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Republican Winsome Sears made history Tuesday by becoming Virginia’s first black lieutenant governor. Upon learning of the win, Sears recalled her history, in an emotional speech alongside her family.
“I’m telling you that what you are looking at is the American dream. The American dream. When my father came to this country, August 11th of 1963, he came at the height of the Civil Rights Movement from Jamaica. He came and I said to him, ‘But it was such a bad time for us. Why did you come?’ And he said, ‘Because America was where the jobs and the opportunities were.’ And he only came with $1.75. Took any job he could find and he put himself through school and he started his american dream. And now he is comfortably retired. And then he came and got me when I was 6 years old, and when I stepped on that PanAm Boeing 737 and landed at JFK, I landed in a new world,” the Republican said to the applause of her supporters.
Despite being born in Jamaica, Sears said that she was willing to sacrifice her life for the U.S.: “Let me tell you this: I am not even a first-generation American. When I joined the marine corp I was still a Jamaican, but this country has done so much for me, I was willing, willing to die for this country,” she said.
The agenda of the lieutenant governor of Virginia
She also spoke about her race and assured that there are political factors in the United States that want to divide the country. “But I say to you there are some who want to divide us and we must not let that happen. They would like us to believe we are back in 1963 when my father came. We can live where we want, we can eat where we want, we own the water fountains. We have had a black president, elected not once, but twice. And here I am: living proof. In case you haven’t noticed, I am black, and I have been black all my life.”
Speaking about her administration’s agenda, she stressed that she and Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin will focus on providing children with a quality education. As well as generating wealth for all citizens.
