be a part of an organization that helps to develop this infrastructure.
I hope 2021 will see AAOP continue its positive momentum and be an even greater community asset.
Anya, she/her, Storyteller Intern:
2020 was full of big highs and biiiig lows. The phrase “go with the flow” took on a whole new meaning for me–one minute I was on my abroad semester, planning to goof off at a camp this summer and the next minute I was in my childhood bedroom, starting my job at AAOP!
I hope 2021 will be a year to redeem everything awful that happened in 2020! Mostly, I just can’t wait to be jammed in the middle of a crowd again.
Sophea, she/her, Board Member:
2020 was a great test of community resilience, I think everyone pulled through wonderfully. We had some great successes, but there will be challenges ahead that we have been building momentum for – I have the greatest hope for the future!
I hope 2021 will be a year of transformation – the silver lining of the pandemic is that it has given people an enormous pause to re evaluate how things are and how things can be different – & better.
Jeffrey, he/him, Field Operations Director:
2020 was a year of adversity in which all aspects of life were challenged. The beauty of it was to see how communities have come together and organized to support each other given the circumstances everyone was in. As a result, people [have become] stronger and more hopeful.
I hope 2021 will be a year of momentum and renewed confidence going forward. My personal wish is to continue to explore what mother nature has to offer and pay it forward.
Xia, she/her, Board Member:
2020 was incredibly challenging and filled with waves of emotion and change. Remote learning has been a difficult adjustment, but I am grateful for my support system of friends and family that helped me work through that with technology. I am reminded of our resilience in tough times and I am grateful to be getting through this alone, but together in community.
I hope 2021 will bring on enough vaccines so we can travel safely again! I want to visit Thailand!
Siena, she/her, Storyteller Intern:
2020 was a year that challenged us all to tap into our compassion, creativity, and community spirit.
I hope 2021 will be a time of healing and progress. Big changes must be enacted in our society. That doesn’t have to be a scary thing though: revolution can and should be joyful.
leyen, she/they, Communications & Digital Director:
2020 was messy, but we saw our communities coming together to care for each other during this time of crisis. While many of us struggled because the people in power failed to do their jobs, I’ve also seen how our communities have come together to provide mutual aid relief, uplifting us all. 2020 was also the year of distance but we’ve been able to find other ways to keep connected and I’m grateful that we’re able to continue to build those relationships.
I hope 2021 will be a year of change. I’m looking forward to a brighter and better year. I’m hoping that not only will 2021 be a time where we can see bigger, better changes, but also that the communities I care about can take the time to breathe.
May, she/her, Board Member:
2020 was full of growth for me. The year was full of many unforeseen challenges but I learned a lot from every experience and obstacle I endured. In navigating uncertainty I was able to spend more time prioritizing what really matters to me: my community, my family, my well-being, and what I love.
I hope 2021 will be a time of greater accountability for our government, elected officials, and society to truly dismantle oppressive systems that prevent us all from making progress towards racial equity.
Sophia, she/her, Phone Canvasser:
2020 was, without a doubt, the strangest year of my life, but also one that pushed me to become a better person and make the most of my opportunities.
I hope 2021 will provide my community and myself with healing and progress.
Sibi, he/him, Board Member:
2020 was bittersweet to say the least. Lots of wins on the professional side of things, but seeing my loved ones and beyond struggle to survive and thrive amidst a global pandemic was and is heartbreaking. I’m looking forward to a brighter 2021, but have no illusions on the continued work and effort that a positive year will require. But, as an optimist, here’s to bigger and better things!
I hope 2021 will be a year of new and sustained changes. 2021 is the year we as a society keep the foot on the pedal to change how we operate before we can ease up. The hard work never goes away but the end is in sight, which is exciting and nerve-wracking. But we got this!