As of January 20, 2021, our children and future children to come will never know an America where a woman didn’t hold one of the highest offices in the land. Kamala Harris is sworn in as the first female and first Black and Pacific Asian person as vice president is a monumental occasion, no matter where your political alliances lie.

But today’s inauguration didn’t just highlight Harris’ win. It put women at center stage in a way the country has never done before.

When it comes to politics, I am a fairly cynical human.

There are so many gray areas, things I don’t agree with on either platform available, that it’s hard to overlook the whole thing as one massive shortcoming. But today, as my son idly ate his lunch, I watched the inaugural stage be strategically graced with powerhouse women, and I felt the true presence of hope.

Today reminded me that our daughters, sisters, and nieces don’t just have Harris to look to.

The wife of our president holds a doctorate in education. We had the first Latina Supreme Court justice swear Harris in. We even watched two powerhouse women sing some of our land’s most sacred songs. And we heard the beautiful, hopeful words of the youngest inaugural poet who happened to be a dark-skinned intelligent young woman.

For the first time in history, all of the women in our lives could see themselves represented on that inaugural stage.

Today the message was plain and clear: Women can do anything, and do it well. It doesn’t mean that all of our problems are fixed. But it does mean another glass ceiling has been utterly shattered.

After nearly a year of living in this dreadful timeline, and four years of division, for the first time in a long time, I can feel us moving toward better.

As we heard Amanda Gorman so wisely recite today:

“The new dawn blooms 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”

Isn’t that what we want for all of our fellow women? Today we celebrate; tomorrow, we get to work.