Understand Kamala Harris’ VP Nomination and Why it’s Historical
You don’t need to agree with Kamala’s policies to recognize her nomination as historical.
Making an informed decision is the first step to casting a ballot. Here are the basic facts to understand “the good, the bad and the ugly” behind her policies.
Who is Kamala Harris?
Kamala is an Oakland, CA native.
Her early career as an ADA focused on sex work, and repositioning teenage prostitutes as victims, not criminals.
In 2003, she became San Francisco’s first Black District Attorney, and by 2011 she made history as the first African-American and first Asian-American woman to serve as California’s Attorney General. A state’s AG is the highest, chief law enforcement officer.
Kamala is more commonly known for her current position as California Senator, which she assumed in 2017 as the second African-American and Asian-American to take office.
Appointed as Joe Biden’s 2020 VP Running Mate
On August 11th, Joe Biden, the Democratic Presidential Nominee announced Kamala Harris as his 2020 Running Mate.
Why this is historical
If Joe Biden is elected as the President of the United States this November, Kamala Harris would make history as the first woman, and first African-American and Asian-American to become the Vice President of the US.
Kamala is controversial
- In her first three years as Assistant District Attorney (ADA), San Francisco’s conviction rate jumped 15% — from 52% to 67%.
2. Kamala opted not to pursue the death penalty against a man who killed police officer, Isaac Espinoza.
3. She made truancy (the absence of attending school) a misdemeanor, and made it possible to punish parents of the offending student.
4. Some people believe she wasn’t active enough in attempting to reduce police brutality.
5. Kamala’s position on healthcare has been inconsistent. She initially co-sponsored Senator Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All, but then after just two years went back on her support for it.
Kamala’s attempts at reform
- Kamala has openly, and clearly made a strong stance against the death penalty.
2. In 2015, she created OpenJustice, an online platform making California’s criminal justice data publicly available. The database helped improve police accountability by reporting the number of deaths and injuries of those in police custody.
3. Kamala has earned a reputation for using strong interrogation tactics to stand up against Republicans. She is known widely for the direct and commanding questions asked during Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Hearings in 2018.
4. She has also used powerful rebuttals with President Trump’s Immigration and Homeland Security Officials. Kamala has also received support from many immigration rights organizations. During a Senate hearing, she compared ICE to the KKK — explaining how they’ve used similar tactics like instilling fear and using force.
5. Kamala is an advocate against separating children at the United States — Mexico border. In 2018, at another Senate hearing, she spoke out against the 2,300 children that were held in captivity without their parents:
“There are phases of childhood that can never be replaced, phases of childhood that when that child experiences trauma, it will have lifelong impact. Phases of life during which a child is so innocent and needs love and needs nurturing and needs that love and nurturing from their parent. It cannot be replaced by anyone else, and certainly not by the cage in which they are now being housed. So let’s look at where we are. It’s a child’s worst nightmare.” — Kamala Harris
Read her detailed remarks here.
Kamala Harris’ Motto
It cannot be denied that Kamala is paving the way for Black and Asian-American women who are pushing for leadership roles in politics. Her motto which comes from her mother, is inspirational for all communities that are driving change.
