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Doing Life With... is a BellaNaija Features series that showcases how people live, work, travel, care for their families and... everything in between. We are documenting the lives of all people and ensuring everyone is well-represented at BN. Did you miss last conversation with Sweet Ope ? You can catch up here . This week, we are doing life with Emmanuel Osahor , a lawyer, teacher and founder and executive director of Slum to Stage Africa, a nonprofit founded to create preliminary and intermediate dance training for children and young adults in developing areas in Abuja through performing and creative arts programs that enhance both their academic and artistic performance. Enjoy the conversation! Hey Emmanuel, how do you do? I am very well, thank you. Can you share a bit about your background—your upbringing, education, and any key moments from your childhood that shaped you into what you are today? I grew up in a very traditional African home. Certain rules were absolute- no going out unless for errands; must be home before 5 pm; study hard to secure a good job with clear options: pursue professional courses, with a choice between medicine or engineering. I, however, decided to study law at Benson Idahosa University . One childhood memory that profoundly shaped my work ethic is a story my mother shared with me. When I was one month old, my mother had to sell farm produce in a town far from our village. She wrapped me on her back and set off with her younger brother on their motorcycle. Along the way, it started raining, so intense that my mother and her brother fell into the mud. Floodwaters swept away her sandals. Despite this, my mother pressed on, sold her produce at the market and returned home barefoot. Whenever we visited that area later in life, she would point to where she had fallen and say, “This is where I fell, with you on my back.” Her story made me decide that distance would never be a barrier to impacting others, achieving my goals or securing the bag. So, you’re a ballet dancer Yes, I am. Before we talk about that, how do you balance lawyering with dancing? Both career paths are so demanding and rewarding, and I’m still figuring out how to balance them. I remember when I was preparing for my Bar Finals, and I received a call from Kaffy to perform with the dancers at the Big Brother Naija 2019 Opening Night. Some of my classmates—who had seen me on TV and social media—wondered if I was even studying for the exams. Most days, I rush from rehearsals during office breaks, or after hours when my colleagues have already gone home. The fun part? The thrill of changing outfits in the car on the way to my next appointment. One moment I’m in a suit; the next, I’m in a costume. It honestly makes me feel like Batman—switching identities. Tell us about your dancing journey At school or in church, I was always involved in the cultural dance troupe as a child. Most times, I was almost the only boy or one of just two or four boys surrounded by ten or fifteen girls. Dancing in church, however, irritated my father so much that he forbade me from dancing, even during the regular praise and worship sessions. To him, I was meant to be quiet, refined, and mysterious—preparing to one day be a Chief Judge. So, slowly, I became quiet. Until my third year in university, I had never heard of ballet. One Saturday, a female friend needed to rent ballet costumes for a Christmas carol performance at church. She asked me to accompany her to the dance studio to pick them up, and I agreed. That day, I walked into the studio as a law student, and I left as an artist. I asked the dance teacher, Aunty Marie if I could join the class. She said yes. I paid my ballet fees using my feeding money and showed up for training the very next day. For the next four years, I trained every Saturday, never missing a single dance class. And I’ve been dancing ever since. Considering that ballet is somewhat strange to Nigeria, did you face any form of pushback or stereotypes when you started? The only significant pushback I experienced came from my family, particularly my parents. I love and adore them deeply, so their resistance to the one art form through which I express myself was particularly hurtful. It affected me profoundly, in a way that no other opposition ever has. Another moment that came close to that level of pain occurred during my NYSC year. I performed for the then Director General of NYSC, and the performance was so well-received that I was immediately assigned to the Dance and Drama CDS group. However, when I went to register my details at the NYSC office, the officer in charge asked what I had studied in school. When I told her I studied law, she allocated me to the Legal Aid CDS instead. I reminded her that I had already been assigned to the Dance and Drama CDS. She looked at me with a mixture of disdain and disbelief and said, “Hmm, a lawyer who wants to dance.” I was embarrassed, to say the least. Despite that moment, I had an amazing experience in the Dance and Drama CDS. It reminded me that my passion cannot be diminished by the judgments of others. Well done for that Thank you. It must be a good feeling to be the first Nigerian brand ambassador for Ballet Rosa Ballet Rosa Homme is a European dancewear line solely for male dancers, and being the first Nigerian Brand Ambassador is a tremendous honour. Ballet Rosa Homme represents a blend of sophistication, artistry, and global excellence, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious brand. As a Nigerian, this recognition also brings pride to the ballet contemporary community in my country, showing that there are no boundaries when it comes to talent, fashion, and cultural representation. Honestly, it was this honour that motivated me to continue breaking new ground after COVID struck and things were beginning to open up slowly. What has been your proudest moment since you started dancing? My proudest moment was when I finally told my parents about Slum to Stage Africa. I had been preparing for the third edition of our annual Slum to Stage Event, and this year’s production was particularly significant. It featured a dance performance in ARTvocacy against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), inspired