Four Amazing Things

What a day! How are you all doing? Just before noon, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States and IT FELT SO GOOD!

Kamala Harris was officially sworn in as the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president; and Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court justice, administered the vice-presidential oath. What a moment.

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Did you see 22-year-old inaugural poet Amanda Gorman? She recited her beautiful poem “The Hill We Climb,” which began:

When day comes, we ask ourselves:
Where can we find light
In this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry, a sea we must wade.
We braved the belly of the beast,
We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace,
And the norms and notions of what ‘just is’
Isn’t always justice.
And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it,
Somehow, we do it.
Somehow, we’ve weathered and witnessed
A nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.
We, the successors of a country and a time
where a skinny Black girl, descended from slaves
and raised by a single mother,
can dream of becoming president
only to find herself reciting for one.

Her delivery was incredible — her graceful hands, her stirring pacing. Michelle Obama wrote on Instagram: “Keep shining, Amanda! I can’t wait to see what you do next. ? #BlackGirlMagic”

Speaking of… MICHELLE!!! I always feel so calm when she’s in the room. (And what a look!) On Instagram, she wrote: “Right now, I’m feeling more than just relief at putting the past four years behind us. I’m feeling genuinely hopeful for what’s to come.”

How are you feeling today? I’m full of emotions and knowledge that there’s so much work to do. On that note, we will be matching donations up to $1500 to the NAACP, whose goal is to push Biden’s administration to “create a Cabinet-level position focused on Racial Justice.” (Simply forward your donation receipts to hello at cupofjo dot com.) Thank you so much, and sending the biggest hugs your way.

xoxoxoxo Let’s talk below.