It’s common this time of year to read article after article about what you can do to have a better new year. The list normally includes tips on how to be more productive, save more money, and even completely upgrade your lifestyle. There is certainly nothing wrong with aspiring to these things. In fact, personal success is always something to strive for. But 2016 brought to light a number of the challenges we are still facing as a country. The good news is that 2017 will bring with it the opportunity to rethink and address some key issues.

Feminism

It was very clear to me, especially during the election, that the conversation surrounding feminism was far from inclusive. Even while the first lady launched The United State of Women initiative, many well-known, self-proclaimed feminists further demonstrated how out-of-touch they were. Earlier this year, I wrote a few articles addressing what I thought was wrong with how the movement was being used and perceived. As we enter 2017, the discussions around feminism need to shift. As nice as it was that people put their "I voted" stickers on Susan B. Anthony's grave, It would have been nice if women like Sojourner Truth and Ida B. Wells had been given as much coverage. While a few Hollywood starlet's complained about how little they were being paid in comparison to their male co-stars, few if any felt the need to talk about how much worse that gap is when factors such as race, religion, and sexual orientation come into the picture. It also means holding everyone who wants to have an opinion on women’s issues accountable; even if it means checking ourselves now and then. Let's not forget, women helped put Donald Trump in office.

Race

Speaking of race, I disagree with many who feel that racism got worse under President Obama and that people of color are somehow worse off than they were before he took office. This is true in many cases. What seems more likely is that modern technology has shed light on an issue that was here long before Obama took office and, at least it appears, will be here long after he leaves. While race is not the core of every problem that came to light last year, it has at least a small part to play in the way may are affected by them. It may seem easier to simply not talk about how tense race relations are. Unfortunately, 2016 proved that this is no longer an option. Constructive conversations about race seem to only happen after a tragedy which completely misses the point of having the conversation in the first place. It shouldn’t take violence, appropriation of culture, or some other disparity for us to collectively acknowledge the injustices that have been done. At the same time, a desire to see different perspectives and understanding different experiences will be the key to beginning to heal festering historical wounds.

The Economy

By no means am I a financial expert. Therefore, I will keep my comments on the nation's economy brief. While there are a number of things that influence our nation's economic status, what seems consistent no matter how strong the dollar, is that certain communities and populations are lacking in economic opportunity. In cities like Chicago and Atlanta, money if flowing out of communities where it is needed the most. Entire communities are being pushed out of certain areas without any hope of moving back, a pattern in American history I might add. If our economy is truly going to succeed, then it would be wise to not only put money and resources back into poorer neighborhoods but also invest in other forms of labor. Infrastructure is changing and oil will one day cease to be a source of energy. Finding new forms of innovation, and giving people the skills to work in these fields will certainly give our economy a push in the right direction.

There are certainly more big ideas that deserve to be explored and more difficult discussions that need to take place if we are ever going to ensure a better union for ourselves and the generations to follow. If we learned anything during 2016, it’s that the difficult conversations that have often pushed aside have come to the forefront of our conscious. They cannot improve until we first discuss them and then address them.