Reflections on a historic inauguration
Two weeks ago, as a nation we were collectively shaken by violence at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. January 6th was an unthinkable day for our country – and violence has no place in our communities or our democracy.
Despite the challenges we’ve faced as a nation, especially in recent days with the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, and political divisions, every inauguration presents an opportunity to issue a renewed promise of unity as a new Administration takes office. As President Biden emphasized, unity is the only path forward to address the challenges we’re facing as a country. Seeing leaders from both sides of the aisle standing side by side in a celebration of our democracy gave me hope for the days ahead, that we can take on these challenges together.
As Joseph R. Biden took the oath to become our nation’s 46th President, Kamala Harris also made history as the first woman, the first Black person and the first South Asian American to hold the office of Vice President. I hope that together we can acknowledge this historic moment. Like the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965, this is a moment of great change. As a Senator, Vice President Harris championed legislation that would dedicate resources to make significant improvements for maternal health services, specifically addressing implicit bias and racial disparities that impact maternal mortality and morbidity – a crisis impacting so many women across this country.
Perhaps, this moment in history is telling us something new about ourselves. Electing a woman to one of the highest offices in the country signals that we want a more prosperous, equitable future for everyone — but especially for our children. As a father of two daughters, this gives me hope for the future.
There has never been a more critical time to create change.
On behalf of Nurse-Family Partnership and Child First, we congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration. We stand ready to work with the new Administration and the 117th Congress towards our shared goals – of a healthier, safer, and more equitable future for all families across this country. We are committed to supporting bipartisan solutions to build a new vision of public health – one that expands access to high-quality evidence-based programs, including home visiting and mental health supports, improves health and economic equity, breaks intergenerational cycles of poverty, and meets the holistic needs of families and communities.