Kamala Harrys
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who is currently serving as the Vice President of the United States, having assumed office on January 20, 2021. She is the first female vice president, the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, and the first African American and first Asian American vice president.
Early Life and Education
Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher from India, and her father, Donald Harris, is an economist from Jamaica. Harris grew up in a multicultural and multifaith household. She attended Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., where she majored in political science and economics. She then earned her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Legal Career
Harris began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, where she focused on prosecuting child sexual assault cases. She later worked at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office before being elected as the District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. As District Attorney, she established a reputation for being tough on crime while also supporting initiatives aimed at reducing recidivism and providing alternative sentencing for low-level offenders.
California Attorney General
In 2010, Harris was elected as the Attorney General of California, becoming the first woman, the first African American, and the first South Asian American to hold the office. During her tenure, she worked on issues such as consumer protection, environmental law, and criminal justice reform. She also gained national attention for her role in securing a $20 billion settlement for California homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis and for her efforts to combat human trafficking.
U.S. Senate
Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016, representing California. As a senator, she served on several committees, including the Judiciary Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She was known for her sharp questioning during Senate hearings, particularly during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
2020 Presidential Campaign and Vice Presidency
In January 2019, Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Though she initially gained significant attention and support, her campaign struggled to maintain momentum, and she dropped out of the race in December 2019. In August 2020, Joe Biden selected Harris as his running mate, and they won the general election in November 2020.
Policies and Advocacy
Throughout her career, Harris has been an advocate for a range of issues, including criminal justice reform, healthcare access, environmental protection, and women’s rights. As Vice President, she has continued to focus on these areas while also playing a significant role in the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration reform, and efforts to address the root causes of migration from Central America.
Personal Life
Kamala Harris is married to Douglas Emhoff, an attorney, and she is the stepmother to his two children from a previous marriage. She is also the author of several books, including her memoir, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey.”
Kamala Harris’s historic election and her contributions to public service make her a significant figure in American politics and a role model for many aspiring leaders.
Presidential candidacy
Harris moved quickly to try to turn her nomination into a foregone conclusion by enlisting the support of other leading Democrats. Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the New Left Democratic Coalition have all endorsed her candidacy. So have a majority of Democrats on Capitol Hill. She also saw a surge in campaign contributions from Democratic donors.
by James M. Lindsay
