US President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the election race and named Vice President Kamala Harris the Democratic presidential candidate. The Democratic Party’s National Convention will officially present the new candidate on August 19, but Harris has been the favorite as Biden’s potential successor from the beginning. What do we need to know about her?
Black Lives Matter
Kamala Harris is a “55-year-old Black woman,” as she described herself four years ago during Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, highlighting her identity. Kamala’s father came to the United States from Jamaica, and her mother from India. Thus, Harris represents what is traditionally considered a strong point of the US – the opportunity for anyone to succeed regardless of skin color, gender, or other factors. Kamala Harris was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate in 2020 against the backdrop of the anti-racist Black Lives Matter protests. The scale of those protests demonstrates that racism is still a problem in American society, making it easy to imagine how challenging it must have been for Harris to build a successful political career.
When Biden was elected president, Harris became the first female vice president: until then, women had never held such a high position, let alone the presidency. The closest was Hillary Clinton in 2016, who lost to Donald Trump.
Harris has already had to break stereotypes in her political career. In 2017, she became a senator for California, the second African-American woman, and the first person of South Asian descent to serve in this role. Harris was inspired to start a challenging career in politics by her mother. Watching her and other civil rights activists, Kamala became interested in human rights from a young age. Harris realized that not everyone was as fortunate as she was, and she had to fight for the rights of such people.
Targeting the Rich, Helping the Poor
In 2003, Kamala Harris became the district attorney of San Francisco. She focused not only on prosecuting criminals but also on rehabilitating and reintegrating them into society, especially those convicted of drug offenses, many of whom were African-American. After two terms, Harris was elected Attorney General of California. Again, She was a “first” – no African-American or woman had held this position before. Harris’s tenure as California’s Attorney General is often compared to Robin Hood. For example, during the housing crisis between 2007-2010, many Americans couldn’t pay their mortgages on time, and banks seized their homes. Harris won $25 billion in compensation for Californians who lost their homes.
In general, the Attorney General of the United States is an active participant in political life. Harris also got involved in climate change legislation, pushing factories to adopt greener production methods, encouraging automakers to produce more electric vehicles, and demanding greener public transportation from the government. Harris also promoted same-sex marriage laws in California and supported accessible healthcare.
When Harris was elected senator, her mission remained unchanged. She initiated the increase of the minimum wage and judicial system reform, combated the pandemic, and helped parents receive more childcare support.
Former California Attorney General Kamala Harris assumed the role of US Vice President in 2021, making history as the first woman to hold this position. One of her focuses was the issue of illegal migration. Harris also fervently supported the fight for abortion rights.
In foreign policy matters, she sharply criticized the decisions of former President Donald Trump’s administration. Harris expressly disapproved of the US’s withdrawal from the Iran agreement and the trade deal with China. She advocates for closer ties with NATO allies and supports Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war.
However…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently visited the US, where he met with Kamala Harris. Donald Trump predicted the onset of World War III if Harris became president. According to Trump, Harris’s comments on the Israel-Hamas war were disrespectful to the Jewish state. After meeting with Netanyahu, Harris stated that it was time to end the war and expressed concern over the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip: “I will not remain silent,” she said. She added that while Israel has the right to defend itself, “it is important how it does so.” This statement raised questions about whether the US’s traditional support for Israel would change if Harris became president. Axios wrote that Netanyahu was “disappointed” with Harris’s statement and feared it would harm conflict resolution.
At the Right Time and Right Moment…
Political commentator, Buka Petriashvili told “Fortuna”: “It might have been surprising to name Kamala Harris as the candidate, but there is also the view that the Democratic Party had been preparing for months to present Kamala Harris to the public at the right time and right moment. Suddenly, there was a lot of buzz around Kamala Harris. The latter was reflected in poll results and Donald Trump’s initial statements. It was an unpleasant surprise for Trump. After the attack on him, no one doubted that Trump would seize this opportunity. But Harris’s entry overshadowed even that story. Joe Biden made a statement that it’s now time to pass the baton to the younger generation to save democracy. There will be a serious mobilization around Harris. Kamala has the advantage of being of African-American descent with Asian roots and having served as the Attorney General of California, where she has significant support. However, it must also be said that she will have a lot of work to do in international politics to be adequately prepared for issues concerning Ukraine, Israel, and China.”
