In an unforgettably tragic year, women have worked to expand voting rights, provided relief for those affected by the pandemic, and fought Covid-19 on the frontlines. In the last year, we elected our first woman Vice President, celebrated the youngest inaugural poet ever, and mourned the loss of titans like Cicely Tyson. Today, The Interlude honors just a few of the countless women who changed an otherwise-terrible year for the better.

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton has always been a national treasure, giving us both incredible music and serving the greater good by supporting early childhood literacy and providing monthly stipends to families affected by a Great Smoky Mountains wildfire in 2016, among other endeavors. This past year, Parton took it upon herself to donate $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support the development of the Moderna vaccine, which is now one of three Covid-19 vaccines available to the American public. The queen got vaccinated herself just last week — in a strategic cold-shoulder top, no less — and encouraged others to get their shot once eligible with a vaccine-remix of “Jolene.” Thanks, Dolly!

— Natasha Roy, politics editor

Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams was monumental in turning Georgia blue and that not only helped elect a Democratic president but flipped the Senate blue, which is the only reason some legislation, including the latest $1.9 trillion Covid relief package, passed. Her years-long work on the ground arguably got the country to this point.

— Megi Meskhi, lifestyle & social editor

Cardi B

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar is a multifaceted woman. She is a chart-topping rapper, presidential history buff, and passionate advocate for her beliefs. Last summer, she interviewed Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in a viral campaign video, asking Sanders questions about human rights, police brutality, and economic inequality. She’s also interviewed Joe Biden, shut down the haters with creative comebacks, and encouraged political engagement by posting videos of her live commentary throughout the presidential debates. She has rapped about her impoverished background and work as a stripper, remaining defiantly herself in the face of slut-shaming and condescension. Cardi B represents authenticity as an imperfect woman who has never claimed to be otherwise, reminding us that it is okay to learn and grow. She has taught us that we are all constant works-in-progress and that this does not preclude us from using our voices to speak up for what we believe. Nobody does it like Bardi.

— Anita Ramaswamy, contributing writer

Abby Phillip

The woman I admired this year was Abby Phillip, a political correspondent and weekend anchor for CNN. I greatly appreciated hearing her refreshing opinions during the election season and thereafter. Phillip remains a class act with her thoughtful coverage and reporting. I look forward to hearing more from her now that she’s anchoring Insider Politics Sunday.

— Andie Kanaras, pop culture editor

Blair Imani

American history is endlessly fascinating, but so much of it gets omitted from our education by racism, anti-LGBTQ gatekeeping, and anti-indigenous erasure. Blair Imani, a historian, educator and social activist, does the good work of revealing those prejudices and the stories they obscured with accessible language and creative videos. She lives “at the intersections of Black, Queer, and Muslim identity” and has written two books so far — Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream and Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History. Her forthcoming book is set to debut in fall 2021 and is based on her “Smarter in Seconds” series posted on Instagram Reels. Seriously, watch her speedily deconstruct mainstream narratives about Abraham Lincoln or the British monarchy, complete with artful costuming, right now.

— Maggie Chirdo, copy editor

Texas was hit with a once-in-a-lifetime storm Monday, which left millions of people with burst water pipes, carbon monoxide poisoning, and a prolonged lack of heat. Many cities are also under notice to boil their water before consuming it, as the power outages also impacted water treatment plants. Texas’ power grid, independent from the rest of the U.S., is run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and is the result of anti-federal government oversight pushed by conservative politicians since 1935. Texans, especially those experiencing homelessness, are in need of food, shelter, and other necessities. Below are resources for those experiencing this crisis and ways for the rest of us to help.

Resources for Texans

Warming shelters

Ways to stay warm and informed

If you have power or heat:

If you do not have power or heat:

If you need to leave your home

Things to avoid

How to help Texans

Mutual aid

Abortion funds

Area-specific donations

Austin

Houston

Dallas

Additional reporting by Anita Ramaswamy

The Black History of the past seems to be leaving us. We recently lost Cicely Tyson, Chadwick Boseman, and Toni Morrison. We’re heading into an era where the familiar icons of the past are actually history, and new paths have to be paved. American dominant culture may have thought that racism was in the past due to various events, including the tenure of former President Barack Obama, but the disparities in mortality rates that Black people currently face due to both the physical and mental consequences of racism show the contrary. That’s why Black people who are successful in their careers right now are so highly revered by their community.

The killing of George Floyd — filmed on camera and shared with the world — finally brought non-Black people to a new level of acceptance of overt protest against racial injustice. And as hundreds of thousands of people across the globe marched, #BlackLivesMatter went from being a militant statement to a branding strategy in the eyes of corporations. It became trendy to stand symbolically and physically in solidarity with Black people. Black squares filled Instagram feeds. Social media at large was filled with explanations of various social causes. Beauty brands and tech giants alike announced sweeping diversity commitments. Black history started being recognized and seen without needing a Black celebrity attached to it. In the past, only Black celebrities were even marginally recognized and dignified, but now, to quote Issa Rae’s famous CFDA fashion award dress, “Every n***a is a star.”

Let’s give context as to why the success of Black people is outstanding. Black people have been historically colonized and looted for hundreds of years. We were taken from our homes and cultures and inhumanely used as free labor. Our infrastructures were ravaged due to greed. Once colonialism and slavery were abolished in name, Black people had to overcome lawful oppression to create a better future for themselves. Even when making their own way by creating successful businesses and colleges, Black people dealt with non-Black groups that attempted to bring them down every chance they got.

Once oppression was not acceptable in a de jure sense anymore, terms like “ghetto” and “culture fit” were continually used to reformat the barrier of exclusivity that keeps Black people from high-paying employment. (Google was just called out for its discrimination against Black interns and employees.) And the discrimination trickles down to the biological health outcomes of Black people today. Black people are still three times more likely to die from COVID-19, police violence, and childbirth. The Flint water crisis shows how Black Americans struggle to even access clean water — they had to ask for five years straight — yet another example of how Black people are used as the scapegoats for the environmental degradation industrialism creates. Food deserts born from economic inequities constantly leave Black families with horrible nutritional options. We need all of the encouragement and championing we can get.

