Pete Buttigieg becomes America’s first out Cabinet member
Buttigieg was confirmed as the Secretary of Transportation by a bipartisan vote.
World leaders
President Biden orders end to fossil fuel subsidies
The executive order “directs federal agencies to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies as consistent with applicable law and identify new opportunities to spur innovation, commercialization, and deployment of clean energy technologies and infrastructure.”
President Biden overturns the ban on transgender military personnel
“President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America’s strength is found in its diversity,” the White House said in an emailed statement.
Kamala Harris becomes the U.S.’s first female, first black, and first Asian-American Vice President
Ms. Harris, who is of Indian-Jamaican heritage, was sworn in just before Joe Biden took the oath of office to become the 46th U.S. president. She has already broken historic barriers for women and people of color in the U.S.
Deb Haaland slated to be first Native American Interior Secretary
If confirmed, her role will include overseeing the government’s relationship with the 567 federally recognized tribes and 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Joe Biden becomes the first President or President-elect to mention trans people in official remarks
It seems that the eventual 46th President is beginning to follow through with his campaign promise to trans people that he believes “that Trans Lives Matter,” as he wrote in an article for LGBTQ Nation last month.
New Zealand PM appoints first female indigenous foreign minister
After being re-elected in a landslide victory last month, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continues to make positive progressive change in the country. Yesterday, she appointed Nanaia Mahuta as the country’s first indigenous female foreign minister.
Prince William launches £50 million prize to find innovative solutions to the world’s greatest problems
The Earthshot Prize is centered around five “Earthshots,” simple but ambitious goals for our planet: 1) Protect and restore nature, 2) Clean our air, 3) Revive our oceans, 4) Build a waste-free world, and 5) Fix our climate.
New Zealand Prime Minister pledges to reach 100% renewable energy across nation by 2030
New Zealand’s Labour party has pledged that—if elected in the upcoming October 17 elections—all energy generation in the country will be 100% renewable by 2030. This ups a previous target of phasing out all non-renewable energy by 2035.
Katerina Sakellaropoulou becomes Greece’s first female president
A high court judge and ardent human rights advocate has been elected Greece’s first female president in a historic vote by parliament.