The past year showed, yet again, how deeply racism is woven into the fabric of American society — but it may also be remembered as the moment when people truly began to say, “Enough.”

The police killings of unarmed Black Americans galvanized support for the Black Lives Matter movement and triggered protests around the world — including at Teachers College, where an online community forum drew nearly 500 viewers. Kamala Harris became the nation's first Vice President who is Black; who is of South Asian heritage; and who is female — and the Biden-Harris victory was sealed by outcomes in Arizona and Georgia, two previously “red” states. On his first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order that called on Congress to grant permanent status and a path to citizenship for Dreamers — undocumented young people brought to the United States as children. He also ended the Muslim travel ban, repealed the Trump administration’s arrest policies for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and stopped construction of the border wall.

But change also took place at the local level and rippled through different sectors of society — and the TC extended family helped spur that process.

In this section:

• Expanding the Field for Immigrant Candidates
• Amplifying New Voices Where Ideas Are Born
• “Changing the Outcomes, Not Just the Symbols”