Inauguration of Abigail Spanberger

Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s first woman governor,

With the inauguration of Abigail Spanberger as Virginia’s first woman governor, Ghazala Hashmi as lieutenant governor and the first Muslim and South Asian to hold statewide office, and Jay Jones as our first Black attorney general, our state turns a meaningful page in its history. This moment is about more than one election—it’s about progress, representation, and the slow but steady widening of who gets to lead.

As a South Asian Bengali woman, this moment resonates deeply with me. For so long, leadership in our country has not reflected the full diversity of the people it serves. Seeing barriers broken at the highest levels of state leadership sends a powerful message to all of us that our voices, talents, and dreams belong in every room where decisions are made no matter where we came from.

And as a doctor and a lawyer who has spent my career serving our community, I believe leadership should be rooted in service, empathy, and accountability. Today’s inauguration is a reminder that when we expand opportunity and representation, we strengthen our democracy—and our future.

#AbigailSpanberger #FirstWomanGovernorVA #GhazalaHashmi #JayJones #DrNilaDevanathForCongress