Rachel Edwards helps us understand what it’s like to work in international humanitarian aid in the US in 2025, as executive orders from President Trump call for a pause in US foreign development assistance and DOGE has essentially dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

  

Sources: 

• White House: Executive action on Jan. 20 to pause US foreign development assistance 
• Pew Research: What the data says about US foreign aid 
• Samantha Bower on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• USAID updates: 
  • Reuters
  • NBC
  • AP
  • NPR

 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, he's issued several executive orders against DEI. Companies are walking back their DEI efforts at an increased rate, and consumers are boycotting. 

 

Sources: 

• The White House - Ending DEI Programs Executive Order 
• NPR - DEI Executive Order Temporary Block 
• CBS - Trump Blaming FAA DEI for Plane Crash  
• USA Today - Removal of the Black Lives Matter Mural 
• USA Today - DEI and Trump - Divisiveness Explained 
• Forbes - Rolling Consumer Boycotts
• AP - Companies Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives 
• CBS News - Feb. 28 Economic Blackout 
• The White House - Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Executive Order 
• The White House - Gender Ideology Extremism Executive Order 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Let's unpack a Pew Research Center report from February 2025 that looks at COVID’s impact in four specific areas of American life: 

1. Personal health and policy 
2. The workplace 
3. Religious life 
4. Technology use 

Sources: 

• https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/02/12/5-years-later-america-looks-back-at-the-impact-of-covid-19/ 
• https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-majority-of-americans-are-worried-about-the-trump-administrations-prospects/

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

It’s December 2024, and this is my last episode of the second season of 2020 Did it to Me. 

Across my two seasons, I’ve been exploring the ways we’ve changed since 2020. 

I truly do believe we’re still coming to terms with how 2020 has affected us. And I think this is going to be a decades-long exploration. 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

As we face the first presidential election in the wake of January 6, 2021 what has changed when it comes to voting since 2020? 

 
Sources: 

• https://news.gallup.com/poll/649397/democrats-drive-surge-election-enthusiasm.aspx 
• https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/09/09/issues-and-the-2024-election/
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voters-are-worried-about-post-election-violence-implications-for-democracy-ap-norc-poll-finds 
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-how-election-officials-have-boosted-security-since-2020s-threats-of-violence 
• https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/10/30/a-simple-guide-to-the-us-election-2024 
• https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Let’s dive into some of Gallup’s latest findings on emotions and the global workforce, and look for clues that tell us how our relationship with work and our outlook on life is shifting in the wake of 2020. 

 

Sources: 

• 2024 Gallup Global Emotions Report 
• 2024 Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report 

 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

2023 was the warmest year on record, and climate change has been in the news quite a bit the last several years, so I thought it right time to talk about it on the podcast.


Sources: 

• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/06/energy-transition-positive-climate-change/ 
• https://www.epa.gov/climate-change/what-you-can-do-about-climate-change 
• https://phys.org/news/2024-08-shipping-emissions-air-quality.html
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/269653/natural-disasters-on-the-continents-by-nature-of-the-disaster/ 
• https://www.statista.com/topics/1148/global-climate-change/#topicOverview 
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/1401539/forest-loss-by-wildfires/

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

I came across an interesting Reddit thread that starts with a question - “Does anyone else not feel the same since 2020 and the pandemic?” The conversation sparked by the post piqued my interest.

Sources: 

• https://www.reddit.com/r/Adulting/comments/1ecj6l8/does_anyone_else_not_feel_the_same_since_2020_and/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/Adulting/comments/1cux4ha/does_anyone_else_not_feel_the_same_since_2020_and/ 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Let's take a look at the economic impacts of 2020 and where we are today. 

Sources: 

• https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2024/20240408
• https://www.gallup.com/workplace/612143/post-pandemic-customer-demanding-harder-employees.aspx?utm_source=gallup_brand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gallup_at_work_2_march_03192024&utm_term=information&utm_content=see_the_findings_cta_2
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/16/economy-recovery-covid-unemployment-wages-debt-groceries/
• https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/state-of-consumer
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/256598/global-inflation-rate-compared-to-previous-year/
• http://USinflactioncalculator.com

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis in May 2020. His death ignited an uproar in racial justice and caused a ripple effect of calls for and promises of change. So what’s really changed since 2020 when it comes to racial justice?

Sources: 

• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-policing-has-changed-4-years-after-george-floyds-murder 
• https://www.axios.com/2024/04/02/dei-backlash-diversity 
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/28/four-years-george-floyd-murder-the-excerpt/73843884007/ 
• http://MappingPoliceViolence.org 

Email [email protected] to share your 2020 story or submit an idea for a future episode. Visit www.2020didittome.com to see all available episodes.

Our album art was created by Sarah Duff.

The following music was used for this podcast:

Music: Beautiful Acoustic Guitar Melody by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6350-beautiful-acoustic-guitar-melody

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license