Wednesday, January 20, 2021, was a glorious day for many Americans coast to coast. The inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and the first woman of color Vice President Kamala Devi Harris ushers in a new day for our communities, our country, and the world. My pearl jewelry adorns my neck and wrist and my Chuck Taylors Converse sneakers are laced up tight and like Vice President Harris, I'm ready to hit the ground running. The jewelry and foot apparel references are made in the spirit of Vice President Harris rocking her Chucks and Pearls and scores of women and girls around the globe donning the same fashionable look, representing style, comfort, and the readiness to work hard for a greater cause and the good of mankind. Full disclosure, VP Harris and I are both members of the first black Greek-letter organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded on the campus of Howard University on January 15, 1908. In the early 20th century, African Americans faced formidable challenges as they sought ways to have a better way of life, being emancipated from enslavement just about four decades earlier. The Great Migration, starting around 1916, saw countless families of color relocate from the south to cities in the north in search of opportunities for better housing, education, employment, equal rights, and fair treatment. Institutions of higher learning for African Americans (Historically Black Colleges and Universities a.k.a. HBCUs) provided our forefathers and foremothers with a chance to gain a quality education that would help them secure a greater future. Schools like Howard University, Hampton University, Morgan State, Fisk, Tuskegee, Florida A & M, Spelman, and Morehouse, and students like Vice President Kamala Harris, Spike Lee, Sean 'P Daddy' Combs, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, and countless others are why many of us are basking in this historic moment. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and we will continue to make them proud.
Today, the new administration's first full day of work, may we all continue to take in this moment, but remember the work ahead. The fight continues for equal rights, fair housing, equal pay, a better healthcare system, affordable education, and so many more issues for many Americans. President Biden and Vice President Harris have their work cut out for them so let's do our part to support their efforts. And when you see your co-workers, mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbors, and friends sporting their Chucks and Pearls just know we are on a mission to help the Biden-Harris administration make our country a better place!
Order your Chucks and Pearls t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories at Kenitas Kreations on Facebook and KKREATEZZ on Instagram and use CODE: GALLERYGIRL1908
Photo Credit: Queen Photography, Tyrica Hendricks Duckett Productions, and Google images
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