The memories of Wednesday's Inauguration are swirling still in my head in so many ways. So many powerful and patriotic visions:
The Capitol Building draped in flags and regalia, like a superhero standing strong. A compelling icon of resilience after the insurrection on January 6th. It may have been damaged, but but certainly not destroyed nor daunted nor diminished. Instead: durable, determined, stalwart, steadfast, and a symbol of our strength as a nation.
The pearls Kamala wore. This has become a style statement of hers, tying back to her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority days and the symbolism of pearls to them. Many people, myself included, also wore pearls that day as well as Election Day. Mine came as a birthday gift this past fall from my husband as a nod to Ruth Bader Ginsberg (for both her infamous collars and her passing on Sept. 18th, 2020). Other people also wore pearls on both Election & Inauguration Day to commemorate the the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote along with a female on the Vice Presidential ticket. I've been calling mine my "pandemic pearls" and wearing them throughout the entire Election-to-Inauguration season.
The amazing grace and confidence of 22-year old poet laureate Amanda Gorman as she gave her inaugural poem. Words worth hearing again. PBS NewsHour has put together lessons plans for middle and upper school graders centered around Amanda's Poem "The Hill We Climb."
With the start of this new administration, I certainly honor President Biden and the enormous task he has ahead. It's my hope that these visions that are swirling in my mind are ones that can help us all as a country heal. We need to remember we are the 'United' States of America. May we all listen and learn from each other so we all can all lend a hand and lead! And may we take these words that Amanda shared to heart:
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace
And the norms and notions
of what just is
Isn’t always just-ice
And yet the dawn is ours
before we knew it
Somehow we do it
Somehow we've weathered and witnessed
a nation that isn’t broken
but simply unfinished
...
And yes we are far from polished
far from pristine
but that doesn’t mean we are
striving to form a union that is perfect
We are striving to forge a union with purpose
To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and
conditions of man
And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us
but what stands before us
We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
we must first put our differences aside
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another
We seek harm to none and harmony for all
...
When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it
Images from:
Capitol Building picture by Chang W. Lee/The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/opinion/letters/president-biden-inauguration.html
Field of Flags from https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/01/20/npr-nearly-200-000-flags-on-national-mall-represent-those-who-cannot-attend-inaugura
Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, & Hillary Clinton in purple from https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/why-wearing-purple-inauguration-day-184300508.html
RBG in lace & beaded collar from South Africa https://www.thezoereport.com/p/how-ruth-bader-ginsburg-used-jewelry-to-showcase-her-style-express-her-opinions-before-34433034
Joe Biden at Inauguration https://kstp.com/news/from-george-washington-to-joe-biden-the-common-message-in-inaugural-addresses-january-20-2021/5984717/
Video from https://youtu.be/LZ055ilIiN4
Amanda Gorman's text from the transcript of her Inaugural poem here: https://thehill.com/homenews/news/535052-read-transcript-of-amanda-gormans-inaugural-poem
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