As we approach election day, Vice President Kamala Harris’ journey stands as a testament to the power of resilience and representation. Harris, a 59-year-old Oakland, California native and proud HBCU graduate was born to immigrant parents, a Black Jamaican father, and an Indian mother. Her ascent to the Vice Presidency in 2020 marked a historic milestone as she is the first Black and South Asian individual to hold the office. Now, with President Biden’s unexpected July 21 announcement of his withdrawal from the race and endorsement of Harris, she stands poised to make history once again as she vies to become president of the United States.
Central to Harris’s narrative is the rich tapestry of strong, fearless women of color who shaped her life. Long before she shattered glass ceilings and inspired countless Black and Brown girls, Harris was a young girl herself, nurtured by a close-knit family, her beloved mother at its core. With less than 100 days until the election, we take a look back at Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic journey and the formidable circle of women who uplifted her along the way.
01Kamala Harris with Her Mother 
02Kamala Harris (left) pictured with sister Maya and Mother ShymalaMy mother was very intentional about raising my sister, Maya, and me as strong, Black women. She coupled her teachings of civic duty and fearlessness with actions, which included taking us on Thursday nights to Rainbow Sign, a Black cultural center near our home.
There we were always greeted with warm hugs and exposed to extraordinary people like Shirley Chisholm, Nina Simone, and Maya Angelou who helped show us what we could become. This Black History Month, I want to lift up my mother and the community at Rainbow Sign who taught us anything was possible, unburdened by what has been. 
03Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970 (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970. – Mercury Times 
04Kamala HarrisHarris tweeted this photo of her as a child after referencing it during a Democratic debate in June 2019. During the debate, she confronted Joe Biden over his opposition many years ago to the federal government mandating busing to integrate schools. “There was a little girl in California who was bussed to school,” she tweeted. “That little girl was me.” – CNN 
05Kamala Harris at Her Mother Shyamala’s Laboratory at UC BerkeleyA young Kamala Harris at her mother Shyamala’s laboratory at UC Berkeley. – LA Times (Courtesy of Kamala Harris) 
06Shelley Young-Thompkins, Kimberly Higgs Hood and Kamala HarrisShelley Young-Thompkins befriended Kamala Harris during her freshman year at Howard University – ABC News 
07Kamala HarrisHappy first day of school, Bison! As this new school year starts, be sure to aim high and make the climb — you never know what you can achieve until you try.
At Howard University, you can come as you are and leave as the person you aspire to be. Your Bison family will be with you every step. – Kamala Harris’ Facebook page 
08Kamala Harris in Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard UniversityIn 1986, Kamala Harris and 37 other women were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard University. ABC7 spoke to her line sisters about Harris’s history-making moment on Wednesday. – ABC; Courtesy of: Alpha Kappa Alpha 
09Harris Graduates From Law School in 1989American Education Week has me thinking about my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson. She sparked my love for learning and was there for me the day I walked across the stage to get my law degree. There are Mrs. Wilson’s all across our nation who are making a difference in children’s lives—and they deserve a raise. As president, I’ll invest in them like they’ve invested in us. – Kamala Harris’ Facebook page 
10A Family Of Phenomenal WomenKamala Harris with her sister Maya and her niece Meena. 
11Kamala Harris with Her Paternal Grandmother, Beryl, in JamaicaKamala Harris with her paternal grandmother, Beryl, in Jamaica. – CNN (Courtesy of Kamala Harris) 
12Sister, Sister!Kamala Harris enjoys dinner with her sister Maya. 
Getty Images 13U.S. Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris 
TOPICS: 2024 Elections Joe Biden kamala harris
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