It’s official. The United States has its first female, first African American and first South Asian American Vice President, after Kamala Harris was sworn in just prior to President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
And to make the moment more historic, she was sworn in by Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the supreme court.
Harris tweeted just prior to the ceremony starting that, “a new chapter begins today”.
She also tweeted that she is “here today because of the women who came before me”, and ran a video featuring lines from her victory speech.
Harris was escorted to the podium by Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who was the heroic Capitol Hill Officer who held back the Trump mob as they tried to reach the Senate floor during the insurrection on January 6.
Once sworn in, she hugged her husband Douglas Emhoff, and then gave a fist bump to President Joe Biden.
Earlier, Harris shared her abiding hope: “that we emerge from this ordeal with a new wisdom. To cherish simple moments. To imagine new possibilities. And to open our hearts just a little more to one another.”
Meanwhile, the inaugration featured a number of artists, including 22 year old poet Amanda Gorman.
“There is always light if we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it,” she said.
Gorman received a standing ovation.