Joe Biden inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the United States ushered in a new administration as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in to office.

The inauguration comes exactly two weeks after the violent insurrection at the Capitol in Washington D.C. and one week after the House of Representatives impeached former President Donald Trump for the second time in his lone fouryear term.

There were many “firsts” happening at the nation’s capital yesterday including Vice President Harris was the first female and first Black and South Asian person to become vice president and she was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to be appointed to the Supreme

Court.

The inauguration had performances by Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Garth Brooks, and Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in US history at 22, read a poem she wrote about the state of America and the hope of unity.

In a moving display, Andrea Hall, a firefighter from Fulton County, Ga. recited the Pledge of Allegiance both by speaking and signing in American Sign Language.

In President Biden’s speech, he condemned white supremacy by name and called for racial equality.

“A cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making moves us,” Biden said. “A cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear. And now a rise of political extremism, white su

premacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.”

His speech also included acknowledgement of a swift response to COVID-19 and talk of unity for the sake of the safety of all Americans.

“Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this,” he alluded to words from the Emancipation Proclamation.

Upon being sworn into office, President Biden signed 17 executive orders, focusing on issues ranging from COVID-19 to climate change to racial equity. Signing

these orders will bring the issues up first for legislation on those that require legislation. Biden rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement and revoked the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline which are both environmental victories, but the revocation of the permit for the pipeline is also a small victory for Native Americans as the project was to take place on their protected lands.

“I think some of the things we’re going to be doing are going to be bold and vital,” he said. “And there’s no time to start like today.”

In the next few days the new president is expected to sign more executive orders, and a now-even Senate will start conviction hearings on Trump’s second impeachment.