With the COVID-19 pandemic, a reckoning of the history of racism in our country, and a momentous election, 2020 has proved to be a challenging year.

A recent announcement that projected Joe Biden as the President-elect of the United States has brought many people a sense of certainty for our country amidst a year of uncertainty.

“I am overjoyed, exhausted, and so proud of the work that organizers have done in important states like Georgia and Pennsylvania,” said Seattle Pacific University alumna Emma Wyma. “We must recognize the work that Stacy Abrams, LaTosha Brown, and other leaders did to change the course of the election for a Biden/Harris win.”

Wyma, who was an organizer for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential bid, is feeling hopeful about the next four years.

“I am so excited for this win,” Wyma said. “One that is spearheaded by younger voters, pushing for climate reform, better healthcare, a more balanced economy, and structural change toward racial equity.”

Senior communication major Annika Nolen felt speechless when she woke up to the news of Biden’s win.

“It was like duct tape over my mouth was finally ripped off. After four years of that, you almost don’t know what to say. As the results sunk in, I just cried,” Nolen said over Facetime. “It was this overwhelming sense of hope for America.”

President Donald Trump will become the first President to lose a re-election campaign since George H. W. Bush lost against Bill Clinton in 1992. Trump’s loss feels like a gain to many across the country.

“It’s amazing to have a new President who isn’t going to tweet random things at 2 am and who is going to try to heal this country instead of tear it apart,” said junior education major Sydney Hack. “It’s also amazing to have a woman as Vice President. Women and especially women of color, finally see representation at one of the highest positions in the country.”

Healing the country after years of division and struggle is something that Biden’s campaign has stressed. Biden gave his victory speech on Saturday night in Wilmington, Delaware, with unity being the main message.

“I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation,” Biden said. “And to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home. It is the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for that vision. And now, the work of making that vision real, it’s a task, the task, of our times.”

Whether or not Biden will deliver on said task is up for debate. People that voted for his progressive ticket will be the ones to hold him to it.

“It is going to be so enticing to tune out after tonight; instead we must tune in and turn up for the ongoing work,” Wyma said.

A message from the progressives who voted for Biden could be paraphrased as: Don’t get comfortable.

“This doesn’t mean it’s over, we have lots to do, and lots to still push and work for, but this is the momentum. This is the step. History is being made and I can’t wait to see it,” Nolen said.

Biden’s message of unity and being a President for all Americans is something that deeply resonated with people.

“I can’t definitively say what exactly a Biden administration will look like, because every politician can say they wanna do stuff, but there are certain things that block them from doing so. What I hope is that under the Biden administration, he can actually bring unity,” Nolen said.

This election cycle feels like a step in the right direction for many Americans, especially for people who are often overlooked under conservative leadership, like women, People of Color, and the LGBTQ community.

“There are so many women who are disenfranchised by the divisiveness of the two party system, and who feel like their civic duty isn’t required, or wanted, in their communities,” Wyma said. “By building connections between other women, cultivating a sense of ownership over ourselves and over our communities, I truly think we can build an America that works for everyone.”

This news has brought a feeling of hope to so many. For them, it feels like America can let out a sigh of relief after this tumultuous year.

“[Biden/Harris] may not be perfect, but it feels amazing to finally be able to celebrate something in 2020,” Hack said.