On the inaugural stage, singer Jennifer Lopez sang "This Land Is Your Land." She then broke into Spanish, saying, "Una nacíon bajo Dios con libertad y justicia para todos." One nation under God, with liberty and justice for all. The daughter of Puerto Rican parents, Lopez's presence during the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris is a game-changer.
Throughout her career, Lopez has forged a path for Latinx people across the world. In her acting and singing career, Lopez created space for others to follow in her footsteps, and given young Latina girls a role model who they could look up to and strive to resemble. Under the previous administration, when Latinx and Hispanic people were alternatively called "bad hombres," vilified, and locked in cages at the border, a Latinx woman calling for justice for all in Spanish speaks volumes.
The new tone, coupled with President Biden's pledge to reunite children separated at the border with their parents, is a welcome change.
Coming only minutes after Vice President Kamala Harris became the first woman and person of color to hold the position, Lopez's presence on the stage has already shown that diversity will be an important cornerstone of the Biden administration.