Why is Kamala’s Appointment a Landmark Event for America?
After Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris as the vice presidential candidate in 2000, the American resource Fatherly published an article titled “How to Talk to Your Kids About Kamala Harris.” The authors explain that Biden’s choice of Harris as an ally is a historic and pivotal moment. Why?
Kamala Harris’s appointment is a significant achievement for feminist and anti-racist movements and an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of gender and race in history.
Like Biden, Kamala Harris advocates for left-centrist policies. American society demands social justice, equality, and protection – a woman of color who transformed from the daughter of immigrants to a potential future president of the US, also known for fighting against discrimination, is well-suited to implement such policies.
The Daughter of Immigrants’ “Flower”
Kamala Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964.
Her parents, Shyamala Gopalan, who was born in India, and Jamaican immigrant Donald Harris, met at Berkeley University. Her mother specialized in cancer treatment, and her father in economics. Both fought for equality, constantly participating in protests and rallies.
Kamala was seven years old when her parents divorced, after which her mother raised her and her younger sister alone. The family lived in a poor, predominantly African-American neighborhood. In the late 1960s, California announced a program to “integrate” racial minorities. Black children from low-income families were placed in well-off white schools. Kamala was one of those children.
Her mother chose her name to emphasize her Indian roots. In Hindi, “Kamala” means lotus flower, and her middle name, Devi, was given in honor of the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi-Devi.
“A culture that worships goddesses produces powerful women,” Shyamala Gopalan told the Los Angeles Times.
In her childhood, Kamala attended both Hindu temples and Baptist churches where Black people gathered.
“My mother knew well that she was raising two Black daughters,” Harris later wrote in her autobiography, “she wanted us to grow up to be confident, proud Black women.”
Later, the family moved to Canada, where Shyamala Gopalan was offered a professorship at McGill University. According to Harris’s autobiography, she and her younger sister Maya held their first successful demonstration in Montreal. Children were forbidden to play on the lawn in front of their houses, but after the protest they organized, this rule was abolished.
After graduating from high school, Harris received a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Howard University (Washington), one of the so-called “historically Black colleges,” and then completed a master’s thesis at Berkeley University.
I Will Be the First, But Not the Last of the Firsts
Notable figures in American culture have expressed their support for Harris, and Beyoncé allowed her song “Freedom” to be used during the presidential campaign.
RBC Life collected Kamala Harris’s statements at different times, reflecting her worldview. The material contains quotes from sources such as The Cut, Elle, People, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Drew Barrymore Show, and Harper’s Bazaar.
The Importance of Being First
“One of my main responsibilities is this. Once, my mother told me: “Kamala, you can be the first in many things; try not to be the last.” Later, in my speech, I said: “I will be the first, but not the last of the firsts.” It means leaving the door wider open than when you entered.”
Making Tough Decisions
“Making tough decisions is the job of a leader. You must have enough courage to do what you think is right, even if you don’t find support.”
Independence
“I’m used to working in the executive branch and doing things without permission. Asking for permission doesn’t work well for me.”
Favorite Greeting
In African countries, the first greeting at a meeting is not “Nice to meet you.” The greeting sounds like this: “I see you.”
About the MeToo Movement
“People ask me, ‘What is it like to be the first woman (vice president) and so on. I reply: ‘I don’t know what to tell you. I have always been a woman.'”
Dealing with Negativity
“The strategy is to focus on people who want to support you. It’s important to have people in your life who welcome your ambitions.”
Personal Happiness
“Doug (Doug Emhoff – Harris’s husband) and I were friends for a while before we married. His parents were married for 65 years, while I am a child of divorced parents. I feel happiest when the whole family gathers, and we make something together. My husband got up early to make coffee one weekend, and my little nieces jumped into my bed. We just talked and laughed.”
Travel Habits
“I run around airports in my Converse shoes. I have a whole collection: black, white, with laces, without laces… When I travel, I always carry extra socks and a scarf because it gets cold on the plane, and my husband sets up TV shows and movies on his iPad, which we watch during the flight.”
Ways to Unwind
“If I have an especially crazy day, I try to take a hot bath and drink hot tea. One of my ways to unwind is by reading recipes. I have a whole collection of cookbooks. When I cook something, I feel like I control my life.”
If She Wins the Election, She Will Become the First Female President of the United States!
