The U.S. election results are in, but ugly political divisions still confront us. Vaccines to vanquish COVID-19 are on the horizon, but we’re not quite there yet. And we know the economic, social, and political toll of this pandemic will ripple far into the future. No wonder Americans are exhausted and confused about what is happening in our country, and tempted to shut out the rest of the world.

And yet, this moment calls for the trait that has always kept humans fighting for social change: optimism. Maybe that sounds like a strange concept to advance right now. But from the perspective of my long experience in global health and development for PATH, the World Health Organization, and the Gates Foundation, the post-pandemic rebuild will offer unprecedented opportunities for more people, and a greater diversity of people, to get involved with global development.

Rather than obsessing over grim headlines, I focus more on key trend lines: the surge of people climbing out of dire poverty; the increase in worldwide literacy; the sharp decline in maternal and infant deaths. Those numbers, even now, look pretty great. And as we move into this next decade of the 21st century, it’s worth noting some macro-trends beneath the surface that can be harnessed for good. Consider:

Equity. The #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements are not passing trends. They signal a shift in fundamental beliefs toward leveling the field for people of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. How global development workers, social entrepreneurs, and activists engage with communities to ensure full inclusion and participation will shape the agenda. This will give rise not only to new policies and strategies for advancing health, education, and economic goals, but also to new leaders within the field.

Read the full article about embracing optimism for social change by Steve Davis at YES! Magazine.