We are six months into 2020, and what a year it has been! It has been three months since I have been on an airplane, three months since I've had a drink or meal in a restaurant, and three months since I've hugged another human other than my husband. 2019 was a year of losing friends and colleagues too soon and a stark reminder that life is short and precious. After the loss and heartache, I thought that 2020 would be unicorns, rainbows, and sprinkles. The universe had other plans for us.

When I first heard about Covid-19, I didn't realize the severity of the virus. I thought it was just another strain of the flu. It'll soon pass, and we can resume our regular activities. It quickly became apparent it was far more dangerous than any of us had thought. Cities and states across the country began issuing stay at home orders, non-essential businesses to closed, and travel came to a halt. Every day we stayed home meant another life saved from potentially contracting the virus. If that meant not physically seeing anyone until 2021, I was willing to do it so I could safely spend time with friends and family again. My heart ached for the restaurant industry and my friends and family, whose livelihood were being affected. Through adversity, I watched businesses quickly pivot their business models to stay afloat during the stay at home orders. I also saw many places not make it. Casualties of Covid-19 were adding up in staggering numbers. I wondered if there was an end in sight. In May, we saw phased plans put in place to open states back up safely. Life was beginning to return to some sort of normalcy. And then…

On May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the street. Two other officers further restrained Floyd, and a fourth officer prevented onlookers from intervening. The death of George Floyd sparked a civil rights movement that has reached all fifty states in the U.S. and eighteen countries around the world. When have all fifty states come together for anything in recent times?

This movement has changed how we talk about racism, police brutality, Black Lives Matters, civil rights, and allyship to the black community. I am here for all of it. Taking to the time to listen, read about the issues, educate myself, and change my actions and beliefs to be a better supporter of human rights. I will never understand what it is like to be a black person and experience the systemic and generational racism that has been passed down in this country. Still, I will do everything in my power to be supportive and help change the system. I have a lot to learn and so much to do to grow as an active member of this movement. I understand that this is not something that will take a week, a month, or a year. It is something I must continually work on for a lifetime.

If you're feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, I'm linking below some resources that I have found helpful the last couple weeks as I try to unpack everything. It's important to remember that there isn't just one way to support the Black Lives Movement. Peacefully protest if you're healthy and able, donate if you're in a place to financially, share resources on your social media platform, support black-owned businesses, and have open, honest, and constructive conversations with friends and family.