Black people have had to jump way more hurdles than others to achieve the greatness they have. While still being disproportionately negatively affected now — whether it be from COVID and classism or police violence and adultification — we still set the standard in many industries, such as entertainment and public policy. That’s why this particular Black History Month is so special — it celebrates the resilience of the diaspora in spite of what is against us. The struggles are real, but still we rise.

And Black history hasn’t always been so easily chronicled. We have had to fight to have African American studies departments be created and funded at American universities. Media and entertainment has been historically whitewashed management-wise, leading to a lack of amplification of Black excellence. And education institutions still follow suit — families are currently revolting against teaching Black history to their kids in public schools. The intentional erasure of Black history allows for Blackness to be easily demonized by white supremacy for white people to benefit.

But now social media is a de facto archive of historical and social shifts every day. It notifies people globally about Black excellence and triumph in an accessible way. In that, it shares how Black people are still achieving “firsts” today. There is much Black success to celebrate that Black people achieved during the pandemic, like breaking public service glass ceilings and dominating popular music charts. And while conservatives would argue that these outcomes are just the result of people working hard, regardless of their race, history shows the contrary.

So our achievements deserve extra recognition. We have to celebrate that, in the midst of the pandemic, the first female U.S. Vice President is partially Black. Kamala Harris achieved an enormous feat that provided extensive representation for Black generations to come. Black athletes have played a key role in securing nationwide representation. WNBA teams such as the Minnesota Lynx and the Atlanta Dream were key to galvanizing usually reluctant citizens to vote to obtain civil representation that works for them. The first Black female NASCAR pit crew member Brehanna Daniels opened the door for more diversity in racing. All of the work of these Black achievers brought positive change.

Black entertainment has also uplifted the nation at large. Verzuz provided all online with a club atmosphere that is currently too unsafe to experience in person, but is just as fun. Beyoncé’s “Black is King’’ spotlighted the beauty of the Black diaspora through a Disney classic while becoming critically acclaimed. Black people also stood out in the drama department thanks to Zendaya and Viola Davis. Zendaya is the second Black female to win the Emmy for “Best Actress.” Viola Davis brought excellence into her role as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and has garnered Golden Globe nominations, SAG awards, and more. All of this is not only outstanding, but mind-blowing when considered in context.

It’s been hard for Black America. The country shortchanged us even before bringing us here here against our will, and built itself on the exploitation of our labor. As we gradually gained rights, America continually gave its best to stifle our advancement. We’ve created our own spaces while still excelling in established platforms in retaliation. And this past year has brought much pain as well. Even right now, we are disproportionately at risk to be exposed to and die from COVID. Black people — and especially Black women — have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic’s unemployment crisis. But in this dark time, our suffering shouldn’t be solely highlighted to provide trauma porn.

Centering the accomplishments of Black people actively counteracts the stereotypes pushed on them through proper representation. Of course optics do not fix systemic issues. Black people built this country, so the only real way to have a truly equitable country is to completely demolish the current system and create a new one. But representation sparks conversation about how to start doing the rebuilding.

We deserve all the more to be uplifted for the greatness we continue to provide to the world. We are achieving so much because of our innate grit and ingenuity. We’ve shaped every major institution this country has, and we’re just getting started. Our impact deserves more mainstream focus than our struggle. I want that narrative to be publicized. We surely haven’t arrived yet in terms of equity, but we have come so far. And we shall overcome.

If the Republicans in the Arizona State Legislature have their way, the choices of the state’s electorate will hardly matter anymore. One of several bills before the Legislature, HB 2720, seeks to allow lawmakers to select their own electors “by majority vote at any time before the presidential inauguration,” thereby overriding the preference of Arizona voters. Another, HB 2426, proposes empowering the legislature to award two of the state’s 11 electoral votes to a candidate of its choosing, independent of the votes cast by the electorate.

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Republican lawmakers in states that flipped blue — like Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia — are proposing substantial changes to election laws. The surge of early and mail-in ballots in November in these states fueled outrage from then-President Donald Trump and his supporters, who declared the election fraudulent and coordinated an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in response despite a lack of any evidence indicating widespread fraud.

After these states certified their election results, negating Trump’s claim of fraud, Republican state officials are introducing bills that will make the voting process more burdensome. Now, Democrats and activist groups are saying that the GOP is only pushing forth these proposals to boost their own prospects in competitive states by discouraging Democrats from voting.

Democrats and voting-rights activists are facing a barrage of new bills to combat. Several GOP-sponsored bills in Arizona specifically target vote-by-mail protocols. Current proposals include a measure that would require voters casting a mail-in ballot to first get it notarized and a bill that would essentially end vote-by-mail altogether. Activists and experts are particularly concerned about SB 1069, sponsored by Arizona Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, which threatens Arizona’s widely-used permanent early voting list (PEVL). PEVL, currently used by 3.2 million Arizonans, allows voters to automatically receive their ballots in the mail for every election. Ugenti-Rita’s bill, which passed out of committee on party lines, would remove voters from PEVL if they do not vote in two consecutive elections. Ugenti-Rita called the bill “good housekeeping,” arguing that purging PEVL makes sense to lower costs and preserve election integrity.

Rachael Cobb, chair and associate professor of Suffolk University’s Department of Government, believes this bill would discourage voting, ultimately threatening democracy.

“The general method of the voter participation system in the U.S. is the opt-in, rather than the opt-out method, which we know from behavioral science, puts the onus completely on the voter to take all of these proactive steps,” Cobb said. “And the argument in favor of voters doing that is that, well, if you care, you would do this. And if you don’t care, then you deserve to be punished. That is a flawed way of encouraging participation in democracy.”

Cobb noted that SB 1069 would disproportionately impact minority voters and vulnerable groups.

“It is pushing out anybody who is not a ‘super-voter.’ And the people who are, who participate a lot, tend to be whiter, older, more affluent, and more educated. So there is a systemic bias in bills like this to purge people who are the opposite of that list — minorities, low income people, people with less education,” Cobb said.

