By Louis Chan, AsAmNews National Correspondent
Aftab Pureval accepted the oath of office Tuesday morning as mayor of Cincinnati in an outdoor ceremony before friends, family, and government leaders.
Pureval presented an optimistic vision for the city’s future, one based on racial equity and inclusion.
The city scrambled in 48 hours to move the ceremony from Cincinnati Music Hall to Washington Park as a safety precaution made necessary by the omicron variant.
District Judge Timothy S Black administered the oath to Pureval, the son of a father who grew up in Punjab, India, and a mother from Tibet.
Pureval told his family’s story often during his campaign.
“It’s core to who I am. It’s central to who we are as a country,” said Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor during his acceptance speech.
“My dad’s bold courage tilted the axis my life is based,” he continued. “My dad’s bravery and my parent’s immovable trust in this country forever changed my and my brother’s lives.”
Pureval pledged to “unlock” the city’s potential, to turn “our shared goals into tangible results,” and to take “bold action to protect natural resources.”
Besides Pureval, nine council members also were sworn-in. The council is made up of eight Democrats and one Republican.
”Today in Cincinnati, we have a coalition to get it done,” said the mayor. “We have an awesome responsibility to our system of government. It’s on us to make democracy work. The American experiment is not a failure. Self-government is effective. Truth matters. Let’s hope for a better future for our children.”
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