Culture / It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Devi Harris

It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Devi Harris

Culture Jan 21, 2021

by Hina P. Ansari

It actually happened and it’s still unbelievable. Bearing witness to history as Kamala Devi Harris gets elected to the Vice Presidency of the United States. Here are the highlights of this momentous inauguration day!

The Inauguration of the 46th President of The United States is not only an historic event for obvious reasons, but with Kamala Harris being inaugurated as the first Black and South Asian woman to be the Vice President of the United States gives us all the more reasons to rejoice and take in highlights of this remarkable day.

It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: (L-R) The brand new administration, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joseph R. Biden. Photo Credit: www.marieclaire.com

**It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: The official announcement.** Photo Credit: www.twitter.com

Pared Down But Still Powerful

Due to security reasons and in line with COVID-19 protocols, the crowds that would line The Mall were absent. However in their place a “Field of Flags” were in its place to honour those who would have been present but also to honour the 400K who were lost to COVID. The attendees at the Inauguration were far less than usual and spaced out according to their respective bubbles but the fact that history was being made, the impact was not lost in any way.

Our Time Has Come: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris — **It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: The Field Of Flags.** Photo Credit: www.houstonchronicle.com

The Substance Of Style

American designers were also celebrated. The evening before the Inauguration, Harris wore a fantastic jacket by Black designer Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyermoss. Inauguration Day had her donning a sophisticated bright purple ensemble by Black designer Christopher John Rogers.

Why purple? It holds a double meaning. Purple was the colour worn by Shirley Chisolm the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in 1968. In 1972, Chisolm became the first African-American to run for the office of the President. Purple is also is one of the primary colours of The Suffragette movement. Devised by Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, the co-editor of Votes for Women magazine, purple stands for loyalty and dignity, white for purity and green for hope.

Former First Ladies, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush wore the classic hue of the suffragette in various shades of purple, sending a strong unifying message. Purple is also seen as a sign of bipartisanship, as purple is the result of combining the colours red and blue.

One of the key performers Jennifer Lopez, also got that memo as she was resplendent head-to-toe in white Chanel.

Lady Gaga who wore a drop-waist gown Schiaparelli Haute Couture designed by Daniel Roseberry. It comprised of a gorgeous navy, cashmere fitted jacket and a red silk faille skirt topping it off with an oversized brooch of a gilded dove of peace holding an olive branch.

What also must be mentioned is the incredible poetry “The Hill We Climb” written and delivered by 22 year old Amanda Gorman, the youngest poet to deliver at an Inauguration. She finished the poem on January 6th, the eve of the Capital riots. She wore a ring depicting a caged bird, a nod to Maya Angelou’s iconic poem and a gift from Oprah. Also notable, is that she told The New York Times in 2017 she plans to run for president in 2036. Watch for her.

It's Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris — It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Photo Credit: www.abcnews.com

The Moment

The time has come. While watching the lead up to the main moment (for us) I couldn’t believe that it was actually happening. Here I was far away from the scene but feeling oh so deeply connected. In keeping with the various barriers being broken, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was charged with the swearing-in of Harris. The minute Harris stepped up to the podium my heart stopped and tears rolled down my cheeks. It was actually happening.

It's Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: Her swearing in ceremony presided by Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Photo Credit: www.cnn.com — **It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: Her swearing-in ceremony presided by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.** Photo Credit: www.cnn.com

It's Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: Vice President Kamala Harris as she sends off former Vice President Mike Pence. — **It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Harris: Vice President Kamala Harris with Second Gentleman Doug Enhoff as they send off former Vice President Mike Pence.** Photo Credit: www.cnn.com

Our time is indeed now. Kamala Harris has truly made a mark in South Asian herstory. And we are thrilled to be witness to it.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.marieclaire.com

Hina P. Ansari

Author

Hina P. Ansari is a graduate from The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario). Since then she has carved a successful career in Canada's national fashion-publishing world as the Entertainment/Photo Editor at FLARE Magazine, Canada's national fashion magazine. She was the first South Asian in...

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It’s Our Time Now: Highlights From The Inauguration Of Vice President Kamala Devi Harris

by Hina P. Ansari

Hina P. Ansari

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