Since SB 1069 could remove thousands of voters from PEVL, organizers like Emily Kirkland, executive director of statewide progressive advocacy group Progress Arizona, believe the bill amounts to voter suppression.

“It’s an attempt to put obstacles in the way of eligible voters,” Kirkland said. “We estimate that if this bill had been in place in 2020, more than 100,000 people would have been purged from the list.”

Despite attempts from organizers to mobilize opposition to the bill, Kirkland believes the Republican majority in the state legislature will likely pass it.

“It could be heard on the floor of the State Senate any day now. From there it will go to the State House and to the governor’s desk,” Kirkland said.

Although SB 1069 enjoys strong support among Republicans in the Arizona Legislature, the public has been more critical. An op-ed by Abe Kwok, an editor at the Arizona Republic, noted that it could hurt independents in particular, given their low participation rates in primary elections due to the existing hurdle of having to specifically request partisan ballots.

Despite opposition from voting-rights groups, Republicans in the Arizona legislature are focused on passing these bills early on in the session. Arizona State Senator Martín Quezada (District 29 — Democrat) thinks their impetus stems from Republican claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

“Republicans knew they were going to lose and they knew that they needed an excuse to limit who votes in the future so that they didn’t lose again,” Quezada said.

He also rebuked Ugenti-Rita’s justifications for the bill, pointing out the current existence of robust laws that can catch instances of voter fraud, which he says are already extremely rare.

Quezada underscored the importance of PEVL to low-income communities and communities of color, whose access to the ballot box is often more limited due to a convergence of societal factors such as language barriers and poor voting infrastructure in their neighborhoods.

“Worst-case scenario, it takes away people’s right to vote altogether,” Quezada said. “And best-case scenario, it makes things unnecessarily difficult to be able to cast your vote.”

More than 1,500 miles east in Atlanta, the Georgia state legislature is in session in the aftermath of the state’s recent runoff U.S. Senate elections. Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won their races in January, flipping the U.S. Senate — and both of the state’s seats — blue. Biden in November also became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since 1992, in part due to record-breaking voter turnout and grassroots organizers. Republicans in the Georgia state legislature have proposed numerous voting reforms early in the session, including ending no-excuse absentee voting, banning ballot drop boxes and requiring absentee voters to submit printed copies of their photo ID. Cobb explained that these measures would create additional hurdles for the 7 million-plus voters in the state to cast their ballots.

“If 2020 showed us anything, it is that first of all, we can do a lot by mail, and a lot of absentee voting — and we can do it well, and states across the country that had an incredibly small amount of time to implement a massive new policy did it and people participated in record numbers,” Cobb said. “So the evidence right now is that this helps people let their voices be heard. So to undo it, I think, is to backslide and not recognize the positive innovation that 2020 provided for us.”

Not all state Republican officials are aligned on tightening voting restrictions. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger endorsed ending no-excuse absentee voting and implementing the photo ID requirement, which would invalidate Georgia’s 2005 law introducing no-excuse absentee voting. GOP House Speaker David Ralston, though, is not yet convinced that the practice should end, saying at a news conference that “somebody’s got to make a real strong case to convince [him] otherwise.”

Democratic Georgia House Rep. Bee Nguyen explained that Republicans may also be impacted by changes to no-excuse absentee voting.

“There has never been any kind of issue with the no-excuse portion, until Democrats started using this last year because of the pandemic,” Nguyen told The Interlude. “But historically, it has always been used by Republicans more. And obviously, during a pandemic, voters on both sides of the aisle needed it in order to stay safe.”

Reflecting on the current proposals before the Georgia Legislature, Nguyen said, “I think ending no-excuse absentee voting will be a harder hill for [Republicans] to climb. Given Speaker Ralston’s very public position about the ID portion, I do believe that will likely pass.”

Even as the Legislature is considering new voting-related proposals, Republicans have already begun implementing key changes. Ralston created a Special Committee on Election Integrity at the beginning of the 2021 legislative session in January to evaluate elections-related bills that would likely have otherwise been heard by the Governmental Affairs committee. The new committee is composed of 10 Republicans and four Democrats.

Despite resistance, the GOP’s efforts in hotly contested states around the country to make the voting process more onerous are already underway. These policies could end up disenfranchising voters across the country, threatening a fundamental pillar of democracy and placing even more hurdles in front of minority and poor voters who have faced decades of systemic voter suppression.

“For democracy, it is alarming,” Cobb said. “If we believe in equity and equal access to the ballot, then rules like this systematically disenfranchise some while enhancing the political power of others. This [strategy] also reduces participation and diminishes the faith that people may or may not have in our democratic system, because it’s so blatantly problematic.”

An anonymous server’s concerns about indoor dining reopening in New York City, as told to The Interlude. Edited for clarity and length.

Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that restaurants in New York can resume indoor dining at 25% capacity starting Feb. 14. Just when I thought I couldn’t hate Valentine’s Day more, I now have to serve bored NYU students and wealthy Manhattanites, who habitually need reminders on proper mask-wearing etiquette and who generously compensate for my risk exposure with an average of $10 in tips per shift.

Just over a week ago, I got a notification from BBC World News stating that the U.K. coronavirus variant — which is reportedly 30 to 70% more contagious and was discovered in parts of the U.S. — is possibly more deadly. A few days later, I stumbled upon an article from Vox, urging people to minimize their outgoings, double mask, and even skip grocery store visits if possible. COVID-positive numbers in New York City are significantly higher than they were last March, only bested by case numbers we saw following the holidays. The last time indoor dining made a brief comeback, from September 30 to December 14, it was banned to slow the rapid month-long rise in COVID cases.

But for some reason, Gov. Cuomo seems to think there are no reasons to keep indoor dining closed right now. He might use the excuse of financial losses for the restaurant industry to justify reopening, but that problem can be easily fixed with rent relief, loans, stimulus checks, and other financial assistance. Instead, he has chosen to put workers who are currently ineligible for the vaccine face-to-face with people who are irresponsible enough to not wear masks indoors.

