This is the word I will remember most from Biden’s victory speech
On Nov. 7, 2020, the world learned the news about Joe Biden becoming president-elect. Many people took to the streets across the country to celebrate after a long week of counting ballots and analyzing voter turnout.
As day turned to night Saturday, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris addressed the nation and spoke about what the next four years in office would look like.
For those who watched, there were plenty of memorable moments. From Biden proclaiming his priority to unify the country, to Harris talking about her historic moment becoming the first woman to be elected Vice President.
But for me, one word in Biden’s speech will always resonate with me.
“Disability.”
During his victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden mentioned the disabled community, and I was left speechless. And I wasn’t alone. Just do a quick Twitter search for the hashtag #CripTheVote.
““We must make the promise of the country real for everybody — no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity or their DISABILITY,” the president-elect said Saturday night. ”
That was the first time I ever heard the President of the United States mention those with disabilities in a victory speech. At that moment, it didn’t feel like I was part of a segregated population. At that moment, I felt like an equal citizen.
It was only a small word for most people watching that night. But for me and others in the disabled community, it was so much more. It was a defining moment. After that mention, I finally felt heard, and it felt good.
A president, albeit a president-elect, openly acknowledged the disability. And he did it in his victory speech.
His acknowledgment for me was seen as a rallying cry for those in the disabled community. That our issues and needs may finally be heard and true change could be on the horizon. That opportunities for those with disabilities will increase and give us a chance to lead more meaningful, successful and enjoyable lives, just like our able-bodied counterparts.
People with disabilities make up “the nation’s largest minority,” with nearly 50 million Americans, according to the Department of Labor. So I believe our voice will only grow louder.
It may only be one word now, but hopefully, it will turn my cautious optimism into meaningful change for those living with a disability.