Vol. 16: New Year, New Beginnings

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Happy New Year! We're springing into 2021 with a resolve of continued adaptability, gratitude and innovation. There is power in consistency, and if there is anything that we learned in 2020, it's that our consistent connection with community is what makes us strong and resilient. Cheers to the new year and cheers to you, GreatCo Community, for making it through a year of tremendous change and difficult circumstances.  So, is there anything about 2020 that we actually will miss? It turns out that there are several key points that we would love to see progress into 2021 and beyond! Self-reflection and self care. One benefit to making the world stop is that we all suddenly found ourselves able to take time to do much needed inner reflection and rest. We need more of that, preferably without a pandemic to force us.                                                  Unity in Social Justice Movements. We still have a long way to go to attain social justice for all, but the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020 has opened the doors to so many conversations and actions that are long overdo. Let's keep the conversation going.                     Time. Our most precious resource (other than, you know, water and air). With the transition to so many virtual working spaces in 2020, we have proven to ourselves that we can still work productively while not losing so much of our lives in transit, (or in the case of LA, traffic)! Many of us also found ourselves spending more virtual time with friends and loved ones who we typically don't see often due to physical distance. Thanks Zoom!                           Authentic Moments. We had so many warm and memorable connections throughout the year and throughout our LunchStreams. Thank you all who participated and helped strengthen our community!                           Wishing you all a happy and healthy start to a New Year! Stay tuned for updates on what GreatCo has been up to and how our capabilities have expanded! Today is Inauguration Day, and we would like to welcome this new presidency with a sense of hope, unity, and strength to do what is best for the American people. Congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! We look forward to working together to build a brighter future. Catch the full Inauguration ceremony below!  Congratulations also to Reverend Raphael Warnock for making history as the first ever Black Senator elected by the state of Georgia! Cheers to new beginnings in 2021! In this age of digital media where we are constantly inundated with never-ending visual content, sometimes it can be comforting to pick up a good ol' fashioned book, curl up with a cozy blanket, and just read! In the spirit of participating in Great Community, we invite you to share the written works that speak to you the most! Below are some of the current titles that the GreatCo team is reading: For all you basketball lovers out there, this book is definitely a slam dunk! Written by New York Times Bestselling author, Gene Luen Yang, Dragon Hoops is sure to make you sweat, all while taking you on a graphic-novel journey filled with thrills and realizing dreams. Finished this book in one day and I missed it so much that I skimmed through pages again the day after to see if there was anything I might've missed. I love the sport and this is just such a good book for any sports fan. A graphic novel full of humor, life lessons, and interesting stories about the history of the game. Give this comic all the stars, it's the kind of book you have to pass forward because it fills you with THAT much joy.    ~ Denise Jones Learn More About DRAGON HOOPS! We all know that President Barack Obama is a legendary orator. Now you can experience his compelling speech in written format with his new book, A Promised Land.  A deeply personal account, A Promised Land delves deep into the trials and tribulations of President Obama's tenure as president, emphasizing the sanctum of democracy and the ever-present need for hope, empathy, and compassion.  Learn More About A PROMISED LAND! For those of you into book series built on highly imaginative worlds and fantastical stories, The Stormlight Archive Series by Brandon Sanderson is for you! GreatCo's Mary is on book 4 of the series, and she is captured by the gorgeous detail, epic battles, and, of course, magic! Brandon Sanderson has this magical way of creating these beautiful intricate worlds with characters that just steal your heart. By far my favorite author (who also managed to churn out books like it’s nothing) and The Stormlight Series is one of his big epics that spans across 5 books filled with intrigue. ~ Mary Tang Learn More About The Stormlight Archive Series! Just as diving into a literary novel is important for the imagination, getting a good dose of poetry can be soothing for the soul. Gifted by a friend for Christmas, GreatCo's Ali is excited to be reading the emotionally raw, honest, and soul-filled poetry of Rupi Kaur in her latest work, home body. Through honest conversations with oneself, home body reconciles the heart via self-love, acceptance, and empowerment. Learn More About home body! Do you have a favorite book that you would like to share? Let us know! Enjoying our newsletters? Check out our website updates for all past monthly issues! #InGreatCo