5 Things You Didn't Know About Kamala Harris
By Aliye Hargett
Kamala Harris has recently been announced as Vice President Biden’s running mate in the upcoming presidential election. While you may recognize her from her impressive showing during the Democratic Debates, her notable public speaking skills are not the only remarkable thing about her! Here are five reasons why you should join the Kamala Harris fan club…
1. She comes from an incredibly diverse family
Kamala was born in Oakland, California to Shyamala Gopalan, an immigrant from southern India who earned a doctorate of endocrinology from UC Berkeley. Her father, a Jamaican native, is also highly educated with a doctorate in economics from UC Berkeley. Kamala grew up at the intersection of her cultures, learning to embrace her Hindu name and “strong Indian culture” as she was also raised in a majority black community.
2. She has a history of standing up for the most vulnerable, specifically women and children
After graduating from Howard University in Washington D.C. with degrees in economics and political science, she went on to law school at the University of California’s Hastings College of Law. With a passion to protect the most vulnerable, Kamala became a prosecutor in northern California where she specialized in child sex abuse trials and domestic violence cases. However, this was not her first-time supporting victims of abuse, as she invited her best friend in high school to live with her after she found out that her father was sexually abusive towards her.
3. She holds the title of “first” in many facets of her life
In 2003, Kamala became the first-ever female DA in San Francisco and the first-ever female DA in California. Now, as the Democratic candidate for vice president, she is the first black woman and the first person of Indian descent to be nominated for vice president by a major party. Kamala also created the first ever safe house in San Francisco for children escaping sex work, and she co-founded the Coalition to End the Exploitation of Kids.
4. She has proven that she stands by her word- even if it is the tough thing to do
Kamala pledged not to seek the death penalty in cases in her campaign for San Francisco District Attorney because she believes that it does not act as a deterrent for crime. However, she received severe backlash when a young police officer, Isaac Espinoza, was shot and killed while on duty a few months after Kamala was elected. She chose not to pursue the death penalty for the perpetrator, but instead life in prison without parole. Kamala serves as a role model by never failing to do what she believes is correct, even when there is great pressure to do what would be easier.
5. She preaches the importance of self-care and is an avid Soul Cycler
Kamala often speaks of the important role that diet and exercise have in keeping her stress levels down in her high-pressure job. She works out every morning while watching VH1 or MTV, and she loves going to SoulCycle because “it’s like going to the club.” As if she couldn’t get more inspiring, Kamala tells all of her mentees that working out isn’t for the number on the scale, but for clarity of the mind instead.
These are just some of the amazing accomplishments that make Kamala Harris an incredible role model for young people, particularly for women! We could all benefit from living according to her motto: “You may be the first, but make sure you’re not the last.” If that doesn’t inspire you to start smashing some glass ceilings, I don’t know what will.