You may say: “But there are COVID inspectors who come in and make sure everyone is being safe.” Technically, yes. But as a witness to these inspectors and the so-called safety “protocols,” I can safely say they provide little solace. Yes, the employees have to take their own temperatures and log their health every shift, but there is no diligence in ensuring they do so. Self-monitoring can easily let someone who is desperate to keep a job lie. And even if they don’t, inspectors don’t do nearly enough checkups to force an immediate reaction. As long as the person cleaning after an airborne virus at the end of the day ticks the right box, their job is done.

As a part-time restaurant worker who cannot afford to stay at home for too long, with coworkers who cannot afford to stay at home at all, I am sick and tired of feeling disposable. We are essential only when it comes to serving the needs of everyone else. To-go orders during lockdown? We got you. Deliveries after curfew? We’re exempt. We’re always the scapegoat. The first sacrificial lamb. But when it comes to distributing benefits that would protect us while also stimulating the economy, we’re all of a sudden at the bottom of the list. (Not that our human worth is determined by the size of our economic contribution.)

Perhaps, instead of playing a COVID Russian roulette with those who can’t afford not to work, the city can help out its struggling small businesses by providing sufficient financial assistance and making sure their employees can work safely. Indoor dining should not resume until restaurant workers — all from line cooks and hostesses, to servers and delivery personnel — are vaccinated.

While the rest of the U.S. only recently fixed its anticipatory gaze towards Georgia following its transformation from a red state to a (very light) blue state, women like Mokah Jasmine Johnson — a local Athens activist and former Georgia State House District 117 candidate — have been working to mobilize people across the state to support social justice and voter reform for years.

It’s been a slow and steady process for both Georgia and Johnson. Over the nearly ten years her family has lived in Athens, the collegetown home to the University of Georgia, Johnson has progressed from an educator and small business owner to the co-founder of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement. In tandem, turnout for young Georgia voters grew to the highest in the nation this year, skewing mostly Democratic.

When Johnson first moved to Athens, she never envisioned herself becoming an activist, let alone a Congressional candidate. (She lost to incumbent Houston Gaines by a 13.2% margin in 2020.) But after a local bar allegedly named a drink after a racist slur in 2015, Johnson felt compelled to leave the private sector for public service. At the beginning of the next year, Johnson organized her first march in protest of discrimination in the downtown area.

“I thought that was a great opportunity to prove the point that there is racism, and there is discrimination and there is a segregation and a division that’s happening downtown where people are just walking around, like this is not really happening,” Johnson said. “I really just act on what I feel inside in addition to the conditions that are happening.”

Seeing Through the Illusion

Johnson and her husband, Knowa, moved to Athens in 2011, thinking it was an artsy and open-minded music town that welcomed all genres. This led Johnson to believe Athens was the perfect place to set up shop for her business, United Group of Artists Music Association (UGA Live), which she co-owns and runs with her husband. But, when they began approaching venues to book her clients’ hip-hop shows and urban music showcases, Johnson said they were mostly met with rejection.

“There wasn’t a lot of people that was for the kind of line of work that we do. There wasn’t an avenue for that,” Johnson said. “And that was a surprise, because this is supposed to be a music town. But it was more catering to rock and folk type music.”

Johnson then began to look more closely at her newfound community. She noticed a lack of diversity in the downtown area, and a clear prioritization of music and entertainment that would cater to the white population of Athens. There weren’t any fully Black-owned businesses or a wealth of places for the Black community to congregate. The few in existence were contained to the Hot Corner — the last vestiges of Athens’ historic Black business district located at the intersection of Washington and Hull Streets.

While she liked the small town and the overall ambiance of the city, seeing these invisible lines that were only being wallpapered over with half-hearted sentiments for change and a progressive veneer made her question whether or not she wanted to stay. The Athens Johnson experienced — and continues to experience — isn’t the one seen by most of the white college students and residents of the community, but it’s one she wants people to know and confront.

“If you’re enjoying Athens in a certain way, take a look at the color of your skin,” Johnson said. “If they feel like they’re advancing, and they don’t see the problems that I see and they’ve never experienced the things that I’ve experienced, or that other people talk about, or try to tell them that is happening in this town: take a look at your skin. And then ask yourself, you know, what can you do to change that?”

Because, despite the lists and the rankings heralding the Athens area as one of the “cutest Southern towns” or “a great place to retire,” Johnson saw clear segregation.

High-rise UGA dormitories and stately sorority mansions tower over public housing, which is home to 88% of the city’s Black population in 2012. About 50 years prior, much of that same population was displaced from the Linnentown neighborhood as their community became another casualty of federal urban renewal projects, eclipsed by the interests of a wealthy state university.

Yet many — both in the Athens community and out — still view the town area as a splash of liberal blue in an otherwise red state. But, in August, a local magazine reported that an Athens-Clarke County Jail roster showed 223 of the 289 men and women locked up were people of color. Downtown, Black men still get denied entry from bars for not following the dress code of the business.

“Athens is stuck in a place where they see progressive, but it’s not as progressive as they think it really is,” Johnson said. “Everybody’s talking about diversity and inclusion. There is no Black owned entertainment venue. Yes, we have Hot Corner. But, if you still look at that, that’s segregated.”

When General Beauregard’s allegedly approved a racist slur on its menu in 2015, it further reinforced the issues Johnson had been seeing for a long time. As a mother of teens who would soon spend more time downtown, Johnson said it was the last reckoning between her and the city she couldn’t quite reconcile as the home she wanted. She said that if her kids were going to encounter racism, she didn’t know if she wanted to stay in Athens.

“And if people aren’t going to do anything about it,” Johnson said, “I for sure don’t want to live here anymore.”

Johnson recalled what she felt during that first protest during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in 2016. As she looked around at the hundreds marching with her, she said her mind went to the 1960s and the Civil Rights Era. Even though she was not alive then, the anxieties and fears of how others might react washed over her, and she began wondering if someone might attack them.

“I remember when we were marching, and I was surrounded by all these people, I’m thinking to myself ‘Are we going to be okay? Are they going to send out the police? Are they going to set dogs on us,’” Johnson said. “We kept marching. And like I say, we have been marching ever since. I don’t have that concern anymore.”

