u.s. senator Kamala Harris of California had already made history many times throughout her career On August 19 2020 she prepared to take the stage at the Democratic National Convention and shatter even more barriers A week earlier she'd been selected by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden as his running mate Normally cheering crowds filled the convention but the COVID 19 pandemic forced the event online Before Harris addressed the viewers from the Chase Center in Wilmington Delaware a video featuring her sister stepdaughter and niece introduced her as a role model a friend and a rock of stability for a large blended family When Harris stepped up to the podium the unusual circumstances didn't take away from her commitment and conviction as she accepted the nomination She was the first Black woman and the first Asian woman to become a vice presidential nominee 7
Harris became the third woman in US history to be nominated for vice president by a major US party Harris spoke about problems facing the country including racism inequities in education and health care and the pandemic She talked about her family including her mother who'd raised her for a life of public service She urged voters to elect Joe Biden for a better America And she acknowledged her place in history and how far the country had come since its founding That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me Harris said Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality liberty and justice for all We're not often taught their stories But as Americans we all stand on their shoulders 8
9 Growing Up Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20 1964 in Oakland California Her father Donald Harris immigrated to the United States from Jamaica and taught economics at Stanford University Her mother Shyamala Gopalan came from India and worked as a cancer researcher Harris and Gopalan met at the University of California Berkeley and both believed in the civil rights movement In the 1950s and 1960s the civil rights movement fought for fair treatment for Black Americans After marrying and having Kamala they gave her an early start in politics They brought her to protests in her stroller As a family they stood up against racism and fought for equal rights Martin Luther King Jr. center was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement
