"In January 2020 the World Health Organization announced a global public health emergency. A massive wave of unemployment swept the nation. Millions of mostly blue collar workers in shuttered industries were laid off. Panicked supermarket shoppers endured long lines and packed aisles to stock up on staples, stripping shelves of toilet paper and water, flour, and spaghetti. Disinfectants and cold and flu medicines were sold out. Life-saving ventilators for those afflicted with the disease, now officially named COVID-19, were in limited supply. Hospital parking lots became morgues. While the situation is discouraging, many experts in fields from healthcare to education to social justice believe the new normal presents an opportunity for a better normal"--