Progression to Politics

Throughout the years, Johnson has progressively become more of a fixture in local activism and politics. Following her first protest, Johnson and her husband began the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) to push for racial and social justice in Athens. In 2018, she served as the Democratic representative on the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections.

“I wanted to learn more about it from the inside out, not just as the person standing on the outside as an activist, but what is really going on,” Johnson said. “There’s a certain system in place, and a lot of people [are] afraid to challenge that system. They’re more willing to go with the flow of what’s already in place, even if it’s wrong, even if they know that it’s broken.”

That same year, as Stacey Abrams tirelessly campaigned to be the governor of Georgia, Johnson began the “Get On the Bus and Vote Initiative” through AADM. Although the organization couldn’t officially endorse a candidate, Johnson wanted to mobilize voters, specifically those from marginalized communities, to show up to the polls by providing free and safe transportation.

The issue of voter suppression is a layered and systemic one. According to Johnson, the fire Abrams ignited in Atlanta concerning voter suppression shed light on an issue that had long been present, and provided a bit of hope for disenfranchised voters — even those who had become disillusioned with the voting process.

“They don’t believe that it’s really going to make a difference, because they’re suffering too much,” Johnson said. “We still have to figure out a way to penetrate those people. And that’s what the ‘Get On the Bus and Vote’ initiative is.”

80% More to Go

But when the 2020 election cycle rolled around, Johnson shifted gears out of local activism to campaign for Georgia House of Representatives. Her platform focused on “justice, equity, and education,” and with some of her policies centered on criminal justice reform, voter suppression, affordable housing, worker’s rights and access to public education.

Her campaign raised over $258,000, an amount notably higher than previous House District 117 candidate, Deborah Gonzalez, who raised $134,249 when she ran in 2018. Although she lost, Johnson said she still feels proud of her campaign’s numbers as well as the impacts her activist efforts played in this election.

“To see this shift in Georgia throughout the week [of the 2020 election], even though we did not tangibly win,” Johnson said. “I feel like we played a role in that shift.”

While the victories of the presidential election taste sweet, they don’t come without recognition that there’s still much farther to go.

“I’m proud of the race that we ran. But it’s disappointing because I felt honestly, like white supremacy won, again, in this moment, not forever,” Johnson said. “I mean, you can see racism is involved in it when I’m on a Zoom call, and someone calls you [the n-word] — you cannot tell me racism was not involved, or did not influence this race.”

Although there’s been slight growth in raising visibility of social issues and passing anti-discrimination directives, she still sees many of the same problems as she did when she first moved to Athens. The past few months have marked progress to Johnson, both for the state and the city, but that doesn’t mean she’s plateaued — quite the opposite.

“I would say we’re at 20% of some of the changes and we have 80% to go,” Johnson said. “Right now is just an awakening. It’s just a conversation.”

The partisan leaning of the Senate and President-elect Joe Biden’s ability to pass legislation rides on the Georgia runoff election on Jan. 5, 2021. If you live in Georgia, don’t miss your chance to decide what you want the next few years to look like. Below is a list of resources about your rights as a voter and the processes available to cast your ballot.

The Basics

Find your polling place and hours on the “My Voter Page” website.

You have to have a form of acceptable voter identification to vote. Acceptable forms include:

Important Dates

Want to vote early? Don’t miss your time to do so! Early in-person voting takes place from Dec. 14, 2020 to Jan. 1, 2021.

You can vote early at any early voting location. You can find voting locations by checking My Voter Page.

You can also vote early by requesting and submitting an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots can be requested between now and Jan. 1, 2021 and submitted online, by mail, by fax, or in person.

Voting Rights

It is illegal for anyone to keep you from voting. Read your rights here and if they are challenged by someone, call the hotlines below.

General Hotlines:

For Non-English Speakers:

America is the land of luxury. Every fall, the privileged flood the internet with excitement over the announcement of a new iPhone release on their year-old iPhone that is more expensive than most laptops. And every Black Friday, the privileged look forward to their scheduled shopping spree full of “sales” galore. Earlier in the year, COVID delayed the iPhone 12’s release. The iPhone 12 and its features were announced. Straying from past iPhone packages, Apple is not including a power adapter or a set of earbuds with the latest release, which aggravated consumers. Apple claimed that the company is trying to be more environmentally friendly by limiting the products within the package. But in reality, Apple is greenwashing to give themselves the leeway to sell more of its products separately by leveraging their reputation as a luxury brand.

Companies have long ignored the social and environmental implications of their products. As a result, many companies exploited workers and the earth alike to create their products. And they still do. The lithium-ion batteries that run the smartphones of today are made of cobalt mined by child labor in the Congo, and Apple made clear that they were well aware of the issue. Airpods cannot be thrown away or recycled after they stop working, becoming landfill waste when they are no longer usable. Consumers have continued to invest in these companies regardless.

In the era of social media outrage and eminent demise due to climate change, brands have been called to think about the carbon footprint of their work. This has resulted in the creation of the Fairphone, and Apple and Foxconn ending some of their exploitative supply chain practices. But with the added pressure to meet the social demands of consumers, some companies are faking to people-please. Companies are branding non-sustainable products as sustainable, or increasing profit margins with quality and cost-cutting measures. Apple chose to do the latter, choosing to make people pay separately for power adapters and earbuds in the name of saving the environment. Consumers’ want to seem impressive through affiliating with Apple is empowering the company to repay its customers by leeching them and the earth alike for profit — and we can stop it.

From Steve Jobs’ arrival at the company, Apple’s products stood out for being aesthetically pleasing. The iPhone became a hit when it debuted in 2007 for $499. Later editions of the phone, with features such as progressively improving camera quality and the App Store, continued to heighten the brand’s popularity. Apple products became synonymous with luxury as the company increased their prices in line with the demand for the iPhone’s aesthetic and designs. There aren’t specific studies showing why iPhones are in such high demand, but influencer culture probably played a role in popularizing what’s “cool” to have.

