With every new day comes the morning dew. As the sun rose is in the east on Monday, January 4, 2010, a new day for Houston was dawning, a day filled with the kind of hope and promise that any new day brings. However, this day, unlike most new days, was quite special in that it was the day that the city of Houston made history. Although the second female mayor took the oath of office on this day, this mayor was different. She is the first openly gay mayor, male or female, of the city of Houston. Now what does sexual orientation have to do with the way a city is run? Absolutely nothing, but in the eyes of some Houstonians, it means everything.

Holding hands with her life partner, Annise D. Parker walked onto the stage at the Wortham Theater to a thunderous ovation of cheers from those in the audience. Though demonstrators raised their voices outside the theater in protest to her election to the prestigious office she now holds, Parker was well-received inside as she raised her voice to speak to a community she knows so well. “I want to speak now to those from my community, to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered,” she began. “I understand how much this day means. I feel your excitement and your joy, your apprehension and your longing for acceptance. I will gladly carry you forward. But today is simply one step toward a tomorrow of greater justice.”

“Greater justice” not only belonged to Mayor Parker on this day but also to newly elected City Controller Ronald Green. A new day was dawning for him as his election broke barriers when he became the first African American to hold the office. Together Mayor Parker, City Controller Green and the fourteen members of the Houston City Council will mold Houston into a better city, one that exemplifies “greater justice.” “There will be times when we disagree on how to achieve success, but each of us is here because we care deeply about this city’s future,” said Mayor Parker. It will be interesting to watch how this mayor interacts with the city council and controller. She knows all too well the roles and duties that each of them has as she has been a councilmember as well as city controller.

Having been given a city that is in good shape because of the due diligence of her predecessor Mayor Bill White, Mayor Parker only wants to continue the legacy of making Houston greater. In her address she painted a picture of what her vision of Houston will be. Harmonious neighborhoods where both the neighbors and police are friends and not foes, the future Houston will also have an extensive mobility system, be safe from overwhelming flood waters, have enduring partnerships, and have a low high school drop out rate. Mayor Parker said, “A great city imagines its own bright future and sets about to make that happen.” This Houston can be a reality for all to see, Mayor Parker believes, with the help of fellow Houstonians.

She knows that making her imagination real won’t be an easy task and that is why she asked Houstonians four things – prayer, patience, perseverance, and forgiveness in advance. “I firmly believe that our city’s future will be shaped by our citizens– not our politicians,” said Mayor Parker. In others words, Houstonians should not be shy in offering their suggestions and ideas about how to make Houston better because if it is better for one individual, it can be better for all people.

New, bright days continue to be in Houston’s future as we are a city that does not wait for the opportunities a new day brings, but we create them in advance of the new day’s dawning. The partying and celebration of this historic election has now ended for Mayor Parker when she held her first city council meeting minutes after she was publically sworn in. Now that the work has begun, let’s see what is next on Houston’s horizon.