Amid the excitement around the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, holding the new administration accountable is the only way the newfound national sense of relief can persist. 

Despite the celebrations that erupted around the country on Saturday, civil rights leader Martin Luther King III said there is still much work to do in order to fulfill the vision of his father, Martin Luther King Jr.

"This is just the beginning of change and the election of any one administration does not mean the work is done," the activist said, according to the StarTribune. "Dad and Mom wanted to eradicate poverty, racism and violence from our society and that will take a monumental effort. A Biden-Harris administration has to constantly be challenged and pushed to move."

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who was responsible for getting millions of citizens to register to vote, said she wants to see proper access to opportunity.

"Vice President Biden understands that we are fully formed American citizens who deserve to have full access to all the parts of progress in the United States," Abrams said. "He's been willing to commit not only to plans, but he's been willing to take responsibility for how those plans get lived out." 

Biden and Harris delivered their victory speeches in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, pledging to combat systemic racism along with the country's several other pressing issues. 

"Now is when the real work begins, the hard work, the necessary work, the good work, the essential work to save lives and beat this epidemic, to rebuild our economy so it works for working people, to root out systemic racism in our justice system and society, to combat the climate crisis, to unite our country and heal the soul of our nation," Harris said. "The road ahead will not be easy, but America is ready, and so are Joe and I." 

Biden said the American people have called up on his team to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism, along with battling the virus, building prosperity, saving the climate and securing health care. 

"I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me," he said. "I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify — who doesn't see red and blue states, but a United States."

According to NBC News, Black voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia turned out in large numbers to decide the outcome of the 2020 presidential race. Biden acknowledged the Black community's support during his victory speech. 

"And especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest — the African American community stood up again for me," he said. "They always have my back, and I'll have yours."

The newly-elected leaders are taking their position in a time of ongoing social unrest, with the Black community particularly demanding an end to police brutality. Biden and Harris have promised to listen to the community throughout their campaign, pledging to stand for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless other Black people who died in the hands of police.

During a speech earlier this year, Biden said Floyd's final words, "I can't breathe,” and said the cries are still being heard around the country, Vox reported. 

“'It’s a wake-up call for our nation. For all of us. And I mean all of us," the 77-year-old said. "It’s not the first time we’ve heard these words — they’re the same words we heard from Eric Garner when his life was taken six years ago. But it’s time to listen to these words. Understand them. And respond to them — with real action."

Harris, who will become America's first Black vice president, has echoed the same sentiment.

“There is no vaccine for racism,” the Howard University alumna said during her vice presidential acceptance speech, as Blavity previously reported. “We've got to do the work for George Floyd, for Breonna Taylor and for the lives of too many others to name."

The 56-year-old, who will also be the first woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the position, delivered a message to young girls during her victory speech.

"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities," the senator said. "To the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they’ve never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way."

Biden said he is honored to work with the trailblazer.

"I’ll have the honor of serving with a fantastic vice president," the Scranton, Pa. said. "You just heard from Kamala Harris, who makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first woman from South Asian descent, the first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country."

The new administration is vowing to bring a vastly different approach than President Donald Trump, who has shown disregard for cries of social justice and encouraged hate groups with racist rhetoric.

"For four years, you marched and organized for equality and justice for our lives and for our planet," Harris said. "Then you voted and you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science, and, yes, truth. You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America. Joe is a healer, a uniter, a tested and steady hand, a person whose own experience of loss gives him a sense of purpose that will help us as a nation reclaim our own sense of purpose." 

Organizations such as The Council on American-Islamic Relations have vowed to keep the new administration accountable. In a statement on Saturday, CAIR said the leaders must promote racial equality, a just foreign policy and the inclusion of American Muslims in diverse government roles.

"President-elect Biden has pledged to end the Muslim Ban on his first day in office, include Muslims at every level of his administration and address issues of racial and religious discrimination," the organization stated. "We plan to join other American Muslim leaders and organizations in ensuring that the Biden administration fulfills these promises."

CAIR aims to "protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims." Learn how to get involved with them here. 

Additionally, the BREATHE Act, created by the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), aims to tackle police brutality from a federal standpoint. The bill was publicly supported by Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib but has yet to be officially introduced to Congress. Politico reports Harris played a pivotal in arranging the meeting between M4BL and the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss the proposal. If the bill is introduced and approved by both Congressional bodies, Biden would be responsible for signing it into law. Head here to learn how to encourage your congresspersons to facilitate the bill's introduction. 

Julie Martinez, chairwoman for the Bluegrass Activist Alliance in Lexington, Kentucky said she burst into tears after Biden won the election, but she is now focused on keeping the administration accountable for police reform and bridging division in the country.

“Democratic leaders need to be held accountable just like republican leaders do, and as people we need to work together so that we’re seeing the best for our city, our state, our country,” Martinez told WTVQ.