Best friends Summer Williams and Deria Frazier decided they were attending the inauguration back in August, when Kamala Harris was added to the ticket. Both women are Black, and Frazier is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Harris’ sorority. Neither made it to Obama’s inauguration and always regretted it. This time around, the chance to see the first Black woman sworn in as vice president was too good to pass up. “Once she was added and they won, there was just absolutely no way we were going to miss it,” Williams said.

Both women live a lengthy flight from Washington; Williams is from Texas and Frazier is from California. Frazier said she’s shopping online for hazmat suits and stocking up on Lysol for the flight, but Williams is a little more relaxed. She’s traveled several times during the pandemic, including a vacation to Mexico, and says she lives by the philosophy that you can get the virus anywhere, even your local Walmart.

“I’m not a MAGA. COVID is real and you need to do things to try to prevent it,” she insisted. “I understand it’s a risk going to the inauguration, but at the same time I feel like I’m at the same risk going to the grocery store or going out to eat.”

She added: “I guess the statement is, it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”