Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is one of the most influential women in American politics. She has served as Vice President of the United States since 2021 and later became the Democratic nominee for president. This article explores Harris’s career, political views, and personal life.
Kamala Harris is a lawyer and politician from the Democratic Party of the United States. She represented California in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and was elected as the first African American, first Indian American, and first female Vice President of the United States on November 7, 2020.
Profile of Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is a lawyer and politician from the Democratic Party of the United States
Full name | Kamala Devi Harris |
|---|---|
Date and place of birth | October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California (USA) |
Height | 162 centimeters |
Eye color | brown |
Hair color | brown |
Parents | Donald J. Harris and Shyamala Gopalan |
Husband | Douglas Emhoff (since 2014) |
Children | two stepchildren (Ella and Cole) |
Party affiliation | Democratic Party |
Religion | Baptist |
Education | Howard University (Political Science and Economics); University of California, Hastings College of the Law (Juris Doctor) |
Key positions | 27th District Attorney of San Francisco; 32nd Attorney General of California; Senator from California; 49th Vice President of the United States |
Biography of Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. Her parents were immigrants: her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, emigrated from India, and her father, Donald Harris, from Jamaica. Two years later, the family welcomed their second daughter, Maya.
Little Kamala and her parents
Kamala grew up in a household deeply engaged in social and political life, which shaped her worldview from an early age. Her mother was a biologist and cancer researcher, while her father was a professor of economics. Both were highly educated professionals who faced challenges as people of color in academia.
During Kamala’s childhood, the family relocated several times due to her parents’ academic careers, including moves to Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1970, her parents’ marriage began to deteriorate, and Shyamala returned to California with her daughters. The couple later divorced when Kamala was seven years old. In 1972, Donald Harris accepted a position at Stanford University, and Kamala and Maya spent weekends with their father in Palo Alto while living with their mother in Berkeley during the week.
In 1976, Shyamala accepted a research fellowship at McGill University’s School of Medicine and moved with her daughters to Montreal. Kamala graduated from Westmount High School in 1981.
After high school, Harris studied political science and economics at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She later returned to California to attend the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. In June following her graduation, Harris was admitted to the California Bar.
Political career
date | What happened |
|---|---|
1990 | Kamala Harris was appointed Assistant District Attorney in Alameda County, where she earned a reputation for a tough approach to prosecuting cases involving gang violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse. |
1994 | Harris was appointed to the State Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board by Willie Brown, then Speaker of the California State Assembly. She later served on the California Medical Assistance Commission. |
1998 | Harris joined the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office under Terence Hallinan. She later became the head of the Career Criminal Division, where she supervised a team of prosecutors. |
2002 | Harris ran for District Attorney of San Francisco and won the election with more than 56% of the vote, becoming the first woman and the first person of color to hold the position. During her tenure, she became a national advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and later officiated one of the first same-sex marriages after Proposition 8 was overturned in 2013. She also established the Environmental Justice Division and launched a rehabilitation program that offered nonviolent first-time offenders the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and secure employment. |
2007 | Harris ran for re-election as San Francisco District Attorney and was re-elected unopposed. |
2008 | In March, California Lawyer magazine named Harris one of the state’s Lawyers of the Year. That same year, The New York Times described her as a rising political figure with presidential potential. In November, she announced her candidacy for Attorney General of California. |
January 3, 2011 | Harris was sworn in as Attorney General of California, becoming the first woman, the first African American, and the first South Asian American to hold the office. |
2014 | Harris won re-election as Attorney General of California on November 4, defeating Ronald Gold. |
January 13, 2015 | Following Senator Barbara Boxer’s announcement that she would retire, Harris declared her candidacy for the U.S. Senate. |
2016 | Harris was endorsed by the California Democratic Party and won the general election with more than 60% of the vote, becoming the second Black and the first South Asian American U.S. senator in history. |
2019 | On January 21, Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. She withdrew from the race on December 3, citing insufficient financial resources. |
2020 | Harris endorsed Joe Biden and was later selected as his running mate. On August 11, 2020, Biden announced the ticket, making Harris the first African American and the first Indian American vice-presidential nominee of a major party. On November 7, 2020, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were elected President and Vice President of the United States. |
2021 | On January 20, 2021, Harris was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States. She played a decisive role in passing the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package by casting a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. She also helped secure the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act later that year. |
2022 | Harris contributed to the passage of the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. On August 7, she cast a deciding vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, one of the largest climate investments in U.S. history. |
July 12, 2023 | Harris set a new record for the highest number of tie-breaking votes cast by a vice president, surpassing a nearly 200-year-old record. |
July 21, 2024 | Following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race after a widely criticised debate performance, Harris announced her intention to seek the Democratic nomination. Biden publicly endorsed her candidacy. |
Key points of Kamala Harris's policy
Kamala Harris is a lawyer and politician from the Democratic Party of the United States
Kamala Harris is a symbol of change in the U.S. political landscape, and this is precisely what attracts a large proportion of voters. Her historic election as vice president became a sign of hope for many people seeking greater diversity and inclusivity in government.
