From systemic racism and inequity to Boston electing its first woman and person of color as mayor, 2021 brought us several stories that will continue to have an impact on our local communities in the coming year.
Nancy Gertner, retired federal judge and senior lecturer at Harvard Law School, and Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, joined Jim Braude on Greater Boston to discuss the biggest local and national stories of the past year.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic highlighted systemic issues that put people of color and those in poverty at increased risk of infection, serious illness and death. Throughout 2021, racial discrepencies were highlighted in the unequal rollout of vaccines.
"This was always about those closest to the pain, to disease, to poverty, not having adequate housing, food or access to healthcare or primary care providers," Curry said.
Looking ahead, are we ready to address those systemic issues?
"I'm optimistic," Curry said. "I'm hearing it more from government officials. I'm hearing it more from advocates. So now we just have to seize the opportunity."
Another common thread of 2021 was political disfunction, from federal Democrats' inability to agree on priorities to the Supreme Court of the United States taking up landmark cases.
"I don't think we can underestimate the impact of the change at the top," Gertner said, referring to the Supreme Court. Since Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the bench, Gertner said, the court has taken on cases and positions based on personal interests, not precedent.
"They have enabled gerrymandering. They have decimated the Voting Rights Act," she continued. "And they show every indication of being like that going forward."
One major question for the court is an opinion expected in June 2022 that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Gertner said the question is not if the justices will decide to undercut Roe v. Wade, but how they will do it. Regardless of the outcome, both panelists believe the decision will mobilize voters.
"I try to remind my friends that elections have consequences. We saw that in Shelby [County] v. Holder, and we will likely see that when it comes to Roe v. Wade. If we don't show up, if we don't vote, there is a price to pay for that," Curry said. "I think the direction that we're seeing the Supreme Court go in is not a surprise. It is what people have promised to deliver in a Supreme Court."
Watch the full year in review above.