by Chinua Achebe ’s Things Fall Apart. I could feel that Slum to Stage was gaining real momentum, and I knew it would be unfair to keep my parents out of the loop any longer. I am particularly proud of this year’s Slum to Stage Africa production. What do you mean by “finally told my parents”? I founded Slum to Stage in 2022, but they didn’t know about it until last month. Sharing this with them felt like a milestone, a way of letting them see the bigger picture of what I had been building. Oh, that’s cool Yeah, another proud moment for me was performing for the Olu of Warri and his dignitaries at the King’s Banquet, which marked the conclusion of the Elevate Africa Convergence. I also used ballet to compete in the RedBull Dance Your Style event, where I reached the finals in Abuja. Tell us about Slum to Stage Africa Slum to Stage is a nonprofit I founded to create preliminary and intermediate dance training for children and young adults in developing areas in Abuja through performing and creative arts programs, that enhance both their academic and artistic performance. Slum to Stage is not a dance school or academy, but we use dance to teach children socio-behavioural and emotional skills needed for life-long success. In essence, at Slum to Stage, the dance and technique children learn are not the focus, the behavioural skills they develop during these trainings are. What motivated you to start the initiative? Starting Slum to Stage was a deeply personal journey for me. When the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted my dreams of attending The Juilliard School, I found myself reevaluating my path. Rather than focusing solely on my aspirations, I travelled to Rwanda with Mindleaps, a nonprofit organization based in New York that operates in six African countries. There, I worked with out-of-school youth, helping them develop skills and increase their chances of returning to formal education. Many of these young people were children of survivors of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, facing immense challenges as they sought to rebuild their lives and education. During my time with Mindleaps, I also travelled to Guinea, where I trained 40 Guinean youth to join the Mindleaps staff in West Africa. What stood out to me in my experience was the unique approach to teaching the children. As international trainers, we were taught to engage each child with compassion. We encouraged them to explore complex routines creatively, motivated them to develop the self-esteem needed for independent performance, and guided them to collaborate effectively as a team. Mindleaps was not focused on whether the children could execute a perfect split or perform 32 turns; instead, the emphasis was on nurturing their confidence and resilience. After my time in Guinea, I approached the Executive Director of Mindleaps with a suggestion to open a training centre in Nigeria. The Executive Director responded that if we found a Nigerian partner organisation, they would come to train the children in our community. Upon returning to Nigeria, I searched for an organisation to pitch Mindleaps’ proposal, but I found none willing to sponsor underprivileged children in dance. Most organisations were focused on addressing issues like health, technology, sexual and gender-based violence, and other pressing concerns. I decided to create the organisation myself. I didn’t establish Slum to Stage to make a grand impact on the world; I founded it to provide a safe and supportive space for children in my community—one free from ridicule, unhealthy competition, and unrealistic expectations. I wanted children in government-owned schools to have access to ballet and other performing arts, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing since 2022. What about the challenges? A lot of challenges, especially financially. But one of the most challenging periods of my life was in 2023. I had just lost a scholarship opportunity I had been eagerly anticipating. At the same time, I was teaching dance for 9 hours a day, 3 days a week, all in the name of “Summer Classes.” I lost half of my body weight in 3 months and vowed never to take on that much again unless I had the capacity for it. I was balancing this with my law career and my career as a performing artist—juggling performances in Lagos, Ghana, and Abuja. Those were trying times. The funny thing is, I was taking on these jobs just so I could generate enough money to fund Slum to Stage’s operations. If I kept listing the challenges, we’d never finish this conversation. But thank God for how far we’ve come. While I’m still facing challenges, I’ve grown tremendously. The experiences of the past have built in me a level of tenacity that I carry into the present, and into the challenges that lie ahead. From your journey so far and your projections for the future, what does success mean to you? For me, success has always been about growth. In this context, success means that Slum to Stage has helped create a society where children and young adults feel mentally safe, are treated with respect and dignity, and have equal opportunities to activate, develop, and pursue their talents—both artistic and academic. Success will look like children who can confidently follow their artistic passions, free from the pressure of insecurity. Success will also look like more male African ballet dancers boldly claiming space in a traditionally female-dominated world of dance Do you have an unconventional thought about the world that you think people might not agree with? I believe the global development and NGO sector often unintentionally undermines the creative potential of youth, especially in Africa, by focusing too heavily on a “problem-solving” mentality instead of nurturing self-expression and cultural vitality through arts, including dance. The unconventional thought here is that NGOs and development initiatives should focus more on empowering youth through universal cultural creativity—dance, music, arts—because these are powerful tools for personal development, community cohesion, and economic opportunities, especially in the context of a globalizing world where cultural industries are increasingly valued. Yet, these creative skills are often undervalued in favour of more “practical” ones. What’s a typical day in your life like? I constantly juggle my roles as a lawyer, dancer, and teacher. A typical day for me begins at 5:30 a.m. I wake up to run (on most days) and prepare for work, whether I’m in the office or working from home. On weekends, after having breakfast, I head to the dance studio to teach my “Slum to Stage” classes. Following that, I rehearse for any upcoming performances. After rehearsals, I go to the performance or shoot venue for stage or set rehearsals, pick up my costumes, and return to the event venue for final preparations. After the performance, if I’ve been working with child dancers, I drop them off at their homes before making my way back to mine. I usually check my email for any pending deliverables, and if there’s nothing urgent, I prepare to wind down and go to bed by 10 p.m. The challenging part of this routine is that it leaves almost no room for hanging out with friends. When I’m not working on a legal brief, I’m dancing. When I’m not dancing, I’m teaching. And when I’m not doing either of these, I’m sleeping. Yet, despite this packed schedule, I’ve learned that the balance between work and passion, between serving others and pursuing my artistic growth, is what keeps me going. This is the life I’ve chosen, and although it is demanding, it is also deeply fulfilling. If you could remove three things (policies, workplace practices, or anything else) from the HR world, what would they be and why? I’m not sure I would remove anything from my life, because everything I’ve been through—whether good or bad—is ultimately working for my growth and good. However, if there are experiences I would rather not have had, the first would be the stress of having to travel to another country for quality education or for better opportunities. Secondly, I would remove Amala from the list of foods. Ehn? Amala? No offence intended. Thank you for being on Doing Life With, Emmanuel Honoured to be featured. __ Many thanks to Emmanuel Osahor for having this conversation with us and answering all our questions – and swiftly too, we must add. Do you love this content, have any feedback for us or want to be a BellaNaija Features contributor? We’d love to read from you. Shoot us an email: [email protected] . Join us on Saturday for the next episode!9bet999 。

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — School district officials who punished two parents for wearing pink wristbands marked “XX” during a soccer game featuring a transgender player defended their decision Friday at a hearing on whether they can take similar action while they are being sued. Kyle Fellers and Anthony Foote were banned from school grounds after the September game by officials who viewed the wristbands as intimidation or harassment of a transgender player. They later sued the Bow school district, and while the no-trespass orders have since expired, a judge is deciding whether the plaintiffs should be allowed to wear the wristbands and carry signs at upcoming school events, including basketball games, swim meets and a music concert, while the case proceeds. Both men testified Thursday that they didn’t intend to harass or otherwise target a transgender player on the opposing team, and their attorneys have argued they did nothing more than silently express their support for reserving girls’ sports for those born female. But school officials testified Friday that they had reason to believe the men wouldn’t stop there. Superintendent Marcy Kelley and Bow High School Athletic Director Michael Desiletes described receiving strongly-worded emails from Foote in which he called himself a “real leader” who was prepared to take action and seeing his social media posts urging others to attend the game. In the days leading up to the game, another parent told school officials she overheard others talk about showing up to the game wearing dresses and heckling the transgender player. “When we suspect there’s some sort of threat ... we don’t wait for it to happen,” Kelley said, comparing it to the way school officials wouldn’t wait until a fight broke out between two students to intervene if they got wind of it beforehand. Kelley also pushed back on the idea that the plaintiffs were simply expressing support for their daughters and their teammates in general, noting that they chose the one game involving a transgender player to begin wearing the wristbands. “This was organized and targeted,” she said. “If we were to allow harassment, we’re liable.” The transgender player in question, Parker Tirrell, and another student athlete are challenging the state law that bans transgender athletes in grades 5 to 12 from teams that align with their gender identity. A federal judge ruled in their case that they can play sports during the ongoing lawsuit that seeks to overturn the law. Gov. Chris Sununu, who signed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act into law in July, has said it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.” About half of states have adopted similar measures.BJP win in Maharashtra Breather for Adani's USD 3-bn Dharavi project

European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad's fallWASHINGTON — Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter after earlier promising he would do no such thing, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That displeasure tracks with the bipartisan uproar in Washington that ignited over the president's about-face. The survey found that a relatively small share of Americans "strongly" or "somewhat" approve of the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges. About half said they "strongly" or "somewhat" disapprove, and about 2 in 10 neither approve nor disapprove. The Democratic president said repeatedly that he would not use his pardon power for the benefit of his family, and the White House continued to insist, even after Republican Donald Trump's election win in November, that Biden's position had not changed — until it suddenly did. Hunter Biden leaves federal court Sept. 5 in Los Angeles after pleading guilty to federal tax charges. "I know it's not right to believe politicians as far as what they say compared to what they do, but he did explicitly say, 'I will not pardon my son,'" said Peter Prestia, a 59-year-old Republican from Woodland Park, New Jersey, just west of New York City, who said he strongly disagreed with the move. "So, it's just the fact that he went back on his word." In issuing a pardon Dec. 1, Biden argued that the Justice Department had presided over a "miscarriage of justice" in prosecuting his son. The president used some of the same kind of language that Trump does to describe the criminal cases against him and his other legal predicaments. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was a decision that Biden struggled with but came to shortly before he made the announcement, "because of how politically infected these cases were" as well as "what his political opponents were trying to do." The poll found that about 4 in 10 Democrats approve of the pardon, while about 3 in 10 disapprove and about one-quarter did not have an opinion or did not know enough to say. The vast majority of Republicans and about half of independents had a negative opinion. President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden walk Nov. 29 in downtown Nantucket Mass. For some, it was easy to see family taking priority over politics. "Do you have kids?" asked Robert Jenkins, a 63-year-old Democrat who runs a lumber yard and gas station in Gallipolis, Ohio. "You're gonna leave office and not pardon your kid? I mean, it's a no-brainer to me." But Prestia, who is semiretired from working for a digital marketing conglomerate, said Biden would have been better off not making promises. "He does have that right to pardon anybody he wants. But he just should have kept his mouth shut, and he did it because it was before the election, so it's just a bold-faced lie," Prestia said. Despite the unpopularity of his decision, the president's approval rating has not shifted meaningfully since before his party lost the White House to Trump. About 4 in 10 Americans "somewhat" or "strongly" approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, which is about where his approval rating stood in AP-NORC polls since January 2022. Still, the pardon keeps creating political shock waves, with Republicans, and even some top Democrats, decrying it. Older adults are more likely than younger ones to approve of Biden's pardoning his son, according to the poll, though their support is not especially strong. About one-third of those ages 60 and older approve, compared with about 2 in 10 adults under 60. The age divide is driven partially by the fact that younger adults are more likely than older ones to say they neither approve nor disapprove of the pardon or that they do not know enough to say. President Joe Biden walks with his son Hunter Biden on July 26 as he heads toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. About 6 in 10 white adults disapprove of the pardon, compared with slightly less than half of Hispanic adults and about 3 in 10 Black adults. Relatively large shares of Black and Hispanic Americans — about 3 in 10 — were neutral, the poll found. "Don't say you're gonna do something and then fall back," said Trinell Champ, 43, a Democrat from Nederland, Texas, who works in the home health industry and said she disapproved of the pardon. "At the end of the day, all you have is your word." Champ, who is Black, voted for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump. "I just had my hopes up for her, but I wasn't 100% positive," she said. Champ also said she does not approve of Biden's handling of the presidency and thinks the country is on the wrong track. "While he was in office, I felt like I really didn't see a lot of changes," she said. "I just felt like everything just kind of stayed the same," Champ said. Overall, though, the pardon did not appear to be a driving factor in many Americans' assessment of Biden's job performance. The share of Black Americans who approve of the way he is handling his job as president did fall slightly since October, but it is hard to assess what role the pardon may have played. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) carries both of his sons, Joseph R. III, left, and Robert H., during an appearance at the Democratic state convention last summer, 1972. At center is his wife Neilia Biden, who was killed in an auto crash, Dec. 20, 1972. With them are Governor-elect Sherman W. Tribbitt and his wife, Jeanne. (AP Photo) Joseph Biden, the newly-elected Democratic Senator from Delaware, is shown in Washington, Dec. 12, 1972. (AP Photo/Henry Griffin) 1972 - Is first elected to the Senate at age 29, defeating Republican Senator J. Caleb Boggs. Wins re-election in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2002. The newly-elected Democratic senator from Delaware, Joe Biden, is shown, Dec. 13, 1972. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) kisses the cheek of an unidentified friend who offered consoling words after a memorial service in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 22, 1972, for Biden's wife Neilia, their 13-month-old daughter Naomi Christina, who perished in a car-truck crash. Biden's two sons were hospitalized with serious injuries. (AP Photo/Bill Ingraham) December 18, 1972 - While Christmas shopping, Biden's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, and daughter, Naomi Biden, are killed in a car accident. His sons are badly injured, but survive. January 5, 1973 - Is sworn in as US senator of Delaware at son Beau Biden's bedside in the hospital. In this Jan. 5, 1973 file photo, four-year-old Beau Biden, foreground, plays near his father, Joe Biden, center, being sworn in as the U.S. senator from Delaware, by Senate Secretary Frank Valeo, left, in ceremonies in a Wilmington hospital. Beau was injured in an accident that killed his mother and sister in December 1972. Biden's father, Robert Hunter, holds the Bible. (AP Photo/File) 1987-1995 - Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rubs his temples while speaking during confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Robert H. Bork, Sept. 17, 1987, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/John Duricka) June 9, 1987 - Enters the 1988 presidential race, but drops out three months later following reports of plagiarism and false claims about his academic record. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) waves from his train as he leaves Wilmington, Del., after announcing his candidacy for president, June 9, 1987. At right, son Beau carries daughter; to Biden's right is his wife Jill and son Hunter. (AP Photo/George Widman) February 1988 - Undergoes surgery to repair an aneurysm in an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), wearing a University of Delaware baseball cap, leaves Walter Reed Army Hospital accompanied by his son Hunter Biden, Thursday, March 24, 1988, Washington, D.C. Biden had been in the hospital for 11 days so that surgeons could implant a small umbrella-like filter in a vein to prevent blood clots from reaching his lungs. (AP Photo/Adele Starr) In this Oct. 12, 1991 file photo Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden, D-Del., points angrily at Clarence Thomas during comments at the end of hearings on Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. looks on at right. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File) January 20, 1990 - Introduces a bill that becomes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act addresses sexual assault and domestic violence. It is signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), left, stands behind a flag as Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), second from right, along with other congresswomen meet reporters on Capitol Hill, Feb. 24, 1993, to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. From left are: Sen. Biden; Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.); Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-Colo); Sen. Boxer; and Rep. Constance Morella of Maryland. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma) In this April 9, 1993, file photo Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. stands in front of a Danish armored personnel carrier at the UN-controlled Sarajevo Airport, making a statement about his trip to the besieged Bosnian capital. (AP Photo/Michael Stravato, File) Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meets reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 to discuss the United Nations-Iraq vote. (AP Photo/Terry Ashe) Democratic presidential hopeful, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., presides over a hearing of the committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 to discuss the remaining options in Iraq. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden D-Del., smiles during the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Presidential Forum Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, in Waterloo, Iowa. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green) January 31, 2007 - Files a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission to run for president. August 1, 2007 - His memoir, "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics," is published. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, listens as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., responds to a question during the first Democratic presidential primary debate of the 2008 election hosted by the South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC., Thursday, April 26, 2007. At right is Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., speaks at a Caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. Biden abandoned his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday after a poor showing in the state's caucuses. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) In this Jan. 3, 2008, file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., rests his head on the shoulder of his wife, Jill, as they stand in a hallway awaiting his introductions for a rally at the UAW Hall in Dubuque, Iowa on the day of the Iowa caucus in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Mark Hirsch, File) August 23, 2008 - Is named the vice-presidential running mate of Barack Obama. In this Aug. 23, 2008 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., appear together in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, file) In this Sept. 16, 2008 file photo, then Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. arrives by Amtrak in Wilmington, Del., (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) In this Oct. 2,2008 file photo, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, and Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin face off during the vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam, File) November 4, 2008 - Is elected vice president of the United States. President-elect Barack Obama, left, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden wave to the crowd after Obama's acceptance speech at his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago before giving his acceptance speech Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) January 20, 2009 - Is sworn in as vice president of the United States. Vice President Joe Biden, left, with his wife Jill at his side, taking the oath of office from Justice John Paul Stevens at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) February 7, 2009 - Delivers his first major speech as vice president at a security conference in Germany. US Vice President Joe Biden addresses the participants of the International Conference on Security Policy, Sicherheitskonferenz, at the hotel "Bayerischer Hof" in Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. September 1, 2010 - Presides over a ceremony in Iraq to formally mark the end of the US combat mission in Iraq. US Vice President Joe Biden, left, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, center, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, right, stand while the US National Anthem is played during the United States Forces-Iraq change of command ceremony in Baghdad on Wednesday Sept. 1, 2010, as a new US military mission in Iraq was launched ending seven years of combat. (AP Photo/Jim Watson Pool) November 6, 2012 - Obama and Biden are reelected, defeating Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Vice President Joe Biden exits with his wife Jill Biden after voting at Alexis I. duPont High School, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Greenville, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden, center, holding the Biden Family Bible, shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after taking the oath of office during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) October 2, 2014 - Speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Biden tells attendees that ISIS has been inadvertently strengthened by actions taken by Turkey, the UAE and other Middle Eastern allies to help opposition groups fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In this Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden speaks to students, faculty and staff at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Biden is due to headline a Democratic campaign rally in Las Vegas, with a downtown appearance Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, to talk about raising the minimum wage. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson,File) May 30, 2015 - Biden's eldest son, Beau Biden, passes away from brain cancer at age 46. In this June 6, 2015 file photo, Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his family, holds his hand over his heart as he watches an honor guard carry a casket containing the remains of his son, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, into St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del. for funeral services. Beau Biden died of brain cancer May 30 at age 46. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) October 21, 2015 - Says he will not seek the presidency, announcing that the window for a successful campaign "has closed." December 6, 2016 - Doesn't rule out running for president in 2020, saying "I'm not committing not to run. I'm not committing to anything. I learned a long time ago fate has a strange way of intervening." President Barack Obama hugs Vice President Joe Biden as Biden waves at the end Biden's announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, that he will not run for the presidential nomination. Jill Biden is at right. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Vice President Joe Biden pauses between mock swearing in ceremonies in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, as the 115th Congress begins. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) January 12, 2017 - Obama surprises Biden by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony. President Barack Obama presents Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) February 1, 2017 - Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, launch the Biden Foundation, an organization that will work on seven issues: foreign policy; Biden's cancer initiative; community colleges and military families; protecting children; equality; ending violence against women; and strengthening the middle class. February 7, 2017 - Is named the Benjamin Franklin presidential practice professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he will lead the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. He will also serve as the founding chair of the University of Delaware's Biden Institute, the university announces. March 1, 2017 - Biden receives the Congressional Patriot Award from the Bipartisan Policy Center. He receives the honor in recognition of his work crafting bipartisan legislation with Republicans and Democrats. Former Vice President Joe Biden tucks notes into his jacket after speaking at an event to formally launch the Biden Institute, a research and policy center focused on domestic issues at the University of Delaware, in Newark, Del., Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) In this March 26, 2019, file photo, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Biden Courage Awards in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) April 25, 2019 - Announces he is running for president in a campaign video posted to social media. Hours later, the Biden Foundation board chair, Ted Kaufman, announces the immediate suspension of all the organization's operations. Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden arrives at the Wilmington train station Thursday April 25, 2019 in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden announced his candidacy for president via video on Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) In this June 6, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the "I Will Vote" fundraising gala in Atlanta. Biden shifted to oppose longstanding restrictions on federal funding of abortion during his remarks. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden signs a copy of his book "Promise Me, Dad" at a campaign rally at Modern Woodmen Park, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary night election rally in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, after winning the South Carolina primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) August 20, 2020: Joe Biden accepts the Democratic nomination for president Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., raise their arms up as fireworks go off in the background during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Looking on are Jill Biden, far left, and Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, far right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, with moderator Chris Wallace, center, of Fox News during the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and former President Barack Obama greet each other with an air elbow bump, at the conclusion of rally at Northwestern High School in Flint, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden arrives to speak at a rally at Belle Isle Casino in Detroit, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, which former President Barack Obama also attended. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) President-elect Joe Biden gestures on stage after speaking, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, from left, Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Harris, President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, stand on stage together, in Wilmington, Del. The theme for Biden’s inauguration will be “America United." Unity is an issue that’s long been a central focus for Biden but one that’s taken on added weight in the wake of the violence at the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File) President-elect Joe Biden announces his climate and energy team nominees and appointees at The Queen Theater in Wilmington Del., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President Joe Biden speaks about his domestic agenda from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) U.S. President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Pope Francis as they meet at the Vatican on Oct. 29, 2021. (Vatican Media via AP) President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives in the East Room of the White House to speak about the evacuation of American citizens, their families, special immigrant visa applicants and vulnerable Afghans on Aug. 