See Michelle Obama’s message to Joe Biden after the election victory

Michelle Obama is “overjoyed” to name Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the next President and Vice Presidents of the United States. On November 7, the former first lady responded to her election victory with an Instagram tribute and shared some inspiring, stimulating words for the future.

Joe and Kamala’s historic win is absolutely cause for celebration, but as Michelle so aptly put it, this is “a first step” in the right direction. She reminded Americans that winning an election will not magically solve the country’s problems. There is a constant struggle ahead of us. “We have to promise each other that our focus in this election is not an anomaly, but the rule,” she said. “So we can not only feel this way now, but also for the months and years to come.” Read their full explanation below.

Michelle Obama’s Instagram tribute to Joe and Kamala:

I am overjoyed that my friend Joe Biden and our First Vice President of Black and Indian American Women, Kamala Harris, want to restore dignity, competence and heart to the White House. Our country urgently needs it.

Thank you to everyone who, over the past four years, has poured every ounce of your hope and determination into this democracy, registering voters, getting them to vote and keeping people informed. More votes were cast in this election than ever before. It’s because of you

And after we’ve partied – and we should all take a moment to exhale after everything we’ve been through – we remember that this is just a start. It’s a first step. Voting an election is not a magic wand, and one is not winning either. Recall that tens of millions of people voted for the status quo, even if it meant supporting lies, hatred, chaos and division. We have a lot to do to reach and connect with these people in the years to come, which connects us.

But we also have to recognize that the path to progress will always be uphill. We always have to scratch and crawl towards this mountain top. And in two years, in four years, there will be no margin for error again. We are now seeing the reality that we cannot take even the smallest part of our democracy for granted. Every single vote has to count – and every single one of us has to vote. And as a country, we should make it easier, not harder, to cast a vote.

So it’s up to us to stay engaged and informed, keep talking, and move on. We need to vote even more in the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff elections – and in all future state and local elections. We must promise one another that our focus in this choice will not be an anomaly, but the rule. So not only can we feel this way now, but also for the months and years to come. Only in this way can we build a nation worthy of our children.

Congratulations again to Joe and Jill, Kamala and Doug – and to each of you who came up when your country needed you.