This afternoon President Joe Biden was sworn in as our nation’s 46th President, along with Vice President Kamala Harris. After four long years, including one particularly difficult year ravaged by the covid-19 pandemic, it is time for our nation to come together and move forward. The people of our nation decided overwhelmingly that President Biden and Vice President Harris will lead us over the next four years, and the hard work begins today. 

We still have a long way to go until we’re past this pandemic and the hurt it has caused, from loss of life to economic difficulty. But together, united as one, we will be able to move forward and build on the promise of the American dream. 

“I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep, and they are real,” Biden said midway in his Inaugural address. “History, faith, and reason show the way of unity. We can see each other not as adversaries, but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect…Without unity, there is no peace. Only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No national, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is our path forward.”

These words and this sentiment are vital to our nation moving forward, to meeting the challenges that we face. One thing America needs at this moment is a compassionate leader with empathy, and it is clear, both from his speech today and his past history, that President Biden has compassion and empathy in spades. 

It’s also a historic day, with Vice President Harris becoming the first woman, African-American, and Asian-American, just sworn in as Vice President. Both President Biden and Vice President Harris are a testament to perseverance and will serve as an inspiration to millions around the country. 

Again, Congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Now, the real work begins.