We will all, at some point, encounter hurdles to gaining access and entry, moving up and conquering self-doubt; but on the other side is the capacity to own opportunity and tell our own story. – Stacey Abrams

The 2020 election is finally over and Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States. Saturday was one of those days I will always remember. It was intermittently pouring down rain and my favorite coffee shop only has outdoor seating, so my former high school mentee, Danielle, and I ended up sitting in my car to catch up with our lattes. That’s when the celebratory texts from friends started coming in, so we took this photo to commemorate the moment.

Cars started driving by honking, waving Biden-Harris, Pride, and Black Lives Matter flags and the viral videos and memes started flying in. My favorites included this reaction from CNN anchor Van Jones, this cleverly edited Sister Act meme, and a text from my mom (apparently my aunt heard this joke and told her).

If I’m honest, I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath all week. In typical Enneagram Type 7 fashion, I chose to avoid all news starting on Election Day and only heard updates from friends or the occasional quick online check. When word came that Biden-Harris won, I was slightly hesitant to believe the results knowing there were lawsuits and claims of voter fraud that could hold up the December 14 electoral college vote when things are made official.

It wasn’t until two days later that it all hit me. I could exhale. And exhale I did.

The lawsuits had mainly been shown to have no merit, legal basis, or evidence of truth. Black, LGBTQ, immigrant, Latinx, and Dreamer friends could sigh knowing there was a President who wasn’t going to demean them or discriminate against them.

Racial justice advocates now have an ally in the Oval Office interested in reforming police practices, training, and reallocating budgets  for a more fair, equitable justice system (source: Daily Show interview).

Friends who rely on Obamacare don’t have to worry about not having health insurance during a pandemic.

To top it off, it was the first time I saw someone in a high position of power who looked like me. I was thrilled enough when Mindy Kaling got her own show on NBC. Now we have a Vice President who looks like she could be my aunt or cousin. And because she’s biracial, millions of black, brown, and mixed girls feel the same way.

Representation matters because when you see yourself in someone else, you believe you can achieve what they have achieved. You trust that you have agency over your choices and can rise to become whatever you want. The glass ceiling they broke becomes a simple reflection of a million other glass ceilings waiting to be shattered too.

The realization brought tears to my eyes. While I can never run for President (I was born in India to non U.S. citizens), my sister can. My cousins’ kids can. My other brown and black friends can. Even my best friend from high school texted me with a simple, “Our VP is an Indian woman,” because she understands the significance. Truly, Kamala Harris becoming the first female Vice President in our history serves as an inspiration for girls everywhere.

At the same time, I know there’s still work to be done. There is still a criminal justice system in need of reform. Black and Latinx lives that need protection and deserve equality. Families waiting to be reunited after being torn apart. Climate change that needs to be taken seriously and fought. A pandemic that needs to be wiped out. There are people hurting and dying in our country and so many in need, not to mention the 71+ million people who feel like they lost.

I’m hoping we can come together as Americans to make sure everyone feels included, protected, and served in our democratic process. There were over 74 million people who decided their voice and vote mattered, and there’s no reason that should stop with this election. I think that’s the America most of us want and deserve.

In the meantime, friends, I’m taking deep long breaths in and sighing it all out. Feel free to join me 🙂

[Photo credit: “File:U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris speaks at L.A.’s Families Belong Together March 01.jpg” by Luke Harold is marked with CC0 1.0]