In the midst of the historical 2016 elections, most are still in shock, and barely believe who the nation’s leaders actually are and others are still deep in the shadow of pure blackness. Our social media news feeds were so intensely pessimistic and sad that some of us have had to stay out of these for days. What you probably don’t know is that there are stars in an inescapable black hole of Trump-Pence. However, there are a few notable milestones from the 2016 election that should not be ignored.
1. California’s first Indian-American Senator, Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Becoming the first ever Indian-American Senator, as well as the first black senator from California, Kamala Harris’ victory was truly amazing. Following the footsteps of Carol Moseley Braun, who was the first black woman Senator in 1993, Harris has been the light at the end of the nightmarish tunnel for many. Before being elected, she fought against crime organizations and elementary school truancy (student’s unexcused absence) as Attorney General of California. Just so you have an idea of the fighter that won, on her victory speech she expressed: “When we have been attacked and when our ideals and fundamental rights are being attacked, do we retreat or do we fight? I say we fight!”
2. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the first Indian-American Woman Elected to the House of Representatives
Bernie supporters may remember her because he endorsed her, but Jayapal, an immigration rights activist is a trailblazer in her own right: she supports $15 per hour minimum wage as well as a ban on assault weapons. Just before achieving victory, she spoke to what she knew was an anxious public: “If our worst fears are realized, we will be on the defense as of tomorrow…We will have to fight for social justice as never before.”
3. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), the first Vietnamese-American congresswoman
On the other side of the country, Florida chose another great woman! Stephanie Murphy, who profusely underestimated by her Republican opponent, 23-year incumbent John Mica,Murphy is now the first Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress. The reason of Murphy’s underestimation was due to the fact that she has no history in politics; her former jobs were national security specialist for the U.S. Secretary of Defense and executive at Sungate Capital. Going even deeper, she was inspired to get into the race after the Pulse nightclub shooting and was endorsed by the Obama-Biden team in addition to the Human Rights Campaign. Having a patent for sports clothing herself, the Representative promotes female entrepreneurship with projects such as Support our Scholars and the Creative City Project.
4. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Iraq War Veteran (WIA) and Senator-elect for Illinois
In a landscape full of firsts, Tammy Duckworth joins the ranks as the first woman Senator to have seen combat and the second Asian-American woman elected to Senate. “I’m here tonight because of the miracles that occurred 12 years ago this Saturday,” referring to the day a grenade crashed her helicopter and caused her the loss of her two legs in the Iraq war. A former member of the Black Hawks, the daughter of an American father and Thai woman was personally asked by Obama to serve as assistant Veterans Affairs’ secretary. Duckworth also co-authored the Clay Hunt Act which pointed to better access to mental health care for veterans and soldiers. She will continue to work towards veteran’s health care as Senator, accompanying more affordable college education and to make Illinois the leader in renewable energy.
5. Somali-American Minnesota state legislator Ilhan Omar
“It’s the beginning of something new,” expressed the Ilhan Omar, upon being elected the first Somali-American legislator in her state of Minnesota Elected Minneapolis Representative, Omar turned into the first Somali-American Muslim woman legislator in American history. Upon arrival to the United States as a refugee with her family, Omar was impacted by the level of religious intolerance and racial inequality that plagues the nation. This sufficed as reason for her involvement in politics. Omar’s campaign was focused on criminal justice reform, climate change and economic equality. Full of optimism, Omar expressed that she was “excited to be able to be on the ground at the Capitol representing the diverse people of my district and being a champion with them and for them.” Girls in every corner of the nation, we may not have gotten the first Female President but we got many other champions.
6. Catherine Cortez-Masto, the first Latina Senator in US history
Meet Catherine Cortez Masto, the Senator-elect who is now the first Latina elected to the U.S. Senate in its history. Cortez-Masto became a glimmer of hope when she was elected, as the public that shared her heritage uttered a collective sigh of relief.. Cortez-Masto was born in Las Vegas but her grandfather came to the US from Chihuahua, Mexico. Even though the fact that she’s not a Spanish speaker was used against her by her opponents, the people who voted for her didn’t seem to care since her desire to protect those “who are fighting for their future,” was bigger. Cortez-Masto had the support of and President Obama and the First Lady, as well as from Vice President Biden and the own Hillary Clinton. The former Nevada chief law enforcement officer passed laws against methamphetamine manufacture. As Senator, Cortez Masto has vowed to work towards increasing minimum wage, paid family leave and immigration reform.
Other Latino firsts include Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), the first Dominican-American to Congress and Darren Soto (D-FL), the first Puerto Rican to represent Florida in the House of Representatives.
7. Dr. Vargas Vidot, the first Independent Senator-at-Large for Puerto Rico
Speaking of Puerto Ricans, we managed to choose a truly great human being as Senator. Doctor Vargas Vidot, the community activist and founder of Communitarian Initiative, is the first independent senator in P.R.’s legislative history.i. He admits that he had to pinch himself because he just couldn’t believe it was happening. The doctor expressed that he is “clearly getting a mandate from the people that grew tired of the little inside fights.” He also says that he plans to act and work in the Senate just as he does out on the streets, helping others.
8. Jennifer González Colón (R-PR), the first female Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
On November 8, González Colón, of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP), became the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, a congressional position which functions as representation without vote for Puerto Rico within Congress. González Colón previously functioned as Puerto Rico’s Speaker of the House of Representatives and is currently the President of the Puerto Rico Republican Party. A fervent supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico, the first female female Resident Commissiner also vowed to be the last, as helping make Puerto Rico the 51st state of the Union is her top priority as congresswoman.
9. Planned Parenthood is here to stay
You may have read that Vice President-elect Mike Pence will work with Trump towards defunding Planned Parenthood, a program that helps women nationwide get the health care they need, birth control and, in some facilities, abortion. They both want to defund this purely based on the fact that they think abortion is wrong. However, Planned Parenthood is so much more than that: they provide health care services like pap-smears, mammograms, STD screenings and birth control methods. It is also worth noting that Planned Parenthood is a service used widely by women of low-income and teenagers and young women Thankfully underneath all the hub-bub of the horror story come true that the media threw at us, President made sure that the 100-year old service would stay.
This new rule, as informed by the Huffington Post, was proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services. It basically means that states cannot defund Planned Parenthood because some of its clinics offer abortion services. Even though Trump, Pence and other Republicans elected try their hardest to demonize Planned Parenthood, “women will still be able to access the birth control they need, and the cancer screenings they need to stay healthy” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, said..”. Thanks to the Obama administration, the new Title X rule will pass to 30-day public comment period, which it will likely pass and thus will make politicians grasp that law cannot be ignored “as they pursue their agenda to stop women from getting the care they need,” Richards concluded.
While the world seems to fall apart when racist acts have a green light, there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. These people, have made history. Try to think of them and make their history over shadow the presidency’s history.