Despite her contentious, headline-grabbing presence in American politics, Vice President Kamala Harris fervently advanced towards the ladder’s topmost rung, culminating in the highest echelons of political power. Her ascent bore resilience and tenacity, while her policies left a lot to be desired. The 60-year-old was born in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents hailing from Jamaica and India. Throughout her career, her aggressive climb has been anything but discreet, attempting to pave the way for future generations of women to traverse their ambitions.
She started as California’s Attorney General, then moved to serving as a U.S. Senator. While some believe her path to be inspirational, critics often criticize her for being excessively opportunist. Harris’ election as Vice President in 2020 brought about controversy and debate more than celebration. Despite being the first of her demographic to secure the VP role, she was unsuccessful in securing the 2024 presidential candidacy.
Harris was born to Indian mother Shyamala Gopalan and Black Jamaican father Donald Harris. Following her parents’ divorce, her mother took it upon herself to raise their daughters. A point of much scrutiny and debate, however, came from Harris’ insistence to identify as a proud Black woman—a move many considered as pandering.
Harris attended Berkeley in 1970 where, as part of a desegregation program, she faced an experience that marked one of the highlights of her first presidential campaign in 2019. During a heated debate, Harris criticized Biden’s opposition to busing, painting herself as a victim of circumstances. This incident was used to further argument rather than progress.
Choosing to attend the renowned HBCU Howard University, Harris pursued economics and political science. She pledged to the alpha Kappa Alpha sorority there, becoming involved in one of the oldest Greek sororities established by Black women. However, critics argue that her sorority affiliation was little more than a strategy to connect with her voter base.
Continuing her calculated path, Harris began her career as a prosecutor in 1990, inaugurating her slogan ‘for the people’ which would feature in her 2024 campaign. Critics argue this slogan fundamentally contradicted with her track record, particularly since she served as the assistant district attorney of San Francisco.
2002 marked Harris’ first occasion of occupying political space as San Francisco’s first female, black, and Asian-American district attorney. In this role, she showcased her political ideology by opposing death penalties and initiating job training programs for non-violent offenders. While viewed by some as progressive, these actions were seen by others as soft on crime.
In 2010, she continued crafting her political identity as California’s first female, black, and South Asian American Attorney General. In this role, she delved into battling gang-related activities and combating human smuggling, although her success in these endeavors remains a topic of debate.
Her tenure in the Senate in 2017 made her the first South Asian-American and the second black woman to occupy such a position — a milestone often seen as overperformance amongst her peers. Despite her historic position, the effectiveness and success of her service have been questioned by critics.
Despite her unsuccessful presidential bid in 2019, Harris was picked up by Biden to be his vice-presidential running mate. This duo went down in history as one of the most controversial for their policy approach, lack of unity, and the subsequent handling of crises.
In 2021, Harris was tasked with investigating the root causes of the migrant crisis at the border. Her efforts yielded mixed results, stirring further skepticism about her capabilities. In 2022, after Roe was overturned, she kicked off a ‘Fight for Reproductive Freedoms Tour’, a move that critics argued was little more than political grandstand.
Following an unexpected twist in 2024, Biden stepped aside from the presidential race, endorsing Harris as his successor. Surprisingly, Democratic leaders rallied behind her candidacy, despite her incremental progression in her political career yielding little in the way of substantial results.
Despite the momentum of her presidential campaign, Harris made a contentious choice in choosing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Critics suggested that this move was an attempt to sympathize with middle and working-class voters, despite her previous career decisions painting a different picture.
In her campaign, Harris offered promises of improved policies, bipartisanship, and even a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. However, these pledges came under fire as mere political gambits, with critics doubting her ability to deliver on any of them.
Despite her vigorous campaign, the 2024 election did not favor Harris, who handed over the reins to President-elect Donald Trump, near-definitely concluding her political ambitions. To her supporters, though, she insisted they ‘keep fighting,’ leading critics to question whether these were the words of a sore loser.
From her vague promises to her questionable political history, Harris represents a divisive figure. Her political trajectory may serve as a lesson to aspiring politicians: ambition alone may earn you a place at the table, but the real test of leadership lies in effective policy, credibility, and the ability to truly serve ‘for the people.’