Austin women, students react to Kamala Harris becoming vice president
AUSTIN, Texas - History was made in Washington D.C. today. Not only did Kamala Harris become the first female vice president but the first vice president of color, representing a wide demographic.
FOX 7 Austin talked to several women on Wednesday to get their reactions.
For some of the women, the day is extra special because they are mothers. Meme Styles, a community organizer, said she held her newborn baby daughter while she watched the inauguration. "It's going to be pretty cool to see her grow up under this new world we're moving into," she said.
Nicole Bell is a staff development coordinator at Austin Community College, and she organized a panel of women on Wednesday to talk about Kamala Harris’ historic inauguration. She is also a mother.
"I'm celebrating two things today – I have a ten-year-old daughter whose birthday is today, and she aspires to be president," said Bell. "When I was 10, that would've never been one of the things I aspired to because I hadn't seen it happen."
RELATED: PHOTOS: Inauguration Day 2021
RELATED: Kamala Harris' buddy reminisces about bussing to school in Berkeley
FOX 7 Austin also spoke to local young women with their careers ahead of them.
"It was really inspiring to see someone in power who looks like me," said Sukeji Tombe, a 12th grader at Ann Richards School for Young Woman Leaders.
RELATED: ‘Ready to serve’: Kamala Harris sworn in as vice president in historic moment for America
RELATED: Biden, Harris supporters celebrate inauguration at Texas State Capitol
Lizbeth Frausto, also a senior at Ann Richards, said she decided to pursue a career in politics over the summer when she observed racial unrest across the country.
"The model of Ann Richards and now Kamala Harris gives me even bigger initiative, motivates me so much to pursue those dreams."
Amy Kroll recently founded the LBJ Women’s Campaign School at UT Austin with the specific intention of helping women get into politics. The timing could not have been better.
"We just graduated the first class and now she's being sworn in, Kroll said. "It's truly been a historic time for this program to launch."
RELATED: Vice President Kamala Harris bids farewell to predecessor Mike Pence in ‘honorary departure’
Inauguration Day marks significant moment for women in politics
The first Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is swearing in America's first woman and first Black and South Asian Vice President Kamala Harris. Director of Center for American Women and Politics Debbie Walsh talks about the historic day.
RELATED: Treasured family Bible to play role in Kamala Harris’ inauguration
She said they specifically opened up the application period for the incoming class yesterday because of today’s event.
Though they don’t believe the work to enact change is done, all of these women voiced a common theme of hope.
"Being a black woman in a position of leadership, there are so many barriers stacked against you," said Styles. "So with having this black woman at this position right now, I feel such a relief, I feel like the opportunities as a black woman are boundless."