It Wasn’t the Inauguration We Wanted, But We’ll Get Our Joy in 2024
The momentousness of Kamala Harris’ ascension deserved more
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
I’m just gonna say it: Black folks were robbed of the opportunity to show out for Kamala Harris on Inauguration Day.
Joe Biden may have topped the ticket that mollywhopped Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, but the only enjoyable part of an otherwise miserable campaign for me was the excitement his running mate instilled in some of us. I was looking forward to seeing a sea of socially distanced Black folks wearing pink and green and/or Howard paraphernalia in celebration of Harris making history — and then, after the swearing in, watching her participate in the longest stroll most viewers at home would ever see.
I’m fully aware that the inauguration alone is no immediate cure for the societal ills currently plaguing this country, but it still would have been nice to see a bunch of Black folks happy about something happening in America on the news. (As difficult as it is to have any sizable faith in the system, I can always find some inkling of hope in the smiles of Black folks far less cynical than me.)
