(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
At noon on Jan. 20, 2021, America ushered in a new administration.
Despite attempts by pro-Trump rioters (and the president himself) to overturn the electoral process, American democracy has prevailed.
No longer will they be known as the “president-elect” and “vice president-elect.” They will simply be known as the President and Vice-President of the United States of America.
Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath office in a barrier-breaking ceremony Wednesday, becoming the first woman, first Black American and first South Asian American to hold the office.
Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, was sworn in by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a trailblazer in her own right as the first Latina justice on the high court.
Harris used two bibles, one that belonged to the late civil rights icon and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, whom Harris has said inspired her career path, and one owned by family friend Regina Shelton, who was like a second mother to Harris and her sister. Harris used Shelton’s bible when she took the oath of office as California Attorney General and later as a U.S. senator.
Harris is used to breaking barriers. Before she resigned from her Senate seat on Monday ahead of the inauguration, Harris was one of 10 Black lawmakers and only the second Black woman to serve in the upper chamber. Harris’ resignation means no Black women are currently serving in the U.S. Senate. But something tells me, that may change soon.
Prior to the Senate, Harris was the first woman and person of color to serve as the district attorney of San Francisco and later as California’s attorney general.
Harris is used to breaking barriers. Before she resigned from her Senate seat on Monday ahead of the inauguration, Harris was one of 10 Black lawmakers and only the second Black woman to serve in the upper chamber. Harris’ resignation means no Black women are serving in the U.S. Senate.
Prior to the Senate, Harris was the first woman and person of color to serve as the district attorney of San Francisco and later as California’s attorney general.
During her campaign, Harris has long lauded the efforts of Black women helping to get her in office.
Harris wrote via her twitter account: “I want to speak directly to the Black women in our country. Thank you. You are too often overlooked, and yet are asked time and again to step up and be the backbone of our democracy. We could not have done this without you.”
The new VP was referring to the fact that 90% of Black women’s votes went to the Biden-Harris ticket, helping the Democrats score big margins in heavily Black cities such as Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Despite President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks about women and sexual-abuse allegations, most white females — roughly 55% — supported President Donald Trump.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Representation is powerful. Women, and especially women of color, have waited generations to finally see themselves at the highest level of government. Not only is Harris the first such woman to ascend to the second highest office in our country — she is also the daughter of immigrants. Her story reflects the experience of millions of Americans. Little girls will finally be able to see themselves fully reflected in their government. As Vice President-elect Harris said in the address she gave after her win,
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