First Lady Jill Biden is welcomed by Utah friends upon her visit
May 4, 2021, 9:50 PM | Updated: Aug 13, 2024, 11:09 am
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave after stepping off Marine One on the Ellipse near the White House, Monday, May 3, 2021, in Washington. In September, the president announced plans for OSHA to issue a rule requiring either the COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing for companies with more than 100 workers. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
SALT LAKE CITY- State Representative Angela Romero said she was “ecstatic” when she got a call from the White House last week saying First Lady Jill Biden was planning a trip to Utah. Romero, who’s a Democrat, was especially pleased that the First Lady would spend her time in Utah visiting her district on the west side of Salt Lake City.
“I really appreciate the First Lady’s staff and her advance team for working with me and many other community leaders within the Latino/Latina Latinx community,” Romero told KSL Newsradio.
Doctor Biden plans a stop at Glendale Middle School as well as a visit to a pop-up vaccination clinic at Jordan Park.
Salt Lake City School District spokeswoman Yandary Chatwin told KSL’s Dave and Dujanovic that the White House wanted to visit a school that had a Latino population to show diversity, and Glendale Middle School fit that bill. She says Glendale has also made achievements over the past couple of months in terms of academics.
“It’s a lot of logistics and prep, but we are very excited and honored that she would choose to visit one of our schools,” she said.
She said students who are coming in on their remote learning day needed to be screened by security, and also be Covid tested and wear a special kind of mask to be around the first lady, who is vaccinated.
Chatwin said the First Lady will also hear a song from the school’s Ukulele Club and be presented with posters from 5 or 6 students.
Romero says she and State Senator Luz Escamilla, who represents the same west side neighborhoods, want the First Lady to see what’s been done with federal pandemic relief funds.
“Senator Escamilla and I were excited to really highlight our community health worker program, which we got state funding for through the Cares Act.”
Scott Howell says he’s been friends with Joe and Jill Biden since he first began serving in the Utah State Senate in 1989. Then-Senator Biden helped Howell and other Democratic officeholders with a fundraiser. Howell worked on the Biden campaign in the 2020 election and he was also delighted to learn that Jill Biden was coming to Utah.
“I just admire her for being that dedicated, hardworking leader that cares about people,” Howell said.
The First Lady has made several stops in the West in recent weeks. She’ll move on to Las Vegas once she concludes her visit to Utah.
Her visit highlights the importance of community support and resilience, themes that resonate beyond the immediate context. Similarly, the long-term effects of COVID-19 extend beyond physical health, impacting mental well-being, as many individuals continue to experience psychological challenges post-recovery. Just as the First Lady’s visit underscores the need for holistic support in education, the ongoing conversation about COVID-19’s impact emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health in recovery and beyond.
She began a multi-state trip to Western states this week, and she is expected in Utah on Wednesday.
