Popularly referred to as the “Female Obama”, Kamala Harris has written her name in the history book by emerging the first black woman of Indian-American origin to be elected as the Vice-President of the United States of America (USA).
Harris was picked by the Democratic party presidential candidate; Joseph “Joe” Biden as his running mate in August, months after she halted her presidential aspirations due to financial resources to forge ahead.
It is worthy to note that before Harris emergence as Vice-President-elect of USA; the country has had 48 VPs since the office came into existence in 1789. Former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt during his tenure had three Vice-Presidents, which explains why Kamala Harris is the 49th.
Harris win has generated so much excitement and hope especially, to women across all race. Many see her win as a leverage for more women to climb the ladder of politics and top positions successfully in the world.
Also, while delivering her historic victory speech Harris made a promise to the country, she said “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 a country of possibilities.”
Harris has a knack for blazing the trail in her political career; as she has many “firsts’ records to her name.
Aside from being the first South Asian woman to become the US VP and first to serve in the US Senate; In 2003, she also won her first race for San Francisco district attorney, becoming the first Black woman to hold such an office in California.
In 2010, she became the first Black woman elected as California attorney general and was re-elected in 2014.
Today, she has become the first graduate of a historically black college or university to be selected as a Democratic party candidate’s running mate.
Looking at her background, Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland California to two immigrant parents an; Indian-born mother; Shyamala Gopalan and Jamaican-born father; Donald Harris.
According to reports, her mother was a breast cancer researcher; who died of cancer in 2009; while her father was a Stanford University professor emeritus of economics.
Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law respectively.
She began her career in the Alameda county district Attorney’s office, before being recruited to the San Francisco District Attorney’s office and later the city Attorney of San Francisco’s office.
As a senator she advocated for healthcare reform, federal descheduling of cannabis, a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants amongst others.
Speaking on the agenda of her new position in a media interview, she said, “We’ll work to root out the systemic racism in our courtrooms, our prisons, and our criminal justice system. In our first 100 days in office, we will create a national police oversight commission. We’ll get every police department in the country to undertake a comprehensive review of their hiring, training, and de-escalation practices, and work with local police departments on real community policing. We’ll investigate systemic police misconduct and require departments to reform.
“Above all, we will work to unite the American people; people of all ages, races, and backgrounds around the belief that we can make progress together if we commit to the ideals that we share.
“But Joe and I can’t do this alone and we’re grateful that Black women across the country have had our backs.”
Harris is married to attorney Douglas Emhoff and is a stepmother to Emhoff’s two children; Cole and Ella.
Congratulations to the first black female vice-president of US!
