The newest group of House representatives is the most diverse the nation has ever seen. Including a record number of women, the first-ever Muslim congresswomen and the first-ever Native American congresswoman; this is a huge leap for minorities around the country. America is taking steps to more accurately represent all people within the group that determines the laws of the land, a sign that we are moving in the right direction politically.

Our current administration has been spreading hateful rhetoric and opinions about minority groups for some time now. President Trump’s comments regarding women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and other minority groups have repeatedly been demeaning and degrading, but this change in House representation shows that Americans are no longer blindly accepting these prejudices. American voters took to the polls and used their voices to elect House members that looked like them, thought like them and will vote like them. Many Americans saw a need for change and were pushed to proactively act upon this impulse in order to fight the biases of our current political leaders.

This positive change should act as a beacon of hope to those who have felt historically underrepresented in America. Many minority groups have never seen people like themselves in Congress, so this change could be empowering. In addition, Americans are understanding the immense power that comes with the right to actively choose our representatives. This change is a starting point, not an end goal. It is important to remember that Americans should never become complacent in progress. There is always more work to be done, more voices to be represented and more proactive steps to be taken to make America a nation of inclusivity. This House diversity shake-up points to progress, but we must never stop fighting to ensure that minority groups in America feels that its interests and perspectives are accurately represented in our nation’s leaders.