On Friday, Nov. 8, news stations and decision desks all across the country called the 2020 presidential election in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden. While this was a historic election for many reasons, including record-setting voter turnout as well as the unique nature of this election taking place during an international pandemic, one of the most historic aspects of President-Elect Biden’s victory comes from his Vice President, Kamala Harris.

Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, former Senator and Defense Attorney from California, will make history as the first female Vice President of the United States. The closest any other female had come to this position was in 2008 when Senator John McCain ran for President with his running mate, former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. McCain and Palin, of course, lost this race and so it would be twelve more years until a female would finally sit in the Vice Presidential seat. 

Senator Harris is breaking boundaries not only on the basis of gender but also on the basis of race. She will be the first African American vice president, the first Indian American vice president, and the first biracial vice president. Her appointment comes at a time when racial injustice and inequality is being addressed on a nationwide scale, and will hopefully provide a ray of hope to communities of color during these difficult times.

The 2020 election was extremely contentious, but regardless of how American’s feel about President-Elect Biden’s victory, the historic nature of Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris should be a cause for celebration as our nation moves towards a more equal version of itself.