Well, 2015 is almost done and over, and 2016 is on its way. I think we can all agree that it's been one heck of a year. There have been some good moments, some bad moments, some sad moments, some joyful moments, and some awe-inspiring moments. We've been through a lot this year, we've seen some pretty terrible things, too. We've also seen some really wonderful things, and we've seen the human race advance and do things we never thought possible. Even though there were some horrible and tragic things, let's end this year on a good note and take a look at all the wonderful moments from 2015:
1. Same-Sex Marriage was Legalized in the United States
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a legal right, and lifted the ban in the remaining 14 states. Couples young and old around the country celebrated their new-found right. Even though the decision was not accepted by all, it was counted as a major victory by many and a huge stepping stone in the United States.
2. Viola Davis Won an Emmy
At the 67th Emmy awards, Viola Davis became the first woman of color to win an Emmy award for Best Leading Actress in a Drama. In her speech, Davis quoted a poem by Harriet Tubman and thanked her producers and writers for writing roles for women of color.
3. We Discovered Some New Species...
From tiny sea-life creatures like the X-Phyla (tiny little jellyfish-like organisms that look like mushrooms) to over 60 new types of dragonflies in Africa, to the Limnonectes larvaepartus (little frogs that don't lay eggs like the other 6,000+ types of frogs, but give birth to tadpoles), there were many new discoveries in 2015, proving that there's still so much left here on Earth to discover.
4. ...And We Rediscovered Some Old Ones
The rare Mustached Kingfisher was rediscovered after not being sighted in more than 60 years!
5. The "Dancing Man" Got to Keep On Dancing
After being bullied off the dance floor for being overweight and a "bad dancer," a London-based man named Sean, was disheartened and heartbroken. However, people all around the world came together to throw him a dance party in his honor! Hosted in L.A., California, over 1,000 people attended, including many celebrities!
6. Jamie Brewer Made Fashion Week History
In February, actress Jamie Brewer made fashion week history as the first person with Down Syndrome to walk down the runway at New York's Fashion Week.
7. Toyota Released a Brand New Car...
...that might just change the world. Toyota's Mirai is the first FCV or: fuel cell vehicle. This car can last 310 miles before having to refuel and could power your house for an entire week!
8. We Did a Lot of Cool Things in Space
Space: The Final Frontier. While we're discovering new things about our planet every day, the universe outside our world is practically unknown and we keep making new and amazing discoveries. Like when we found (frozen) water on Mars, or saw high-definition close-up pictures of Pluto for the first time, and we found a bigger, older version of Earth.
9. "Star Wars" Breaks a Few Records
Speaking of outer space, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released this month in theaters, much to the joy and thrill of millions of fans around the world. The seventh episode in the popular movie franchise broke records by making $238 million in the United States and $279 million overseas on its opening weekend, breaking all sorts of records for the biggest opening of a movie.
10. The Human Race Showed Its True Colors...
...by doings some pretty amazing, compassionate, and really cool things. Like when a little girl whose entire family was killed in a fire, received more than 18,000 Christmas cards and a trip to Disney. Or when a 24-hour Adopt-a-thon in Chicago ran out of puppies because they all got adopted! Or when Lexington, Kentucky let citizens pay off parking tickets with canned goods for the hungry.
All-in-all, 2015 was a pretty great year. We showed the world what we can do when we come together as a human race. So as 2016 approaches, let's keep that in mind, and spread more of the compassion, knowledge, ingenuity, and resilience that we all know we're capable of sharing. Bring it on 2016, we're ready for you.
