A day of firsts
This past Saturday history was made as the election came to an end and the final results presented Joe Biden as the United States President-elect. Bigger still, history was made in America as Madame Vice President-elect Kamala Harris became the trifecta of FIRSTS:
- FIRST FEMALE VP.
- FIRST BLACK VP.
- FIRST SOUTH ASIAN VP.
Separated for distinction and individualized respect. As a woman of diversity, entrepreneur and mother I can say definitively say this is powerful on so many levels, representation just being one. Madame Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, is truly blazing trails and shattering ceilings left and right!
According to CNN, in a speech Saturday night in Wilmington, Delaware, before she introduced President-elect Joe Biden, Harris also thanked Black women, saying they are "too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy."
"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," Harris said. "Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they've never seen it before. And we will applaud you every step of the way," A new era of support and change is in the air and WE ARE HERE FOR IT!
Speaking of support, Wednesday 11/11 is Veterans Day, a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the United States Armed Forces. While it is widely known across the country, there are 4 common misconceptions about the holiday, starting with it's name.
There is no apostrophe as it is not a day that “belongs” to one veteran or multiple veterans, which is what an apostrophe implies. It’s a day for honoring all veterans — so no apostrophe needed.
Veterans Day is NOT the Same as Memorial Day. A lot of Americans get this confused, and we’ll be honest — it can be a little annoying to all of the living veterans out there. Memorial Day is a time to remember those who gave their lives for our country, particularly in battle or from wounds they suffered in battle. Veterans Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace — dead or alive — although it’s largely intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices.
It was originally called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, the fighting ended about seven months before that when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, was largely considered the end of “the war to end all wars” and dubbed Armistice Day. In 1926, Congress officially recognized it as the end of the war, and in 1938, it became an official holiday, primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I. But then came World War II and the Korean War, so on June 1, 1954, at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars.
Other countries celebrate it, too, in their own ways. World War I was a multinational effort, so it makes sense that our allies also wanted to celebrate their veterans on Nov. 11. The name of the day and the types of commemorations differ, however. Canada and Australia both call Nov. 11 “Remembrance Day.” Canada’s observance is pretty similar to our own, except many of its citizens wear red poppy flowers to honor their war dead. In Australia, the day is more akin to our Memorial Day. Great Britain calls it “Remembrance Day,” too, but observes it on the Sunday closest to Nov. 11 with parades, services and two minutes of silence in London to honor those who lost their lives in war.
Now that you know a bit more about the reason behind Veterans Day, take the time to thank a Vet for their brave service for the recognition means more to them, and their families, than you could ever imagine.