2016 was a year of learning from experiences and sharing new perspectives and making your voice heard, good or bad. I think going into 2017, being understanding and open to various viewpoints and levels of comprehension is important for moving forward with change and improvement. We must all work together and not individually, because it is then that ideas and perspectives become lost or misinterpreted. If there was one major takeaway from 2016 to apply to 2017 I would say it’s figuring out what you stand for or believe in and how strongly you believe in that idea. We need the people to stand up for what they believe in and demonstrate what world they want to be living in for generations to come. The world need more peace, love, and compassion for all beings on this living planet. So I encourage all of you to find news stories, ideas, and concepts that resonate with you, because we need more activist to spread positivity and shed light on concepts and different movements of change.

-Bella Evan-Cook ’19