Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1337485
Amanda Gorman reads her inaugural poem. "It's the honor and privilege of a lifetime to serve as a voice for all Californians at this critical moment in our nation's history. As the proud son of immigrants from Mexico, I'm committed to working as hard as my parents did to build a better future for the next generation." —U.S. Senator Alex Padilla Vice President Harris gives the oath of office to Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Alex Padilla of California, and Jon Ossoff of Georgia. We are striving to forge our union with purpose. To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man. And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us. … The new dawn balloons as we free it. For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it. Excerpts from " The Hill We Climb" by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, daughter of Los Angeles teacher Joan Wicks. "The Hill We Climb" The president, vice president and their spouses at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Courtesy U.S. Department of Defense 24 cta.org Feature That Kamala Harris, a product of California public schools, is our vice president – the first woman and first person of Black and South Asian descent to hold the office – makes us proud and gives us hope for the future. Our children can look to her to see what is possible." —CTA President E. Toby Boyd