According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, the biggest predictor of high income is ownership of Apple products. The only real competitor with Apple nowadays is Android. The interface people choose to work with is largely based on preference. Android cameras are actually better in terms of clarity and photo storage. Yet iPhones send blue iMessages while Androids send green, and people hate green text messages, right? Green messages ruin otherwise seamless group chats. If your text messages are green, you obviously don’t have the money to buy an iPhone with iMessage. (This is frankly the most genius branding move ever.) At some point this perspective has to be dropped.

There are, of course, cons to Androids. Consumer data privacy is more guaranteed through Apple, while Android data can be easily accessed by law enforcement with little pushback from Android phone makers. It can also be argued that no one wants a phone that is known for blowing up. But environmentally-friendly Android phones are being created and sold — there are other options. Having an iPhone isn’t worth it if Apple is blatantly greenwashing while their main competitor is providing potential solutions. Given how much Apple is finessing their customers with a greenwashing mask, isn’t it worth it to see how to be more environmentally friendly when choosing?

The public perception of Apple has consistently provided a cyclical justification for consistent price hikes. Apple’s products shifted over time from costing 10% of an average household’s monthly pay to costing more than 50%, despite pricing the iPhone at double the cost of manufacturing. All the while, Apple has lowered the quality of its products. For example, the company admitted to slowing down the speed of older iPhones to preserve their batteries. Though that may seem like a good deed to serve customers, the slowdown still pushes users of old iPhone editions to consider upgrading as soon as possible. And Apple has designed newer products with short shelf lives. Airpods last 18 months before breaking down. Apple constantly raising its prices and lowering how reliable its products are on the basis of the company’s reputation makes its products both economically inaccessible and environmentally unfriendly.

It would be better if instead of worrying about what earth-conscious phone company to buy from every two years, people would be able to keep their phones for much longer than two years. People should be allowed and able to get their devices repaired under warranty from a variety of vendors, not just the phone manufacturers. Right now, Congress is discussing putting restrictions on companies like Apple and Android from forcing their customers to only get repairs from them to be on good terms. When the phone manufacturers solely determine whether one of their devices is repairable or not, they have a vested interest in making the repair process as expensive as possible — even to the point of making a customer buy a new product. The best way to be environmentally friendly is reuse a product for as long as possible. The right to repair would allow that for smartphones in general.

In general, companies’ greenwashing habits should start to cost them profits. Individual actions can seem inconsequential when holding accountable industry giants, but taking the time to voice to companies like Apple how their decisions are harmful through refusing to be their patrons can push these companies to fix the problem as soon as possible. This tech will likely be the center of how the world functions through the social-distancing requirements of the pandemic age, at the very least. We need to require more from companies like Apple, no matter how enticing their products are. Our future depends on it.

Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio lifting the ban on propane heaters last month — which would keep customers warm while dining outside during the winter — restaurant owners across New York City are pleading state and federal governments for additional aid, claiming that heaters are only a temporary and unsubstantial band-aid.

Propane heaters, which are less expensive than electric ones and do not require an outlet, are the latest salve, following federal PPP loans and permanent outdoor dining. But they are still a pricey investment, susceptible to poor weather conditions, and subject to a time-consuming bureaucratic permit process. The biggest complaint, though, is that heaters don’t provide the long-term financial support restaurant owners are asking for, like rent relief or another stimulus package.

Ron Silver, the head chef and owner of Bubby’s, a popular brunch spot that serves American food, told The Interlude via email that the hospitality industry was one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis and wants the government to collaborate with restaurants.

“With the vast majority of restaurants seriously struggling to survive and pay rent, we need the Mayor, Governor, City Council, and landlords to really work with us and provide us with necessary financial safeguards and consideration to recover,” Silver wrote.

According to a survey by the New York State Restaurant Association, 63.6% of restaurants are likely/somewhat likely to close by the end of the year if no additional financial relief is given.

Outdoor heaters at Bubby’s. Image courtesy of Bubby’s.

Image courtesy of Bubby’s.


The city and state has had since March to make a plan for cold weather months, but the decision to extend outdoor dining didn’t come until summer was over. As a result, many restaurants were left to scramble to purchase heaters. Those who previously had outdoor spaces were more prepared or already in possession of heaters. Restaurants new to outdoor dining, however, were in a smaller pool of people who had to deal with increasing prices of heaters, shipping issues, and getting permits. By that point, most heaters were sold out.

“They are consistently six weeks to two months behind if not longer in anticipating what restaurants need,” said Moshe Schulman, the managing partner of Ruffian Wine Bar and Kindred, of the city’s restaurant mandates.

By the time restaurants get their permits and their backordered heaters, which may take upwards of three weeks, restaurant owners say it may be too late to salvage their outdoor dining space — and their business.

Schulman had a feeling that outdoor dining would continue because it was the only lifeline the industry had. He purchased six electric heaters from Lowe’s for $170 a piece — which are currently sold out — as a precaution because the government was giving no indication on the allowance of propane heaters at the time. He plans to continue operating only with outdoor seating as long as possible before going back to operating as a grocery and wine store once the weather gets very cold.

Kindred’s outdoor seating. Photo by Archer Lewis.

Kindred’s outdoor seating. Photo by Archer Lewis.

But heaters can only do so much. A study conducted by Ohio State University in 2019 found that weather is a huge indicator of whether people will go to restaurants. According to the 2012 Restaurant Operator Survey by the National Restaurant Association, over “90% of restaurant operators indicate that changes in local weather conditions affect their sales and customer counts.” Accuweather estimates December temperatures in NYC to be between 25 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of heaters allowed in the space — and that can be used without blowing the fuses — will not be enough to keep customers comfortably warm while also keeping the food warm.

“These will help extend your time outdoors,” Eric Brenner, owner of the outdoor furniture store AuthenTeak told the Interlude. “However, they are not intended to allow you to be comfortable in 0 degree weather in a snowstorm sitting outside in a bikini.”

Brenner shared that within a day of learning the change in law for New York, they saw an increase in the orders to restaurants in the city. “We have sold more heaters in the past two months than I have in the past 10 years,” Brenner said.

Similarly, Kaley Galinsky, associate merchant for outdoor heating equipment at The Home Depot, said that while fall is typically a popular season to purchase outdoor heating equipment, Home Depot has seen even more sales due to restaurants’ needs.

