Tag: kamala

Kamala Harris Made History — So Her Husband Did, Too
POLITICS

Kamala Harris Made History — So Her Husband Did, Too

On the second floor of a walk-up in Queens, New York, on a Tuesday in early July, 15 girls were building their own toolboxes, safety goggles on and power tools in hand. Ranging in age from 6 to 15, they were there for the second day of camp at Tools & Tiaras, a nonprofit designed to encourage girls’ interest in construction-related trades. A special guest was on his way to learn to rivet sheet metal alongside them. They may not have known him by name, but they definitely knew who he was married to. “His wife is the first woman vice president in this country,” 12-year-old Kaitlyn Reid said. “I think he’s going to have a lot of fun with us,” said 9-year-old Parker James. “I feel really excited and really nervous.” When asked why she felt that way, James said, “He’s the first ever! He’s...
Kamala Harris Made History — So Her Husband Did, Too
POLITICS

Kamala Harris Made History — So Her Husband Did, Too

On the second floor of a walk-up in Queens, New York, on a Tuesday in early July, 15 girls were building their own toolboxes, safety goggles on and power tools in hand. Ranging in age from 6 to 15, they were there for the second day of camp at Tools & Tiaras, a nonprofit designed to encourage girls’ interest in construction-related trades. A special guest was on his way to learn to rivet sheet metal alongside them. They may not have known him by name, but they definitely knew who he was married to. “His wife is the first woman vice president in this country,” 12-year-old Kaitlyn Reid said. “I think he’s going to have a lot of fun with us,” said 9-year-old Parker James. “I feel really excited and really nervous.” When asked why she felt that way, James said, “He’s the first ever! He...
Kamala Harris Wants To Be Seen — And Let Voters Know She Sees Them — Can It Work?
POLITICS

Kamala Harris Wants To Be Seen — And Let Voters Know She Sees Them — Can It Work?

Vice President Kamala Harris is back on the road, something she’s been eager to do after spending the first part of her tenure largely in Washington. In the past week alone, Harris has traveled to the battleground states of Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, as well as New Jersey, laying out the administration’s accomplishments, shoring up support with state lawmakers on abortion and attempting to rally voters ahead of the November midterms. She’s also talking to the media more: After giving few interviews in her first 18 months in office, she’s done newsmaking sit-downs with CNN, NPR and Face the Nation in recent weeks. Last week, I traveled with Harris to Florida and asked the vice president big questions about her leadership, the midterms, and what she sees as threats to free...
Kamala Harris Fights For Democracy At Home And Abroad
POLITICS

Kamala Harris Fights For Democracy At Home And Abroad

Vice President Kamala Harris started her week in Selma, Alabama, marking the 57th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, a seminal battle of the civil rights movement and the catalyst for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Days later, Harris made stops in Poland and Romania in a show of American support for Ukraine as the Eastern European country continues to defend itself against attacks from Russia. It was a week book-ended by threats to democracy, both at home and abroad. Standing at that intersection is Harris, who entered the vice presidency with little foreign policy experience but has taken on the role of diplomat and spokesperson for the United States in multiple high-profile situations. She opened her speech Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge with a link between the fights f...
Americans Yet Again Have Trouble Understanding What Multiracial Means With Kamala Harris
POLITICS, SOCIAL JUSTICE

Americans Yet Again Have Trouble Understanding What Multiracial Means With Kamala Harris

News that Sen. Kamala Harris was Joe Biden’s choice for the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee drove speculation and argumentation about her identity. The big question appeared to be, “Is Kamala Harris truly African American?” There were numerous articles and opinion pieces about whether Harris can legitimately claim to be African American; the authenticity of her Black identity if she has an Indian mother; what it means for her to be biracial; and other articles opining and speculating about her racial, ethnic and even national identity. Harris, the daughter of immigrant parents from Jamaica and India, identifies as Black/African American while also embracing her Indian heritage. Yet the questions in social media and news outlets swirling around her identities demonstrate a conti...
Many Black Women Aimed For The White House, Before Kamala Harris
POLITICS

Many Black Women Aimed For The White House, Before Kamala Harris

The vice president-elect of the United States is the American daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants. With Joe Biden’s projected presidential win over Donald Trump, Sen. Kamala Harris breaks three centuries-old barriers to become the nation’s first female vice president, first Black vice president and first Black female vice president. Harris is also of Indian descent, making the 2020 election a meaningful first for two communities of color. Harris wasn’t the first Black female vice presidential aspirant in American history. Charlotta Bass, an African American journalist and political activist from California, ran for vice president in 1948 with the Progressive Party. Before she was Biden’s running mate, Harris was his opponent in the Democratic presidential primary. She is one of m...
With Kamala Harris, Americans yet again have trouble understanding what multiracial means
POLITICS

With Kamala Harris, Americans yet again have trouble understanding what multiracial means

News that Sen. Kamala Harris was Joe Biden’s choice for the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee drove speculation and argumentation about her identity. The big question appeared to be, “Is Kamala Harris truly African American?” There were numerous articles and opinion pieces about whether Harris can legitimately claim to be African American; the authenticity of her Black identity if she has an Indian mother; what it means for her to be biracial; and other articles opining and speculating about her racial, ethnic and even national identity. Harris, the daughter of immigrant parents from Jamaica and India, identifies as Black/African American while also embracing her Indian heritage. Yet the questions in social media and news outlets swirling around her identities demonstrate a conti...
Before Kamala Harris became Biden’s running mate, Shirley Chisholm and other Black women aimed for the White House
POLITICS

Before Kamala Harris became Biden’s running mate, Shirley Chisholm and other Black women aimed for the White House

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, the American daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, is Joe Biden’s choice for vice president. If Biden wins in November, Harris would break three centuries-old barriers to become the nation’s first female vice president, first Black vice president and first Black female vice president. Geraldine Ferraro was the first female vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, in 1984. In 2008, Alaska’s then-governor Sarah Palin was Republican John McCain’s running mate. Before Harris was picked as Biden’s running mate, she was his competitor for the Democratic presidential nomination. She is one of many Black American women who have aimed for the highest office in the land despite great odds. Hands that once picked cotton African Americans have endured many ...
Kamala Harris Ends 2020 Presidential Bid
IN OTHER NEWS

Kamala Harris Ends 2020 Presidential Bid

The senator from California ended her once-promising campaign, saying she lacked the funds to go forward. Kamala Harris, a US senator from California once considered a promising contender for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election, ended her campaign on Tuesday. Harris, in an email to supporters, cited a lack of funding as the main reason for ending her bid to take on US President Donald Trump in a general election. "I've taken stock and looked at this from every angle, and over the last few days have come to one of the hardest decisions of my life," Harris wrote. "My campaign for president simply doesn't have the financial resources we need to continue." Harris held a conference call with staff on Tuesday afternoon to in...