WASHINGTON, D.C. CLEVELAND, Ohio-President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-president elect Kamala Harris (both pictured) were sworn in on Wednesday at the White House as women in Cleveland will celebrate Harris, the nation's first Black and first women vice president, at Women's March Cleveland's fifth annual rally and women's march beginning at 1 pm. on Sat. Jan. 23, 2021 at Market Square on the city's near west side across from the Westside Market with a 2:30 pm anniversary march and caravan across the Carnegie Bridge.The contact phone number for the nonpartisan event is Women's March Cleveland at (216) 659-0473 CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE FOR THIS EVENT
The nation's 46th president and a former U.S. senator and vice president who served under Barack Obama, the country's first Black president, Biden's inauguration drew a host of dignitaries and well wishers to the nation's capitol, including Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, former President George Bush, members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and several of the Supreme Court justices such as Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a President Trump appointee who cruised through confirmation hearings late last year.
While Vice President Mike Pence was there as scheduled, Trump did not attend and, instead, gave a farewell speech before supporters and his family before exiting the White House earlier in the day on Marine One, leaving behind a legacy of political divisiveness and unrest, and some 400,000 Americans dead from a coronavirus pandemic that he refused to take seriously.
There were no large crowds at Biden's inaugural ceremony due to COVID-19 and the fear of more violence by Trump protesters, an inaugural celebration that was void of the angry mob that seized the Capitol and stormed congressional chambers two weeks ago at Trump's insistence, a historic riot that left four protesters and a capital police officer dead and culminated in the president's subsequent impeachment for a second time.
Lady Gaga, Jenifer Lopez and Garth Brooks were among those who performed.
Biden was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, by his side.
He said during his inauguration speech that he will be " a president for all Americans."
A former California attorney general and U.S. senator, Harris, was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer, an Obama appointee and the only Latino on the nine-member court that has a 6-3 conservative majority.
Her well-suited husband, Doug Emhoff, is a millionaire entertainment lawyer, and now America's second man.
The couple is set to become the eighth permanent residents of Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of the vice president.
Both Biden and Harris had an array of family members at the inauguration.
Cleveland women said that they are ready to march for women's rights in Cleveland on Jan 23, just three days after the inauguration, and that the theme of the annual women's march in the largely Black major American city is "A new era."
"We are preparing for a peaceful rally and march this weekend in Cleveland as we celebrate a new era for women, look back on the gains and losses since this new women's movement took off in January 2017 after former President Trump was inaugurated, and call for President Trump and Vice President Harris to make do on promises to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio women, Black people, and impoverished urban cities like Cleveland," said Women's March Cleveland head organizer Kathy Wray Coleman, a Black Cleveland activists and former public school biology teacher.
Ohio state Sen. Sandra Williams of Cleveland is among the rally speakers and will speak specifically on the Jan 22 anniversary of Roe v Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
"We will use every means at our disposal as we continue the ongoing fight to protect Roe v. Wade and its legacy," said Coleman.
Women's March Cleveland will also denounce the failure by the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute the two White Cleveland cops involved in the 2014 deadly shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
Other event issues for Saturday's women's march in Cleveland include public education, reproductive rights, immigration and legal system reform, Blacks lives, equal pay, climate change, the Violence Against Women's Act, voting rights, opposition to pro-"Stand Your Ground" legislation in Ohio and elsewhere, racism, sexism, homophobia, excessive force against Black women, and disparities regarding to Black and Latino as to the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers said they will also push for more women to be represented in science and technology fields at the upcoming rally and march.
Additional event speakers include family members of Cleveland women killed by domestic and other violence, state Rep. Stephanie Howse of Cleveland, whose speech will include a discussion on the dangers of "Stand Your Ground" legislation in Ohio and elsewhere as it relates to Black women and Black people, activist and motivational speaker Genevieve Mitchell of Cleveland, and Cleveland Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana.
Four of the publicly announced candidates for the 11th Congressional District congressional seat soon to be vacated by future HUD secretary Rep Marcia L Fudge, who has been nominated for the post by President-elect Joe Biden, will speak, namely County Councilwoman Shontel Brown, former state Rep John Barnes Jr. former state senator Nina Turner, and Lavern Jones Gore.
Brown, Barnes Jr, and Turner, a co-chair of Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign and a Sanders surrogate, are Democrats, and Jones Gore is a Republican.
Brown is also chair of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, the first Black woman to hold the post.
Other speakers include state Rep Juanita Brent of Cleveland, state Sen Nickie Antonio of Lakewood, Akron City Council President Tara Samples, area clergy, educators Dr. Robin Simmons and Dr. Mary Rice of the Metro Cleveland Alliance of Black School Educators, who is also an East Cleveland School Board member, Dr. Bennanaye Brooks of the League of Women Voters Greater Cleveland Chapter, and community activists Delores Gray of the Brickhouse Wellness Empowerment Center, Lee Thompson of Refusefacism. org, Don Bryant of the Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network and Peace Action, and Alfred Porter Jr. of Black on Black Crime.
Black Women's PAC President Elaine Gohlstin is the mistress of ceremonies.
Coronavirus safety precautions are required, including face-masks and social distancing, organizers said.
On Jan 21, 2017, days after President Trump's inauguration, hundreds of thousands of women in Cleveland and across the country, led by the national women's march out of Washington D.C., took to the streets for the first women's march to march against President Trump's racist and anti-female rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign and to fight for women's rights in general, the largest single day protest in American history.
Women's March Cleveland has been consistent in hosting an anniversary women's march each January since the first women's march in January of 2017 where 15,000 women across Northeast Ohio took to the streets of downtown Cleveland to march for equality.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
