ATLANTA — President Joe Biden holds his first State of the Union on Tuesday, addressing the nation before a joint session of Congress, and some Georgians will join local lawmakers to watch the historic moment.
In abiding with the Constitution, Biden will deliver his message to Congress during the coronavirus pandemic, meaning a sparser crowd than the usual pomp and circumstance that surrounds a State of the Union address.
Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams has invited several esteemed virtual guests for Biden's speech.
Morehouse School of Medicine President and CEO Valerie Montgomery Rice will be one of Williams' guests. In a news release, the congresswoman said she had allocated $356,067 from the American Rescue Plan to help alleviate medical students from financial hardship stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"With this support Morehouse School of Medicine has been on the front lines of expanding healthcare and vaccine equity during the COVID-19 pandemic, saving lives in largely underserved communities," a news release reads.
Two small business owners will also join the congresswoman virtually.
Mignon Allen of College Park's Dovetail Consulting and Pouya Dianat from Beam Imagination in Atlanta both benefitted from American Rescue Plan programs.
"As a Black, female business owner, I’ve had to overcome institutional barriers to success, not the least of which has been fair and equitable access to capital, Allen said in a news release. "But through her dedication and advocacy, Congresswoman Williams demonstrated that me, my family, and my firm mattered. With her ongoing commitment to people who look like me, and the policies President Joe Biden will outline in his State of the Union address, I am confident we will have a safer and more equitable country.”
The congresswoman hosted a virtual discussion before the event.
