How Harris’ call to not be the last woman VP inspired girls of all ages
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris (left) at her and President-elect Joe Biden’s victory celebration on Saturday, November 7, 2020 and six-year-old Jordyn Smith (right) of Mount Healthy, OH, who like so many other girls and young women of color, have been inspired by Ms. Harris’ accomplishments.
“But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” Kamala Harris said during her vice presidential-elect acceptance speech.
And girls everywhere were listening.
Among them was six-yearold Jordyn Smith of Mount Healthy, OH, whose words at a summer protest struck a chord across the country when she said, “Well the people that are saying Black lives matter, it makes me proud, happy. It made me feel like — it made me feel like I was a person.”
Months later, television station WLWT caught up with Jordyn to get her reaction to Harris’ speech.
“I feel like I can accomplish anything in the world just like her, because she’s the first Black lady in the White House,” Jordyn said.
High school students Rachel Scales, a senior at Riverview East Academy, and Kailei Brown, a sophomore at Woodward High School, had strong thoughts as well.
“We weren’t allowed to vote, now we’re being voted for,” Scales said.
“It just made me feel like we are able to do anything. We aren’t limited just because of the color of our skin and that we are able to do whatever we put our minds to,” Brown said.
“I’m just happy that she is breaking down stereotypes, one step at a time, literally. It took one vote at a time to now break down stereotypes that have been in place for years,” Scales said.
Harris’ win proves what was always true for girls everywhere and taught sixyear- old Jordyn a very valuable lesson.
“Anything that comes to your mind, that’s what you can be,” Jordyn said.
