Following a heavy wave of disappointment with news of Hillary Clinton taking an unexpected loss, there were a few women making history or “herstory” on Nov. 8.
Overshadowed by the results of the Presidential election, six democratic women were elected into government positions. Three were elected to the House of Representatives and three in the United States Senate. What is even more amazing is that the three women elected into Senate positions are women of color.
This is something to celebrate people, despite Hillary’s loss. If you know politics, you know that women often do not run for positions and if we do, we sometimes do not win. This is steadily changing one woman at a time.
Six may not sound like a big number but to be elected in a male dominated field and to beat out republican male candidates who once held these positions is huge. This is only opening the door for more diversity and more advances as women, for women.
However, without further adieu, let’s get to know them!
Senator Kamala Harris, California
She is the second black woman to be elected into U.S. Senate Tuesday night since Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois in 1999. Harris serves as the Attorney General for California, where her new platform for senate includes issues such as climate change, college affordability and immigration reform just to name a few.
Harris’ roots in politics arguably began before she could even walk. She notes that her parents of Indian and Jamaican descent actively participated in the Civil Rights Movement. Later, she attended Howard University where she majored in political science and economics, got her first taste in campaigning and eventually became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. From there Harris attended University of California and earned her doctorate degree in law. In 2011, she was then sworn in as the Attorney General where she was the first woman and person of color to hold this title.
Black girl magic? I think so!
Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
Now this woman is girl power personified! Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran who is a double amputee and now holds a chair in the Senate that formerly belonged to President Barack Obama. Tammy was one of the first women in the United States Army to fly a Black Hawk during the Iraq war. A Black Hawk helicopter is serious business!
Aside from being a war hero, she is continuously finding ways to make life better for our veterans. Whether it is combating veteran homelessness, setting up a 24-hour VA hotline or even co-authoring a suicide prevention bill, she is determined to make it all happen. Speaking of making it all happen, Tammy is the first Thai American woman to be elected into Senate!
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada
Catherine Cortez Masto is officially the first Latina elected to the Senate defeating a strong male republican candidate. She is the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant whose platform stands on comprehensive immigration reform, increased minimum wage and equal pay. Aside from being the first Latina she is also the first woman to be elected in Nevada’s history.
Right before the President elect was announced, Masto was able to give her victory speech where she says, “I will promise you this, I will be one hell of a check and balance on him.” This is hope everyone. If you do not see it understand this, minority women are amongst some of the most underrated people not only in America, but in the world. So to be here to see the glass ceiling crack because of stilettos and not a pair of Stacey Adams is a huge jump in the right direction.
Representative Ilhan Omar, Minnesota
From refugee to House of Representatives, Ilhan Omar is adding on to the list of influential women who are minorities. Her story began as she escaped a Kenyan refugee camp where she landed after escaping the Somali civil war. She moved to the United States at 12 years old and has had the heart for women’s rights ever since.
On Nov. 8, following the disappointment of the President elect, Omar beat out her republican male counterparts as she became the state representative for Minnesota (which is a red state). Before her big win, she worked tirelessly as the director of policy at Women Organizing Women Network, which is an organization whose goal is to empower every woman with no exception as to who that woman is as well as crafting them into multifaceted community leaders. This a big win for Ilhan because it allows everything that she stands for, especially women’s rights, to be brought to the forefront of our new reality. The change is coming and we cannot wait to see it.
Representative Stephanie Murphy, Florida
The diversity just continues to get better. Meet the first ever Vietnamese American woman to be elected into congress! Stephanie Murphy beat out republican John Mica when she decided to run for congress following the Orlando night club shooting. I am still amazed that she won the seat from someone who held it for 23 years. This is huge!
She was able to stand on her platform of women’s health and gun control despite Mica’s opposition on them. The biggest surprise is that Murphy is literally a newcomer to the political world. So I guess the new President elect is not the only one who can run for something and win. In this case, we have someone who wants to work for everybody which means closing the dividing gap among democrats and republicans, while also making sure that those smaller voices do not remain unheard.
Representative Pramila Jayapal, Washington
Last but not least, we have Pramila Jayapal who is now the first Indian American woman to be elected into congress. She now sits in a seat that was once occupied by retiring representative Jim McDermott in which he won in 1988. 28 years later, it is now occupied by a woman. With several disappointing setbacks this election year, it is women like Jayapal who continue to assure the change that is about to take place.
With heavy support from Bernie Sanders, the immigrant and social justice advocate says, “if our worst fears are realized we will be on the defense [as of tomorrow].” Jayapal continues by saying, “we will have to fight for social justice as never before.” Even with the new President elect being an unfavorable candidate, Jayapal is confident that her district is a “light in the darkness”.
Even with the results of the Presidential election, I encourage you all to remain vigilant in all of the other great things that took place on Tuesday night. Whether you can see it or not, our future is female and it begins with us. We need more women in politics who celebrate womanism or feminism, reproductive rights, changing public policy, equal pay, diversity and ultimately closing the divide. We have to be those women.
Regardless of if you are a political science major or not, there are always ways to do your part. Now is the time to be apart of something great and to understand that no matter who the President is, we have prevailed before. If anything, recognize that girl power is the best power and if you recognize that, you are what it takes to ultimately fix the mess that has been created we will all come out on top.
Believe that you can be the change that not only our country, but this world needs. Women too often go unheard and sometimes prefer to stay that way. The change is coming ladies, all you have to do is look at your reflection to see it.