SOUTH FLORIDA – Jamaican-American Senator Kamala Harris was chosen by former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, as his running mate. This announcement ended weeks of speculation that the pick for Vice-President would be a woman.
In making the announcement Biden said, “These aren’t normal times, I need someone working alongside me who is smart, tough, and ready to lead, Kamala is that person.”
Harris is the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father – both civil rights activists.
The Senator’s father Donald Harris, who had significant impact on her character and formation of her world view, made sure that Harris and her sister Maya knew about their Jamaican heritage by regularly sharing the family’s history and frequent visits to Jamaica.
Harris was educated at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. She started out as deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, then later became district attorney of San Francisco. In 2016, Harris became just the second Black woman in U.S. history to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
Harris considers herself someone who can appeal to both progressives and moderates. Her sharp debating skills and engaging personality made her a top-tier contender for this position.
Interest in Harris and her Jamaican Heritage began to grow when she announced her candidacy for President in 2019. In a visit to Miami, that year she and her sister Maya rubbed shoulders and posed for photos with a number of prominent Jamaican-Americans. Since then, support and admiration for Harris, by the wider Caribbean-American community has continued to grow.
Today’s historic announcement will undoubtably create an even greater interest in Harris’ background and her Caribbean Heritage.
