The past 12 months have been unlike any other. As the Almanac’s visual journalist captured this historic, life-changing year that included weeks of civil protests, unprecedented fires and a pandemic that transformed everyday life, their images reflect a range of unfamiliar and sometimes surreal moments that shaped 2020.

When viewed together, these images reveal just how much life has changed over the past 12 months. Photos predating the Bay Area's stay-at-home health order in mid-March feel like they were taken during another era, in a different world. In January, it was strange to see someone wearing a mask; by midyear, it was disconcerting to see someone who wasn't. No sooner had we adapted to this strange stay-at-home life than people in every community mobilized and took to the streets. Hundreds of local residents peacefully protested against social injustice to draw attention to racism toward Black community members, and call for meaningful change in policing practices.

We were forced indoors again when wildfire smoke choked the air and turned the sky orange, taking away the outdoor dining and recreation that served as a lifeline for many. Families with children were hit hard when schools and daycares closed, teaching moved online, graduations became drive-thru and the first day of school was marked by temperature checks, hand sanitizer and socially distanced desks.

We saw residents who rose above these challenging times, like Alice's Restaurant co-owner Andy Kerr, who delivered meals to first responders combating the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains. And there are images of hope and the possible return to normalcy as some of the first recipients rolled up their sleeves to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are those moments that illustrate how our community persevered through this trying year.

Email Chief Visual Journalist Magali Gauthier at mgauthier@almanacnews.com.