- Kamala Harris is generally considered moderate and pragmatic—like Joe Biden, she is moderately left-wing. However, some of her positions have been criticised as ambiguous, such as her stance on the death penalty. What, then, are the Democratic candidate’s key policy priorities?;
- Kamala Harris is an active advocate for women’s rights, particularly in the area of reproductive health and freedom. She has repeatedly emphasised her support for the Roe v. Wade decision, which legalised abortion in the United States, and became the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic. She also advocates for the rights and interests of the LGBTQ+ community;
- Kamala Harris is a strong supporter of measures aimed at environmental protection and achieving climate neutrality in the United States;
- One of the most important aspects of Harris’s work throughout her career has been the promotion of criminal justice reform. She supports programmes focused on the rehabilitation of former prisoners. Harris is also committed to expanding access to education and healthcare for all Americans, as well as providing economic support to low-income individuals;
- Harris’s position on immigration issues is complex. On the one hand, she supports measures to strengthen border security. On the other, she has previously advocated for immigration reform that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, particularly children;
- Over the past year, Harris has become increasingly active in foreign policy. She represented President Biden at the international Ukraine summit in Switzerland and, in February, spoke explicitly in favour of NATO and international cooperation at the Munich Security Conference. She has also called on Israel to show restraint in the Gaza Strip—an approach viewed positively by liberal voters.
Popularity of Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris has received public support from numerous celebrities, including George Clooney, Beyoncé, Moby, Pink, Cardi B, Lizzo, and Oprah Winfrey. Her popularity increased further after musician Charli XCX referred to her as a “brat,” triggering a wave of memes and heightened online engagement.
Kamala is also trying to attract young voters
There has also been speculation regarding potential support from Taylor Swift. Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, is a known fan of Swift and has resonated with more traditional voters due to his background as a former military serviceman, educator, and Midwestern native.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz
On August 29, 2024, Harris and Walz gave their first joint interview, which received mixed reactions. Despite this, Democratic support increased, and according to RealClearPolitics, Harris held a 1.8% lead over Donald Trump in national polling at the time.
Harris introduces Walz to her supporters
Kamala Harris's personal life
Kamala Harris has been married to attorney Douglas Emhoff since 2014. The couple met in 2013 on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. Harris has two stepchildren, Ella and Cole Emhoff, who affectionately refer to her as “Momala.”
She previously had relationships with politician Willie Brown in the 1990s and with television host Montel Williams in 2001.
Kamala and Douglas are always loving
Despite their different religious backgrounds — Emhoff is Jewish and Harris is Baptist — the couple emphasises mutual respect. Harris’s extended family is also active in public life. Her sister, Maya Harris, is a lawyer and political analyst, and her niece, Meena Harris, is a prominent activist and entrepreneur.
Kamala Harris' social media accounts
You can follow Kamala Harris on most social media platforms, but her accounts are in English, of course.
Their campaign websites may also be of interest:
