Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris
Lawrence Jackson · Public domain · source
Name	Kamala Harris
Birth date	October 20, 1964
Birth place	Oakland, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Howard University, University of California, Hastings College of the Law
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Party	Democratic Party
Offices	Vice President of the United States

Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who serves as the Vice President of the United States under President Joe Biden. She previously served as a United States Senator from California and as the Attorney General of California. Born in Oakland, California, she has been prominent in national debates on criminal justice, civil rights, and foreign policy.

Early life and education

Harris was born in Oakland, California to immigrant parents: her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, from India, and her father, Donald J. Harris, from Jamaica. She was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and spent part of her childhood in Montreal, Quebec. Harris attended Westmount High School briefly and graduated from Monta Vista High School; she matriculated at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she studied Political science and Economics before earning a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. At Howard University she was influenced by figures such as Thurgood Marshall, Stokely Carmichael, and the civil rights movement, and she participated in organizations tied to Alpha Kappa Alpha and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee-era activism.

Legal career and California Attorney General

Harris began her legal career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, prosecuting cases involving gang violence and drug trafficking before joining the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and later becoming the San Francisco City Attorney's Office's head of the Career Criminal Unit. In 2003 she was elected as District Attorney of San Francisco, defeating Terence Hallinan; her tenure included initiatives addressing recidivism and programs partnering with community-based organizations such as Homeboy Industries and Emerge California. In 2010 she was elected as Attorney General of California, succeeding Jerry Brown; as Attorney General she led prosecutions and civil suits involving consumer protection, environmental enforcement with the California Air Resources Board and California Environmental Protection Agency, mortgage fraud, and actions against financial institutions including settlements with Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Her office joined multistate coalitions addressing same-sex marriage cases prior to Obergefell v. Hodges, defended California Dream Act-related rules, and expanded the state’s sex offender registration reforms. Critics and supporters debated her record on criminal justice reform and policies such as prosecutorial discretion and plea bargaining.

U.S. Senate tenure

In 2016 Harris was elected to the United States Senate from California, filling the seat vacated by Barbara Boxer. As a senator she served on committees including the Judiciary Committee, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Budget Committee. Harris led hearings that questioned nominees such as Brett Kavanaugh, Jeff Sessions, and William Barr and cross-examined officials from agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. She sponsored and co-sponsored legislation on issues such as criminal justice reform initiatives, consumer protection measures in coordination with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, immigration reforms related to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and proposals on climate tied to Paris Agreement commitments. Harris joined bipartisan efforts with senators including Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Dianne Feinstein on various bills and was noted for high-profile floor speeches responding to events like the Charleston church shooting and the confirmation battles during the Trump administration.

2020 presidential campaign

Harris launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, joining a diverse field including Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and Beto O'Rourke. Her campaign emphasized topics such as criminal justice reform, universal background checks influenced by incidents in Las Vegas and Parkland, Florida, and expanding access to Medicare-adjacent programs. Harris participated in debates with moderators from outlets like CNN, NBC News, and The New York Times and faced scrutiny on policy specifics and prior prosecutorial decisions. After withdrawing from the primary, she endorsed Joe Biden and was subsequently selected as his running mate, forming a ticket that won the 2020 United States presidential election against incumbents Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

Vice Presidency

As Vice President of the United States, Harris has the constitutional role of presiding over the United States Senate and a portfolio assigned by President Joe Biden including assignments on issues like the U.S.-Mexico border policy, coordination with agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, and engagement with allies like Canada and Mexico. She has represented the administration in diplomatic meetings with leaders from Japan, South Korea, and members of the European Union as well as attending multilateral forums such as NATO and the United Nations General Assembly. Harris has led initiatives on voting rights reform in coordination with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and civil rights groups including the NAACP and League of Women Voters, and has chaired task forces addressing maternal health disparities in collaboration with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials and the Department of Health and Human Services. Her office has faced political controversies and media scrutiny related to matters involving border policy, staff turnover, and high-profile visits to regions including Central America.

Political positions and public image

Harris's political positions span criminal justice reform, civil rights, immigration, foreign policy, and economic equity. She has advocated for reforms that intersect with legislation like the Violence Against Women Act and dialogues surrounding mass incarceration sparked by advocates from Black Lives Matter. On international matters she has supported maintaining alliances exemplified by NATO and reengagement with the Paris Agreement, and she has criticized policies of leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping while supporting sanctions coordinated with the European Union and the United Kingdom. Her public image has been shaped by appearances on platforms including The Daily Show, interviews with CBS News and The Washington Post, and portrayals in popular culture through outlets like Saturday Night Live; she has both widespread support from organizations such as the Democratic National Committee and criticism from figures in the Republican Party including Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. Harris has received honors and recognition from institutions like Howard University and been the subject of scholarly analysis in journals and books addressing contemporary American politics.

Category:Living people Category:Vice Presidents of the United States Category:People from Oakland, California