“We’ve seen an increase in demand as restaurants are seeking alternative seating solutions for customers outside, and people are spending more time at home so they’re looking to invest in their outdoor spaces,” Galinsky said.

Josh Maingard,​ Head of Product & Brand at Bromic Group, which manufactures heaters, said that the uncertainty has led to an explosion in demand for the heaters they sold and that they have increased production for 2021.

“I can tell you that NY is top 3 for highest growth out of all states in the US,” Maingard wrote The Interlude via email. “The ‘Open Restaurants Program’ has certainly had a significant positive impact on demand.”

(However, AuthenTeak, Home Depot, and Bromic Group refused to share specific sales numbers with The Interlude.)

Extended outdoor dining was coupled with an allowance for indoor dining at 25% capacity at the end of September. For Anita Trehan’s restaurant Chaiwali, that means only seating 19 people in a restaurant that seats 74. With two outdoor spaces and no rent issues since she owns the space, Trehan is a little better off than those who have to pay rent. This, however, has not stopped her from struggling to purchase heaters — even though she started to look for them before the ban was lifted.

“It was a struggle to get them,” she said. “I couldn’t find them from most places and even the ones I bought, they cancelled the shipping midway because I guess they ran out of stock.”

Because the government was quiet for a long time regarding propane, Trehan decided to take the safe route and purchase four electric heaters for a total of $2,500. She did not want to deal with the management for the propane heaters. Electric heaters are allowed on sidewalks and roadways without a permit from FDNY. But propane heaters can only be used on sidewalks and must be approved by the government via an inspection-dependent permit.

“You have to get a permit from the fire department, you have to move the cylinders inside at night,” Trehan said. “There is a whole situation around that which I rather not deal with.”

Restaurants were a huge part of New York’s economy but because of COVID-19, revenues have dwindled away. According to data from the Office of the New York State Comptroller, in 2019, there were 23,650 establishments that provided 317,800 jobs and made $27 billion in taxable sales. The average daily revenues, according to the same report, started declining on March 10. By April, it had declined by 94%.

One of the voices fighting for restaurants and trying to provide support is the NYC Hospitality Alliance. Andrew Rigie, the executive director of NYC Hospitality Alliance, wrote in an email that while heaters are important for restaurants to keep their customers, the cost, restrictions, and the reality of the New York winter will not save restaurants.

“We need the federal government to step up immediately and pass the RESTAURANTS Act and Save our Stages Act, which are revitalization funds to help these small businesses afford their rent, utilities, payroll and other expenses so they can stand a fighting chance of survival,” Rigie said.

Sponsored by Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer (D), the RESTAURANTS Act would provide $120 billion for relief efforts with a grant program administered by the Treasury Department. Contrary to PPP loans designated by the CARES Act, the funding will only be given to small businesses like restaurants, bars, and cafes that can prove that they need the funds.

Passing the RESTAURANTS Act could be a great start in giving a less ephemeral solution to the hospitality industry. Additionally, passing State Senator Brad Hoylman of Manhattan’s bill that allows a city with a population over a million to impose and collect taxes from empty ground floor commercial spaces to disincentivize empty storefronts is another long-term solution for small businesses that could not afford their rents and had to shut down.

It all comes down to communication and money. The restaurants that already cannot see ahead of them are being blindsided by a government that, while trying to help, is decreasing their chances of remaining open by not making timely changes and giving support. Money is needed for small businesses to continue paying rent and their staff, while keeping up with the changes in regulations.

“It is only going to get worse in the winter,” Schulman said. “Help is needed right now if New York City remains to be the best spot for nightlife and restaurants, otherwise we are going to see many many more closures.”

After four days of nonstop ballot counting, bogus legal challenges, and protests, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris have won the 2020 presidential election.

When much of the country went to bed on Tuesday, there were few answers as to who would become the next president. Wednesday and Thursday were nail-biters, with only Michigan and Wisconsin sending in results — and flipping for Biden. Meanwhile, results from Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia trickled in, leaving the country in the dark about which candidate would take or maintain the lead overnight. But by Friday morning, Georgia and Pennsylvania had flipped for Biden, and on Saturday, his margin in Pennsylvania passed .5 percentage points, earning him the state’s 20 Electoral College votes and clinching the presidency. President Donald Trump is not expected to concede the election. The president said in a campaign statement that he would continue to wage legal challenges to the results.

The election marks significant milestones in U.S. history. Harris will be the first woman and woman of color to serve as vice president. Biden will be the oldest president. Despite making historic strides, the road to the White House was not a smooth one.

A year ago, Biden and Harris were opponents for the Democratic nomination. Harris made headlines for grilling Biden on his record on using busing to desegregate schools at a Democratic debate in June 2019. They also picked each other apart on healthcare. Harris supported Medicare for All, while Biden pitched an expansion of the Affordable Care Act. Harris dropped out of the race six months later. But after Biden clinched the nomination, Harris reappeared, joining the shortlist of vice presidential candidates. Biden announced Harris would be his running mate in August, making her the first Black and Asian American woman to be a vice presidential nominee.

Despite losing the White House, Republicans fared well overall. Republican Senators Joni Ernst, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, and Mitch McConnell retained their seats. Democrats picked up a Senate seat in Arizona when Mark Kelly defeated Martha McSally, but determining who controls the Senate remains in the hands of Georgians, as the state will hold runoffs for both its Senate seats in January. Republicans also ate into the Democrats’ House majority, flipping eight seats for a net gain of five, while Democrats flipped three but lost seven incumbents. Though it could be premature, Axios reported that a predominantly Republican Senate may force Biden to appoint more centrist cabinet members, with Senator Chris Coons telling POLITICO that there may be a constitutional crisis “pretty immediately.”

Harris emphasized that the results are about more than herself or Biden. “It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us,” she wrote on Twitter Saturday. “Let’s get started.”

“America, I’m honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country,” wrote Biden on Twitter. “The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not.”

Biden’s narrow victory margins in a tight race also indicate that much of the country did not see President Trump’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, appeal to white supremacist groups, and nationalism as a problem — and, in fact, were ready for another four years of it. While Biden ran on unity, it’s unclear what that vision will look like in a country divided.

