Grace Bienstock ’26
This year has certainly been a memorable one. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the election, 2020 has been a year to never forget. Despite the hardships of this past year, this year’s election has had some huge wins for females in the field of politics, as so many firsts have been reached for women in the election.
One of the most exciting of these wins was Kamala Harris becoming the first female Vice President-Elect. Harris’ passion first grew from her mother, Shyamala, who was an Indian-American immigrant. Harris was born in Oakland, California in 1964, and she earned an undergraduate degree at Howard University and a law degree at the University Of California. In 2003, she became the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco, while in 2017, she was sworn in as the Senator of California. Since becoming a senator, Harris has raised wages for working people, extended access to childcare for working parents, helped reform the criminal justice system, and much more. In becoming Vice President-Elect, her intelligence and bravery serve as an inspiration for girls all around the country.
The accomplishments reached by women in the 2020 election did not stop there. Yvette Herrell became the first Native American woman to serve in Congress, Cynthia Lummis became the first woman to represent Wyoming in the U.S. senate, and Michele Rayner-Goolsby became the first queer black woman to serve in the legislature in Florida’s House of Representatives.
Despite all the crazy events this year, the election has been inspiring and successful for women. Regardless of their political party, these wins are something to celebrate for women all across the country. These accomplishments have united women from both parties as they celebrate a bright future for females.