Reopen, Rebuild: Our Focus in May

I always think apocalypse movies end too early. We spend two hours breathlessly watching as civilization collapses. While that’s fun for an adrenaline rush, I always want to watch the part where people put the pieces back together, where they begin to rebuild. 

Slowly, tentatively, the world is starting to wake up from the COVID-19 crisis. As spring flowers bloom week by week, so too are states beginning to reopen, or at the least, taking initial steps. 

Come summer, we’ll face a new world – one in serious need of rebuilding. Over 30 million friends and family members across the US have lost their jobs, countless businesses we know and love will not reopen their doors, even J.Crew wasn’t spared. Tens of thousands will have succumbed to the disease, and so many will bear invisible scars as they recover. These last few months have been nothing short of tragic. 

How we respond will be a defining moment for our country. As this nation’s next generation of leaders, it’s up to us to explore all that rebuilding entails and to influence decision-making to ensure that our freedom doesn’t die along with this virus.

This month, across the country, AF will explore this very idea: How do we reopen, and how do we rebuild in both the safest and most free way? Through events at the local level with each of our chapters, our AF-HQ virtual discussions, and our online content, we’ll dive into the hard questions. We’ll focus on state and local issues and will ask questions of principle. We’ll  consider innovative ideas, like democratizing healthcare, and explore regulatory roadmaps to recovery. We’ll also identify ways you can best prepare for and navigate this new world, through planning your career, supporting your community, and engaging  with your peers. 

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed so much about our way of life, from the fragility of our supply chains to our vastly unprepared healthcare system. In a way, we’ve been given an opportunity, and over the coming weeks, we’ll make sure you’re prepared to take your place at the table as we begin to rebuild this great home of ours and you begin to rebuild your life. Stay tuned, and let’s get to work.