Happy New Year

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes…

As a most diabolical year comes to a close (both because of the pandemic and the relentless cacophony of a petering Trump administration), I can’t help but be as optimistic as one possibly can be given the circumstances.

2020 brought about significant changes (both positive and negative) for everyone, myself included. What started out as yet another marker of time became the most definitive of this generation. We’ve all learned so many things about ourselves and the people around us; we’ve understood the extent of survival; we’ve been forced to reexamine our existing priorities; we’ve been alone, then together, and right back to being alone again because of malicious disinformation campaigns and individual selfishness.

I won’t sugarcoat it in saying that 2020 sucked. But it was because of this that most of us discovered our true paths. After witnessing darkness and despair, a lot of us have since made conscious efforts to act and behave differently and to pursue certain goals this new year. 2021 will benefit greatly from the fact that 2020 happened. And because it happened, I hope we each embrace the fact that it’s all uphill from here.

May you continue to take care of yourself in 2021!

XO and Team HeyXorje


Xorje Olivares

Xorje Olivares is a host/producer and social commentator who specializes in LGBTQ, Latino, and millennial issues. He currently hosts the SiriusXM Progress program ‘Affirmative Reaction’ every Saturday at 12 pm ET. His writing on politics and intersectional identity has appeared in VICE, Playboy, Rolling Stone, them., and Vox, among others. He has been profiled by ABC News, MSNBC, NPR, PBS, and FOX News. Follow XO at @XorjeO