Introduction
Kamala Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected as the Vice President of the United States. Born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, Harris has had a long and illustrious career as an attorney, prosecutor, and politician. She was elected to the US Senate in 2016 and served as the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017. In this article, we will take a closer look at the life and career of Kamala Harris.
Early Life and Education
Kamala Harris was born to immigrant parents. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher from India, and her father, Donald Harris, was an economist from Jamaica. Harris grew up in a predominantly African American neighborhood in Berkeley, California, and attended public schools. She graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a degree in political science and economics and went on to earn a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1989.
Legal Career
After law school, Harris began her legal career as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County, California. In 1998, she was recruited to work in the San Francisco City Attorney’s office, where she specialized in prosecuting child sexual assault cases. In 2003, she was elected as the District Attorney of San Francisco. In 2010, Harris was elected as the Attorney General of California, becoming the first woman and the first African American to hold that position. She served as Attorney General until 2017, when she was elected to the US Senate.
Political Career
In 2016, Kamala Harris ran for the US Senate seat from California and won. She was the first woman and the first African American to be elected to the Senate from California. Harris quickly made a name for herself in the Senate, serving on several committees, including the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget. She was also a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and his policies.
Presidential Campaign
In 2019, Kamala Harris announced that she was running for President of the United States. She was one of the frontrunners in the race and was seen as a strong candidate. However, her campaign faltered, and she dropped out of the race in December 2019, citing a lack of funds.
Selection as Joe Biden’s Running Mate
In August 2020, Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for President, announced that Kamala Harris would be his running mate. Harris became the first woman of color to be on a major party ticket for Vice President. The Biden-Harris ticket won the election in November 2020, and Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President on January 20, 2021, making history as the first woman and the first person of color to hold that position.
Personal Life
Kamala Harris is married to Douglas Emhoff, a lawyer. Emhoff is also the first Jewish spouse of a Vice President or President. Harris has two stepchildren from Emhoff’s previous marriage.
Conclusion
Kamala Harris has had an impressive career as an attorney, prosecutor, and politician. Her selection as Joe Biden’s running mate and her subsequent election as Vice President of the United States have made history and shattered many glass ceilings. Harris has become a role model for women, people of color, and immigrants, and her story is an inspiration to many. We can only hope that her tenure as Vice President will be as successful and groundbreaking as her life and career so far.
