Who is 2024 Democratic nominee Kamala Harris?

Kamala Harris, the current vice president of the US and the 2024 Democratic nominee for president, is known for her dynamic career that spans law enforcement, the US Senate, and now the White House.

With a background rooted in legal advocacy and political acumen, Harris has become a prominent voice on issues such as criminal justice reform, immigration, and reproductive rights.

But her career aside, who is Kamala Harris?

- Background -

Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Kamala Devi Harris is the daughter of Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian-born cancer researcher, and Donald Harris, a Jamaican-born economist. Her parents met as graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley, where they were involved in the civil rights movement.

Although her parents divorced when Harris was young, she remained close to both and spent significant time visiting family in India, which exposed her to both Black American and South Asian cultural influences.

Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, DC, where she studied political science and economics and joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She later attended law school at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, before beginning her legal career.

- Legal career -

Harris began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district attorney, focusing on cases of gang violence and drug offenses.

In 2004, she became the district attorney of San Francisco, where she was known for her stance on issues like reentry programs for offenders, which she saw as a way to reduce recidivism.

In 2010, Harris was narrowly elected as California’s attorney general, becoming the first woman and first Black person to hold the role. Her tenure was marked by her refusal to defend Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, a stance that ultimately contributed to its overturning in court.

She also drew attention for resisting early settlement in a federal case against mortgage lenders, later securing a more substantial deal for California in 2012.

- Transition to national politics -

In 2016, Harris won a seat in the US Senate, representing California. During her time in the Senate, she joined the Judiciary and Intelligence committees, becoming known for her direct questioning style in hearings. This approach drew both praise and criticism, particularly in high-profile hearings involving then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

As a senator, Harris supported reforms on issues like immigration, criminal justice, and women’s reproductive rights. She also published a memoir The Truths We Hold in which she outlined her perspectives on justice and public service.

- 2020 presidential run and vice presidency -

In 2019, Harris launched her own campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Although she initially gained attention for her debate performances, her campaign struggled with internal disagreements and questions over her political strategy. By late 2019, she withdrew from the race.

Her role in national politics took a major turn in 2020 when then-candidate Joe Biden selected her as his running mate. She became the first Black and Asian American woman to be on a major party’s presidential ticket.

Harris’s background in law and her policy experience added a different perspective to the Biden campaign, which emphasized unity and social justice in response to increasing national focus on racial and economic inequality.

As vice president, Harris took on specific policy areas, including addressing migration from Latin America, protecting voting rights, and advocating for access to reproductive health care. Her support for voting rights legislation and reproductive rights positioned her as a significant voice on these issues within the administration, though bipartisan challenges have limited legislative progress.

- 2024 nomination and presidential bid -

In July 2024, following a mixed performance in the polls and a challenging debate against former President Donald Trump, Biden announced he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee. She quickly secured her nomination through a virtual delegate vote, and in August 2024, she selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

Harris’s campaign emphasizes her policy stances on social justice, reproductive rights, and the preservation of democratic norms. With her platform, she seeks to address issues that were central during her time as vice president while appealing to a broad coalition of voters.

- Personal life -

Harris married Doug Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, in 2014. Emhoff, who became the first "second gentleman" in US history, has two children from a previous marriage.