Read Kamala Harris' Inaugural Address
It's a word that almost every journalist today (myself included) has used, but will never get tired of writing: today, history was made. Today, Kamala Harris (opens in new tab) became the first female, black, South Asian Vice President of the United States. It's a moment that deserves an article, a retweet, a phrase to be repeated. It is a hard-fought victory for Vice President Harris and for American democracy.
Today, history was made. Tonight, we celebrate.
And in that vein, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (open in new tab) is hosting a special "Celebrate America" program that will stream on major platforms. The event was a star-studded affair, with Demi Lovato, John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, and others, but it was the words of the new Vice President that really struck a chord with my ears.
For those who missed it, read her inspiring words here:
Good evening. It is an honor to be here. To stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before me. To be able to speak tonight as your vice president.
In many ways, this moment embodies our character as a nation. It is who we are.
Even in the darkest of times, we not only dream, we do. We not only see the past, we see the possibilities. We aim for the moon and plant our flag there. We are bold, fearless, ambitious. We are undaunted by the belief that we can overcome and rise up. This is the aspiration of the American people.
In the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln saw a better future and built it with Land Grant Colleges and the transcontinental railroad. In the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King fought for racial and economic justice.
American Aspiration has been the driving force behind the demand for equal rights by women in this country throughout history. And the authors of the Bill of Rights asserted freedoms that had rarely been written down before.
Great experiments require great determination. It is the will to accomplish the task, and the wisdom to keep improving, tinkering, and perfecting. The same determination is being realized in America today. I see it in the scientists who are changing the future. I see it in the parents who are raising the next generation, in the innovators and educators, and in all those who are trying to build a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.
This, too, is an American aspiration. This is what President Joe Biden is calling us to do now. Courage to overcome crisis. To do the hard things, to do the good things, to unite, to believe in ourselves, in our country, and in what we can do together.
Thank you, and God bless America.
Truly, the words we all needed to hear.
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