Mitragyna Speciosa

RECOGNITION. That’s what Kamala Harris’ election as the first female vice president means to me. But her election isn’t merely a recognition of women. It’s also a recognition of women of color and the strength of our democracy — especially on the centennial anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ election is a recognition of the more than 81 million Americans who voted not based on gender or color, but rather on qualifications, and who stood up for America’s core principles of inclusion and merit.

These principles couldn’t be more personal to me. Growing up in Louisiana, my mother and grandmother weren’t recognized. In the Jim Crow South, they weren’t even allowed their right to vote until the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. But I was able to when I turned 18. And I’ve spent my entire life believing that the right to vote is the key to America’s future — especially the future of women and people of color.

So today, let us rejoice that America has finally achieved this milestone, and achieved it by voting. Let’s also recognize that our nation still has many divisions. Even as Vice President-elect Harris’ victory reinforces our democracy, it also mandates that we now see women as leaders.

For now, we must prepare for the backlash or resistance from those who still believe that women must simply wait our turn. More than 74 million Americans voted for the status quo. While some may be uncomfortable with seeing a woman in such a highly visible leadership role, I firmly believe that millions more Americans are ready to see an authentic and wise leader who will help lead this great country.

Here I stand as a grateful American and a grateful Black woman who proudly recognizes that, in my lifetime, I have finally seen what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us was possible simply if we had access to the ballot box.

We have made this country what it said it always was — a country for all of us.