ABSTRACT
We are living in a time of deep political division against a backdrop of a global pandemic that has affected nearly every area of our lives. This chapter outlines some of the factors that led us here and reviews the topics we will delve into in coming chapters. The political climate is particularly divisive, with mistrust and misinformation guiding many people. There remain strong tensions around racial justice, women’s rights, economic opportunities, immigration, and individual rights and freedoms. We discuss our country’s long history of institutional racism, the effects COVID-19 has had on the political climate and on each of us individually, the rise in antisemitism and White supremacy, some of the tensions around reproductive, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+), and trans rights, and the importance of equal access for people with disabilities/disabled people.
