13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History – Essence
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.
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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.
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Kamala Harris with Her Mother
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Kamala Harris (left) pictured with sister Maya and Mother Shymala
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.
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Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970 (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970. – Mercury Times
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Kamala Harris
Harris 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
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Kamala Harris at Her Mother Shyamala’s Laboratory at UC Berkeley
A young Kamala Harris at her mother Shyamala’s laboratory at UC Berkeley. – LA Times (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
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Shelley Young-Thompkins, Kimberly Higgs Hood and Kamala Harris
Shelley Young-Thompkins befriended Kamala Harris during her freshman year at Howard University – ABC News
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Kamala Harris
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
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Kamala Harris in Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard University
In 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
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Harris Graduates From Law School in 1989
American 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
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A Family Of Phenomenal Women
Kamala Harris with her sister Maya and her niece Meena.
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Kamala Harris with Her Paternal Grandmother, Beryl, in Jamaica
Kamala Harris with her paternal grandmother, Beryl, in Jamaica. – CNN (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
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Sister, Sister!
Kamala Harris enjoys dinner with her sister Maya.
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U.S. Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris
