Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden has selected Kamala Devi Harris as the nominee for vice president in a historic move that marks a breakthrough for Indian Americans in US politics.
"I have the great honour to announce that I've picked @KamalaHarris - a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country's finest public servants - as my running mate," Biden tweeted Tuesday afternoon, ending weeks of speculation.
Apparently, this bid could help the party to reach out to the Black Voters who could prove a key factor in the upcoming elections.
With the announcement, Kamala Harris has scripted the history by becoming the first Black woman to run for a presidential post as a nominee of a major party in the United States. Kamala Harris is known for many firsts and if elected to the presidential post, she will make history with many more.
Who is Kamala Harris?
1) Kamala Harris' father, Donald Harris an African Jamaican economics professor, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher, and civil rights activist hailed from Chennai. If elected, Kamala Harris would become the first-ever woman to be the vice president of the United States and the first-ever Indian-American and African vice president of the country.
2) Kamala Harris is a 55-year-old senator representing California. The lawyer-politician was once described as a trailblazer by former US president Barack Obama. A senator, Harris has a history as a prosecutor, having been the attorney general of California.
3) In January 2019, Kamala Harris had launched her presidential campaign for the US elections. However, her campaign could not take off and by the end of the year, Harris withdrew from the presidential race. Early this year, Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden for the presidency, and during the primaries and pre-primary season, she did not share a good relationship with Biden. They once again became allies in the last few months.
4) Kamala Harris has been a county district attorney, the district attorney for San Francisco, and also the first woman and first African-American and Indian-origin to be elected to the position.
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5) After her parents divorced, Kamala Harris was raised by her Indian mother. She has said that her mother adopted the Black culture and immersed Kamala and her younger sister Maya in the culture. Kamala Harris grew up embracing her Indian culture but has lived an African-American life with pride. She has also often joined her mother on visits to India.
Despite her mixed parentage, Harris is presented as an African American meeting the current national sentiment driven by the movement against discrimination against African Americans.