Denver Woman Helps Plan Nationwide Memorial To COVID Victims As Part Of Presidential Inauguration

DENVER (CBS4) - Bells tolled and an amber light washed over Denver's City and County building on Tuesday afternoon as part of a nationwide memorial to those who have died from COVID-19. City buildings across the country illuminated at exactly the same time.

Pat Duncan of Denver, who lost a nephew and an aunt to the virus, helped organize the memorial as a member of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

"The inauguration is like no other," she told CBS4' Shaun Boyd.

Instead of a one-day ceremony, this year's inaugural events stretch over five days. They are all virtual and focused on unity.

"We are all Americans, from all different backgrounds, all different colors, all different religions, but we are America. We are the people and I see that in all these events," Duncan said.

She not only helped plan the inauguration, she played a pivotal role in the election. As national co-chair of Black Women for Biden, she helped mobilize one of his biggest voting blocks.

"This was the year of the Black women. When he put Kamala on the ticket that's all he needed. You could just hear the energy in women's voices. If it wasn't for the Black women vote, Joe Biden wouldn't be President today," Duncan said.

Now, Duncan says, the black community needs Biden. It's been hit hard by coronavirus, and Duncan says, is leery of the vaccine.

"He's got to figure out a way to convince the Black community to take this vaccination and that's not going to be easy," Duncan explained.

But, she says, Biden is up to the task.

"If anybody can restore our souls, Joe Biden can do that," Duncan added.