The 2020 presidential election was tumultuous, to say the least. Feuds erupted among party lines and political preferences, yet the outcome remains clear: History has been made. Come January 2021, the United States will have inaugurated its first female and person of color to preside as vice president: Senator Kamala Harris.   

Harris is no stranger to the political stage. As the former Attorney General and U.S. senator for her home state of California, Harris is used to working in a primarily male-dominated field. She was a power-house pick by president-elect Joe Biden, who she earlier waged her own presidential campaign against. Regardless of your political alignments, it is one more glass ceiling shattered for women who have long felt neglected in the nation’s political climate. 

If anything, 2020 has proven to be a catalyst for social progress. As people took to the streets to protest for important causes such as Black Lives Matter and EndSARS, Senator Harris expressed her support for grassroots activism, swaying the minds of many across the nation and in our community.

Growing up as a girl in America leaves you with limited role models to look up to in the field of politics, particularly in the White House. For decades, the prospect of a female president or vice president has been a thing of fantasy. For junior Anna Greer, those dreams have become a reality. “Senator Harris’s win is not just one for the 2020 election, but for women in America who have the vision of propelling the country forward,” she said.

Representation of all kinds is essential to feeling confident in one’s identity. Junior Carmen Aycock, a champion for diversity, is especially proud that someone of color will be represented in such an important position in the government. As a black female, Aycock knows of the struggle her people have faced, and feels that with a leader like Harris, change is on the horizon. “I know there is a lot of work to do and some things can’t be changed,” she said. “But I hope that Senator Harris can do some good for the population while she serves in office.”

As inauguration day draws near, the country continues to rejoice in Senator Harris’s historic achievement as a female and POC vice-president. This is an achievement for every woman — those past, present and future. And who knows? We may even see one of our very own women Warriors in the White House some day.