John,

Today our country finally moves forward under new leadership that will deliver on the basic principles that can heal our fractured democracy — unity, common decency, and compassion for all Americans. With the swearing in of President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala D. Harris, we are ready to put the past behind us and step up to meet the incredible challenge in the months and years ahead. 

The immediate commitments from President Biden have been clear and swift — a return to the Paris Climate Accord to continue our fight against climate change, a plan to overhaul our immigration laws, the repeal of the discriminatory travel ban, and the delivery of economic relief and eviction protections for those who are struggling right now. And most importantly, in this moment, this Administration has a real plan to slow the spread of this virus and deliver the vaccine so we can get control of a pandemic that has left over 400,000 Americans dead and wreaked havoc on our economy. This is a moment where leadership is truly stepping into the void, and I couldn’t be more hopeful for tomorrow.

The joy I feel is overwhelming with the swearing-in of Kamala Harris as our Vice President. I join millions of women across the country in finally seeing a woman take the oath for one of the highest offices in the country. I join millions of Black women across this country in seeing Vice President Harris take a seat at the table that so many have fought to secure for so long. I am so proud of our new Vice President, and I know she will be a relentless fighter for all people because she is committed to doing the work day in and day out. 

Today is a proud day for our country. We are breaking barriers and we are bringing real leadership back to the White House. So today, we take this moment to celebrate, and relish in a time-honored tradition that ushers in a new day of hope for our country. The path is clear. The need is great. And I believe our new leaders are ready to carry us forward to a better tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Mayor London Breed