'It Opens So Many Doors.' Women See New Possibilities With Inauguration Of Kamala Harris
BOSTON (CBS) - It was an emotional day like no other for Alleah Salone.
"It doesn't feel real, almost keep pinching yourself," she said. She connected by Zoom to watch the historic inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with her sorority sisters. They can call Harris one of their own, right down to the strand of pearls each one symbolically wears for the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority Harris also belongs to. Today, Salone said, gives them hope.
"It opens so many doors -- that black girls like me can do anything."
She's seeing the first woman, Black and Asian American reach the second-highest political seat.
Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer knows what it's like to achieve a first as that city's mayor. "The most important thing is to be grounded, know who you are and who you bring to the table," said Spicer.
Spicer said she believes Harris will have a powerful voice in the Biden Administration, something she said is needed now, with mounting challenges like the pandemic, a struggling economy and a divided nation.
"I see this as an opportunity for healing between the parties, the need to be more inclusive, and that's what she brings to the table," said Spicer.
For the women gathered in solidarity, they say together they're watching a glass ceiling being shattered. "Now this is not something you just dream of and one day hope it comes to pass; we're seeing it today," said Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member Raquel Webster.
Salone believes, with her long list of legal and political accomplishments, Harris is no stranger to the pressure that comes with being a trailblazer. As she bears witness, Salone said she is embracing the historical moment. "To know how long it took to get here, the role of people who fought before us to give women the right to vote, people of color the right to vote."