Greetings from Faribault!

Yesterday was a momentous day in the history of our great nation; for the first time, we have a woman serving in the role of Vice-President. We have to admit that this has been a long time coming. To put it in perspective, since the founding of the United States, 87 countries have elected or appointed a woman as the head of state or government. Currently, there are 29 countries where women hold the highest position in the land. While we can and should rightly applaud Kamala Harris as the first female Vice-President of the United States, it is important to note that we as a nation still cannot add to either of these lists.

But let’s not dwell on that fact for the moment; the reality is that having our first female Vice-President of the United States—and first Vice-President of Southeast Asian and Jamaican descent—is a really big deal and should be celebrated. And it should be celebrated by all Americans, no matter their gender or ancestry, because we understand that representation matters.

Often, Vice-President Harris has made it clear that she may be the first, but she is also determined to not be the last. In many ways, it is more important that there is a second, third, fourth, et cetera. As we look to the future success and prosperity of the United States, it is incumbent on voters to ensure that people elected to serve at the highest levels—and, ultimately, the highest level—of government represent the broad spectrum of American citizens.

Stay safe,