Hosts: Diane Gil, KeKey Huessein & LG. Executive Producer: DJ LG

Episode Introduction: In this episode of ‘Now What’, we discuss Inauguration Day 2021, anda glimpse of what motivates each of us - “possibility”.  

Episode Summary:The episode focuses on Jan 20, 2021 as the official transfer of power to the Biden administration including our personal highlights from the day. We also discuss President Biden’s first day in office and what we expect from the administration over the next 100 days. 

In this episode, we begin the conversation with a reminder of the health of the nation on January 20, 2021 from the Covid pandemic, insurrection of the capitol on January 06, 2021. 

LG shared his interest in the Covid vaccine roll out and student loan forgiveness over the first 100 days, and changes made to abolish the electoral college during the Biden presidency. 

KeKey shared that while the executive order stops contracts with private for profit prisons, it does not close one prison nor does it apply to immigration detention centers. Day 1 of the Biden administration is a good start but it is not anything new. Over the first 100 days Key is interested in continued actions needed to address social issues such as police brutality, and a more targeted policy plan to address the socio economic issues facing “black and brown” communities rather than a generalized reference to the underserved and marginalized (aka code words that means not white). 

Diane is equally interested in student loan forgiveness and immigration reform and wants to see more direct actions laid out to eliminate the stigma associated with Hispanic Latinos and Blacks. She still demands the need to defund police, abolish ice, abolish structural racism.

We remind listeners that we must continue to demand social justice changes from the administration and that the power is with the people.

Inauguration Day Highlights:

• Biden completed his oath of office using a treasured family Bible that dates to the 19th century. The oath was administered by Chief Justice John Roberts.
• As she walked to her seat on the inaugural stage, Harris shared double fist bumps with President Obama symbolizing the significance, as Obama and Harris made history as the first African Americans to serve as president and vice president, respectively.
• Harris similarly fist bumped Michelle Obama, who made history as the country's first African American first lady.
• Harris took the oath of office using two Bibles during the oath. The oath was administered by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Justice.
• Harris officially became the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president.
• Amanda Gorman, the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate, delivered a poem in which she challenged Americans to "leave behind a country better than the one we were left" and unify.
• The inauguration featured powerful performances of the National Anthem by Lady Gaga. Jennifer Lopez sang a medley of American musical selections including "This Land is your Land" and "America the Beautiful," and Garth Brooks performed "Amazing Grace."
• Harris returned to the Capitol to swear in three new Democratic senators: Georgia's Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and California's Alex Padilla, who replaced Harris in the chamber.
• Their swearing-in officially gave Democrats control of the Senate for the first time since they lost the chamber in 2014. Harris will wield power as the Senate's crucial tie-breaking vote.

Key Facts:

• On January 20, 2021, the Biden administration enters office with the state of the nation facing multiple crisis:
• • The U.S has a total of 25M Covid cases and over 425K deaths
  • Trump grants clemency to 143 people on last night in office
  • Trump touts record and denounces violence in farewell address said in a videotaped "farewell address". 
  • The House impeached Trump for "incitement of insurrection" in connection with the riot, which left a Capitol Police officer and four others dead.
  • Military leaders removed 12 National Guard members from inauguration duty after a vetting aimed at preventing people with ties to right-wing extremists
  • Warnock will be Georgia's first Black senator; Ossoff will be the state's first Jewish U.S. senator. The Senate will be split 50-50, but Harris, who resigned from the Senate on Monday, will cast the tie-breaking vote as vice president
• On Day 1, President Biden took 17 executive actions Day consisting of presidential memoranda and agency directives from directing the Covid-19 pandemic response to cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline. 
• • 9 of 17 actions directly reverse from former President Trump's policies with plans to follow by centering each day of January on a specific theme. 
• Biden says during his first 100 days he will focus on Immigration, Criminal Justice, Foriegn Policy, Economy, Environment, Healthcare, Education (source: NPR)

“Now What” Takeaways:

• Reflect on the issues that matter most to you, and their priority on the Biden agenda. Stay up to date at https://www.whitehouse.gov/
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