Rachel N-Blair contributed.

Election Day is here! We at The Interlude are all about exercising our right to vote. We also acknowledge that for many Americans, voting is an addled, confusing process, rife with bureaucratic and logistical hurdles — a process each of us had to navigate ourselves. Here are eight stories from our staff about the excitement and anxiety we felt going to the polls or mailing in our ballots.

Andie Kanaras, culture editor

I voted early in Somerset County, NJ. My ballot was sent to my home address in early September. I ended up voting the following month. My mom was pretty adamant about going to drop off our ballots in our town’s ballot box. I think she felt more secure about doing that. I went with my mom and sister to drop off our ballots in our town center and that was it! It was as simple as that.

Lea Veloso, writer

I voted in California by mail. I’m fortunate that California mailed out ballots to everyone who was registered, but I still had to change my mailing address to New York. (My mom still got an extra ballot for me back home!) My family always votes by mail and growing up, my Grandma was always excited to exercise her right to vote as an immigrant from the Philippines. And this year was no different! It was relatively a quick and easy process to fill out and send back. I was kind of anxious that my ballot wouldn’t be received by the county on time, but I checked it using the California ballot tracker. It arrived on time and was counted.

Cameron Oakes, investigations editor

I voted absentee in Geauga County, Ohio. The process was pretty seamless overall, but I’ve been voting absentee since I started college in 2016. I got my ballot in the mail within a few days of them being mailed by the county board of elections, and I mailed it out a few days later. Many of my family and friends opted to vote on Election Day, or during in-person early voting. Ohio is a swing state, so people take voting very seriously. When I asked them why bother, many said they were excited to exercise their rights the way they do every election cycle (albeit with social distancing and masks this time around).

Natasha Roy, politics editor

I voted on the first day of early voting in Georgia. I’m a Fulton County voter, and I stood in line at my local library for nearly 4.5 hours. It was unclear why the wait time was so long, and many people behind me left the line. There was also very little social distancing, and while most people wore their masks the entire time, I felt extremely uncomfortable at certain points and had to ask someone behind me to give me more space. While my Congressional district flipped blue and voted Lucy McBath into the House of Representatives in 2018, it is a relatively conservative town and I fully expected some political clashes at the voting booth. Thankfully, everyone remained civil — it was a kind of “we’re all in this together” mentality. While I was exhausted and hungry at the end, it felt really good to cast my ballot.

Maggie Chirdo, fact checker and illustrator

I voted early in Harris County, which has been a part of Texas’ Countywide Polling Place Program since mid-2019, making it easier for people to vote. However, Texas has some of the most restrictive voting practices in the nation, so I was a tad bit concerned (I’d previously voted absentee). Surprisingly, there was no wait at my chosen polling location and I finally got an “I Voted” sticker! Still, you probably heard about the Republican attempt to toss out nearly 127,000 votes just days before the election in Harris County, a challenge to the new drive-thru voting locations meant to give voting access to people concerned about health and safety in a pandemic. Courts have denied the challenge so far, but it’s a frustrating reminder that voter suppression is not a thing of the past!

Rachel N-Blair, writer

I finished the process of voting on Oct. 15. I got an absentee ballot for this because I prefer to have as much information tangibly in front of me as possible when filling a ballot out. (Also, I’m lazy and don’t feel like waiting in lines.) I needed Ballotpedia open to have enough information to vote on more local issues. Even still, there were a few state issues I didn’t answer because I either did not want to implicitly communicate an endorsement of something or I still felt like I didn’t have enough information. Yet once I felt satisfied with how I filled the ballot,

I made sure to sign the ballot envelope similarly to how I signed for my driver’s license and sealed it. I then dropped my ballot off at a nearby official drop box. Of course I posted a Boomerang of me putting the ballot envelope in the slot on my Instagram Story! I received emails from my state’s board of elections when my ballot was received and accepted. My ballot was officially accepted this past weekend! I received an “I Voted” photo to save in my phone.

Manahil Zafar, features editor

I voted by mail in Middlesex County, NJ. I received my ballot in late September and I hastily filled it out and mailed it back. I felt a bit antsy about not putting my ballot in a ballot dropbox. But I had no reason for concern. I logged onto my Voter Portal every morning, and lo and behold, one day it stated that my ballot was received in mid-October. It was a pretty painless process. I’ve been voting by mail since I’ve been eligible to vote and it has always been so convenient for me and my family. The only downside is not getting a snazzy “I Voted” sticker.

Izzie Ramirez, managing editor

I wasn’t planning on voting early, but I kinda was pressured into it since my graduate program wasn’t canceling class for Election Day, so I ended up voting during New York City’s first ever day of early voting. I walked over to the Brooklyn Museum at a clean 11:15 a.m. I didn’t think I’d be in line for nearly four and a half hours. Thank God I printed out my readings, cause otherwise I would have been bored out of my mind. Special shoutout to the folks who were passing out granola bars to hangry voters! Y’all made the process a lot more bearable. But yeah, did I feel like I was gonna cry after seeing my ballot disappear in the voting machine? Absolutely. I had to register to vote three times before I was recognized as a Brooklyn voter, so experiencing that plus a horribly long line made me that much more sentimental about voting this year.

After a year marked by a devastating pandemic, civil unrest in response to widespread racial injustice, and blatant voter suppression efforts, Americans are being given their final chance to determine what they want the next four years to look like today.

As you head to the polls today to cast your ballot, make sure you know your rights and what resources are available to you.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s some basic info

Your general rights

You have the right to vote so long as you’re in line before the polls close. You are allowed to ask for a new ballot if you make a mistake while filling it out, and you can ask for a paper ballot if machines are not working at your polling place. Visit the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights page for more details.

Voter hotlines

It is illegal for anyone to hinder your ability to vote. If you deal with intimidation, coercion, threats, or other challenges, contact a voter hotline below.

General Hotlines:

For Non-English Speakers:

Voter Hotlines by State:

Same-day voter registration

Some states will allow you to register and vote today, according to CBS. Check the information below to see if you can still register to vote today.