On Saturday, Nov. 7, former Vice President Joe Biden was nominated president-elect and Senator Kamala Harris, his running mate, was nominated vice president-elect. Harris made history being the first woman, as well as African-American and Indian American to achieve this position. 

When I woke up on Saturday morning to the news that Biden and Harris were announced the winners of the election, pure joy washed over me. I was mostly relieved that President Trump finally got the defeat he deserved. But then, I realized: America will have its first female vice-president. Harris will not only be the first female vice president, but she is also a woman of color.

A few tears rushed to my eyes as I tried to digest the news. I felt overjoyed to know that a woman that has melanin in her skin just like I do will be in command. It’s an indescribable feeling for me as an 18-year-old Black, young woman to see that it is possible to be anything I want in this country. It gives me hope that I don’t have to settle for less, and now I know that no dream is too big. 

It also empowers me because I know if she can beat the odds, and fly past all of her doubters to become the most powerful woman in this country, then maybe I could too one day. 

For far too many years, women have been counted out of high places of leadership, especially women of color. A woman’s place has often been said to be at home in the kitchen, but now it’s in the White House. 

After four years of President Trump practically dishonoring the presidency, spewing hatred and dividing our country more than any U.S. president in modern times, a lot of Americans were ready for change. His constant displays of misogyny and racism caused a lot of Americans to be fed up with him leaving the perfect opening for Harris to lead the country through this crossroads. She offers solace for all minorities that were disregarded during the Trump administration. 

I’m so glad that Biden extended Harris the opportunity to make history along with him and continue to shatter the glass ceiling for all women. 

It’s interesting to think that four years ago, we could’ve had the first female president of the United States, Hillary Clinton, but I don’t think the country was ready for that. 

According to a survey by Pew Research Center, in 2014 before Clinton announced her candidacy, 69% of Democratic women were the most likely to say they hoped a female U.S. president would be elected in their lifetimes, followed by 46% of Democratic men and 45% of independent women. Among Republicans, 20% of women and 16% of men said they hoped for this as did 32% of independent men.

I truly feel that this time around all of the stars were aligned, and Harris was a fitting choice. With all of the racial tension and the continuous fight for women’s equality, she can definitely speak to marginalized minorities genuinely because she is actually one of them. 

Not only can she speak to those issues, but she brings hope. I sat in front of my TV on Saturday night with a new found feeling of hope as Harris gave her first speech as Vice-President elect. I know that the same hope I am feeling millions of other girls and women feel as well.

Because of Harris, my dreams of seeing women achieve the highest forms of leadership in my lifetime are not so far out of reach. I believe that this is a new beginning for women in this country. Vice president-elect Harris is a trailblazer that symbolizes a new era in politics. 

“But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl, watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”