TIME: Person of The Year 2019
- Rachel Rosana
- Dec 11, 2019
- 6 min read
The Short List:
The following people were the potential contenders for "Person of The Year"
Greta Thunberg:
She is a 16-year-old from Sweden that has become the face of climate change. During the UN Climate Action Summit, Greta made a speech that inspired others and left world leaders in tears. You can read/watch her powerful speech HERE.
"You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you." - Greta Thunberg (UN SPEECH)
To read more about Greta and her amazing efforts, click HERE.
The Whistleblower:
The anonymous figure that sparked the impeachment investigation into President Trump. The whistleblower has turned the country upside down with his report on Trump withholding aid to Ukraine, discussing former Vice President Joe Biden, The schemes of Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Guiliani and much more! It has made such a divide in this country between right and wrong, and republicans and democrats. But the mystery of WHO the anonymous CIA officer could continue brings on more debate if this individual is brave? a coward? sneaky? and/or a liar.
Photo credit: ATLANTIC
The Hong Kong Protesters:
Protesting erupted in Hong Kong this summer when a new bill was introduced that would allow prisoners to be extradited to mainland China. Many of its residents in China took to the streets to express their frustration and outrage including US executives, US companies and cartoons (such as Comedy Central's "South Park" season 23, episode 2, "Band in China") involving the protests. Due to these protests, universities are suspending this Hong Kong study abroad program due to college campuses being used as, "improvised weapons factories". Protesters can be seen in videos being run over, sprayed with pepper spray, tackled, shot at, arrested and even some protesters being killed by the Hong Kong police officers. Overall, Hong Kong has entered its first recession in a decade after months of protests. To read more about the Hong Kong Protestors, and what is going on in the country click HERE.
Photo Credit: POLITICO
Nancy Pelosi:
Pelosi is the House Speaker for Democrats. She authorized in September the impeachment inquiry into Trump after being against impeaching the President for roughly 9-months. Pelosi would continue to stand in front of the American people and explain her reasons for impeachment and the importance of holding people, even in the highest office of the land, responsible for their actions. She has made many enemies but also allies in her fight for justice.
"The President leaves us no choice but to act, because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit..." -Nancy Pelosi (BUISNESS INSIDER)
Donald J. Trump:
Love him or hate him, he IS indeed the President of the United States. Many will argue if he has turned the country upside down with his views, politics, and infamous family. Trump continues to be in headlines of the "FAKE" news for his impeachment. But has been able to influence the Republican party to stand by him as faithful (or sometimes unfaithful) supporters. This is his fourth consecutive year being nominated as Person of the Year, having on the title in 2016.
TIME
PERSON OF THE YEAR: 2019
Why it matters:
It matters because she has influenced not only the people in her home country of Sweden but all ages around the world. Many protests could be seen as far as Chile, Santago fighting for climate change. This 16-year-old has really captivated a huge audience and wants no awards for her achievements until something is physically done to help the world. There was some discussion on how she would take this award of being Person of the Year, but she deserves all the continued recognition for her strength and braveness in her fight with climate change.
“We can’t just continue living as if there was no tomorrow, because there is a tomorrow,” she says, tugging on the sleeve of her blue sweatshirt. “That is all we are saying.” -Greta Thunberg (TIME)
TIME continues,
It’s a simple truth, delivered by a teenage girl in a fateful moment. The sailboat, La Vagabonde, will shepherd Thunberg to the Port of Lisbon, and from there she will travel to Madrid, where the United Nations is hosting this year’s climate conference. It is the last such summit before nations commit to new plans to meet a major deadline set by the Paris Agreement. Unless they agree on transformative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the world’s temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution will hit the 1.5°C mark—an eventuality that scientists warn will expose some 350 million additional people to drought and push roughly 120 million people into extreme poverty by 2030. For every fraction of a degree that temperatures increase, these problems will worsen. This is not fearmongering; this is science. For decades, researchers and activists have struggled to get world leaders to take the climate threat seriously. But this year, an unlikely teenager somehow got the world’s attention.
To read more about TIME 2019 Person of The Year, click HERE.
Other Winners:
TIME decided this year to NOT have "runner ups" but to have other categories of winners.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: THE U.S. WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM
WHY? Most sports winners are celebrated with parades and a visit to the white house by popular NBA, NFL or MLB players but this time around the parade was set up for a group of women who dominated a sport where they are usually ignored and brought home the prestigious world cup trophy. The U.S. sports team not only showed a generation that women are just as good at a sport but inspired young boys and girls that you can make something of yourself when the world doesn't believe you can do it. This team also brought to the discussion of equal pay for women athletes in the sports world. Team captain, Megan Rapinoe (Number 15, the woman with purple hair in the photo below) as well as the rest of the U.S. women's soccer team continue to fight for that struggle of equal pay and clearly are not going unnoticed.
To read more about the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, click here.
GUARDIANS OF THE YEAR: THE PUBLIC SERVANTS
WHY?
For much of 2019, in different corners of America’s globe-spanning national-security apparatus, more than a dozen public servants reported concerns to their superiors about the President’s handling of Ukraine. They were diplomats and policy wonks, budget crunchers and combat veterans. Most had acted alone, largely unaware of what was happening elsewhere in government. None knew until much later how far things had gone. Each had played by the rules, putting professionalism and public service ahead of their own policy preference. Each had been ignored or quashed by political bosses up the chain of command. (TIME)
to read more about THE PUBLIC SERVANTS, click HERE.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: LIZZO
WHY? She's a music star who kind of came out of nowhere. Yes, she's been around but recently caught the mainstream attention with many new fans. She has countless hit singles and is now the most Grammy-nominated artist this year! Her lyrics are raw, real and sometimes even funny. She doesn't hold back from speaking her truth and her style seems to match that.
My favorite lyric of hers is:
“I just took a DNA test/Turns out I’m 100% that bitch,” -Lizzo's No. 1 hit, “Truth Hurts,”
TIME says it best...
At a time when Instagrammers are shilling flat-tummy tea or pretending to eat a giant cheeseburger, Lizzo sells something more radical: the idea that you are already enough. (TIME)
to read more about LIZZO'S rise to fame, click HERE.
BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR: DISNEY CEO, BOB IGER
WHY? He's really created a platform for Disney. Partly including, Disney+ web streaming service which will now allow fans to watch any if not ALL Disney classic films and television shows. The new platform has also managed to create NEW shows of your favorite Marvel characters and Star Wars fans alike. As well as, bringing back old fan favorite classics like a Lizzie McGuire Reboot (which is currently being filmed now! -Dec 2019-)
But 2019 was an apex year, when many of his carefully incubated eggs hatched. Creativity is a messy affair, technology is an expensive, glitchy one, and business plans, like military campaigns, rarely survive the first battle. Yet in 2019, Iger managed to blend all three into one epic, deal-packed 12 months. And in a year when the tide has shifted against Big Business, Big Media and Big Tech, Iger has transformed his enormous media company into a gargantuan media and tech business while ensuring that the Walt Disney Co.’s products remain widely beloved. (TIME)
To read more about the Disney CEO, click HERE.
CREDIT: All TIME photos and information are from TIME.com unless stated otherwise.
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