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Joe Biden holds the microphone to Chocolate, the national Thanksgiving turkey, during a pardoning ceremony Nov. 21, 2022, at the White House in Washington. President Joe Biden holds an Atlanta Braves jersey during an event celebrating the Major League Baseball 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the East Room of the White House on Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. President Joe Biden receives his COVID-19 booster from a member of the White House medical unit during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus on Oct. 25, 2022, in Washington. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive to give treats to trick-or-treaters on the South Lawn of the White House, on Halloween on Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. U.S. President Joe Biden, left, talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia. President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 19, 2023, in Washington, about the war in Israel and Ukraine. President Joe Biden arrives to speak at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Facility on Nov. 6, 2023, in Bear, Del. President Joe Biden, accompanied by Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young, left, and Women's Alzheimer's Movement founder Maria Shriver, right, gives first lady Jill Biden a kiss after giving her the pen he used to sign a presidential memorandum that will establish the first-ever White House Initiative on Women's Health Research in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 13, 2023, in Washington. President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks to reporters in Nantucket, Mass. on Nov. 26, 2023, about hostages freed by Hamas in a third set of releases under a four-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy depart a news conference in the Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Campus on Dec. 12, 2023, in Washington. President Joe Biden speaks during a funeral service for retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 19, 2023, in Washington. O'Connor, an Arizona native and the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court, died Dec. 1, 2023, at age 93. President Joe Biden arrives to deliver remarks on the economy on June 28, 2023, at the Old Post Office in Chicago. President Joe Biden, right, stands as an Army carry team moves the transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Ga., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Feb. 2, 2024. Sanders was killed in a drone attack in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris embraces President Joe Biden after a speech on health care in Raleigh, N.C., on March. 26, 2024. President Joe Biden greets Zion Schrode, 8 months, of Marin County, Calif., as he is held by his mother Erin Schrode during a Jewish American Heritage Month event, on May 20, 2024, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, left, and CEO Clark Hunt, right, watch as President Joe Biden, center, puts on a Chiefs helmet during an event with the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs on the South Lawn of the White House, on May 31, 2024, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVIII. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk in the Normandy American Cemetery following a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, on June 6, 2024, in Normandy. President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event with former President Barack Obama moderated by Jimmy Kimmel at the Peacock Theater on June 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. President Joe Biden, right, and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, participate in a presidential debate hosted by CNN on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. President Joe Biden, right, and the Rev. Dr. J. Louis Felton pray at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ on July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia. President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on July 14, 2024, about the assassination attempt of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks at the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on Feb. 3, 2024. President Joe Biden walks on stage to speak during the NAACP national convention July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. President Joe Biden walks between tombstones as he arrives to attend a mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., on July 6, 2024. Cherelle Griner, wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, speaks after President Joe Biden announced Brittney Griner's release in a prisoner swap with Russia on Dec. 8, 2022, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Also attending are Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris. President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport on Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. President Joe Biden speaks during the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill on March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson listen. U.S. President Joe Biden, right, greets Pope Francis ahead of a working session on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy, Africa-Mediterranean, on day two of the 50th G7 summit at Borgo Egnazia, southern Italy, on June 14, 2024. First lady Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff view the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House, on July 4, 2024, in Washington. The poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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