One of the things that has sustained us through the isolation and grief of the COVID pandemic has been the steady supply of courage, sacrifice and incredible acts of kindness shown by people, both to their neighbors and total strangers.
The Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles decided to spotlight 20 Canadians and ‘friends of Canada’ in Southern California who’ve made a difference. For Canada Day, the Consulate gathered these honorees’ stories in a video that covers a range of inspiring responses to the pandemic: medical personnel from across Canada now on the front lines in LA hospitals; researchers at work on vaccines; companies collaborating across the border to manufacture ventilators; SoCal Canadians building networks of volunteers and feeding hungry families; others using their influence to raise funds for charity, build the social cohesion necessary to flatten the curve, or directly assist people of color and other communities especially vulnerable to the pandemic.
Also, Ryan Reynolds. (In case you missed it, he made an extraordinary contribution to Food Banks Canada and Feeding America.)
All told, these ’20 in 2020’ represent the best of the international friendship between Canadians and Americans. They’ve made our shared community safer, stronger and more equitable. And they made us proud.