These Historic Days

Representatives Haaland and Davids embracing afterwards

On the 3rd of January, the 116th Congress was sworn in. This body has already received much attention as being the most diverse (in so many ways) Congress ever and there were many hand-to-my-heart moments fas I read about the new Representatives, especially the women elected to Congress.

Nothing moved me more deeply than the swearing in of two Native American women: Deb Haaland, New Mexico, a member of the Pueblo tribe, and Sharice Davids, Kansas, a member of the Ho-Chunk tribe. Haaland wore her regalia to her swearing in, signaling visually that the times they are a changin' indeed. I cried as stories popped up about them, about their swearing in, about the Native color guard present in D.C., about the hug (and tears) the two of them exchanged immediately afterwards.

On the same day, these photos popped up in my email from Mona, Alise's mother. She and Ramona were out shopping.

Here is Ramona with her beloved Nana:

And her is our granddaughter showing off her new hoops:

Ramona is a force to be reckoned with: bright, confident, full of energy. My father is a huge fan of hers. "That girl is going to be our first Native American president!" he will often exclaim.

He and I talked about the two new congresswomen and what it meant for this nation and what it meant to the tribes to have this representation. He repeated his prediction that Ramona will go far.

As the grandmother of two, soon to be three, Native children, I am grateful this moment has happened. I know that Ramona, Lyrick, and Orlando will face challenges in this country because of their ethnicities (all of them) and tribal connections (Montana Little Shell Chippewa tribe).

But I also know that a BIG door opened on January 3. 

Here's to their futures.