Leaders

ANTHONY FAUCI

Public servant

BY JIMMY KIMMEL

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread to the U.S., there was one person millions of Americans immediately knew we could turn to for guidance: Dr. Anthony Fauci. As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Fauci has advised six Presidents over 36 years. When COVID-19 reared its ugly head, he was among the first to step forward with facts and only facts.

Dr. Fauci doesn’t sugarcoat his words and refuses to be pressured by politicians. He delivers the truth, as difficult as it may be to hear, earnestly and with one goal: to save lives. His courage and candor have earned our trust. We are all fortunate to have a man of his wisdom, experience and integrity to help us navigate these difficult waters.

Kimmel is the host and an executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Narendra Modi

Weakening democracy

BY KARL VICK

The key to democracy is not, in fact, free elections. Those only tell who got the most votes. More important is the rights of those who did not vote for the winner. India has been the world’s largest democracy for more than seven decades. Its population of 1.3 billion includes Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and other religious sects. All have abided in India, which the Dalai Lama (who has spent most of his life in refuge there) has lauded as “an example of harmony and stability.”

Narendra Modi has brought all that into doubt. Though almost all of India’s Prime Ministers have come from the nearly 80% of the population that is Hindu, only Modi has governed as if no one else matters. First elected on a populist promise of empowerment, his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party rejected not only elitism but also pluralism, specifically targeting India’s Muslims. The crucible of the pandemic became a pretense for stifling dissent. And the world’s most vibrant democracy fell deeper into shadow.

Vick is a TIME editor at large

MARY KAY HENRY

Champion of workers

BY BISHOP WILLIAM BARBER II

When COVID-19 hit and governors across the U.S. began implementing shutdowns this spring, my phone rang. It was Mary Kay Henry. Politicians were talking about “essential workers.” Crowds were cheering at the shift changes outside hospitals. But as the leader of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the largest labor unions in America, which represents millions of health care workers, among others, Mary Kay knew we needed to hear from the workers themselves. We agreed to co-host a weekly web show called as a virtual picket line where they could tell their stories. Meanwhile, she continued to advocate and win protections for workers on the front lines, including PPE guarantees, hazard