Donald Trump became the President-Elect of the United States last week, leaving many Americans shocked, disappointed, and scared. While Hillary Clinton didn’t manage to shatter the highest glass ceiling, not all hope is lost. Many women of Congress had their own record-breaking wins this week, causing the number of women of color in the Senate to quadruple. If you’re in need of some post-election inspiration, here are 7 amazing women who made history this week.
Tammy Duckworth
Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth won her Senate race in Illinois, making her the second Asian-American senator and the first Thai-American woman in Congress. As a decorated war veteran, she’s also the first female senator to have seen combat. According to the Huffington Post, she lost both legs during the Iraq War while landing a helicopter that was struck by a grenade.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Catherine Cortez Masto made history as the first Latina senator when Nevada elected her to the Senate on Tuesday. Cortez is the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant, and Nevada’s former attorney general.
Pramila Jayapal
Democrat Pramila Jayapal was elected to represent Washington in the House of Representatives, making her the first Indian-American woman Representative. She’s also the first person of South Asian descent to be elected to the House, and she plans to further fight for immigrants’ rights while in office.
Ilhan Omar
Former refugee Ilhan Omar became the first Somali-American Muslim legislator when Minnesota elected her to the state legislature this week.
Kamala Harris
California Democrat Kamala Harris is of Jamaican and Indian descent. She also had a historic win, making her the second African-American woman ever elected to Senate and the first ever Indian-American senator.
Stephanie Murphy
As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Democrat Stephanie Murphy became the first Vietnamese-American woman to be elected to Congress when she won a House seat in Florida.
Kate Brown
Oregon elected Kate Brown as governor, making her the first openly LGBT governor in U.S. history.