Kamala Harris Becomes Second Black Woman Elected to Senate
Kamala Harris has made history by becoming the second black woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate and the first black politician to represent the state of California.
Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, is currently California’s Attorney General and decided to throw her hat into the Senate ring after Senator Barbara Boxer announced her retirement.
The newly elected Senator majored in political science and economics at Howard University, where she also was a member of the debate team and went on to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. It’s also where she made her first run for office- and won! “My first run for office was at Howard University, where I was elected freshman class representative of the liberal arts student council. Running a campaign at Howard was tough! I remember walking up to strangers,” she she told NBC News “asking them to vote for me.”
Her winning Senate platform included issues like college affordability, criminal justice and immigration reform, and equal pay policies, to name a few.
Another issue that’s close to Harris’ heart is the welfare of children, after seeing so many heartbreaking child abuse cases when she began her career as a prosecutor. “When I started my career as a prosecutor, I specialized in child abuse and I met so many children who were the victims of circumstances beyond their control,” she told the news site.
“I’ve worked hard to protect and support children, and I’ve seen what happens when we don’t,” she continued. “So I’ve developed this strong feeling that, as a community, we have a responsibility to make sure that every child is safe, is healthy and has access to a high quality education. We not only owe it to those children, but we owe it to the entire community.”
Currently, 20 black women serve in the House of Representatives, but there has not been a black female senator since Carol Moseley Braun’s one term from 1993-1999.
Photo Credit: Kamala Harris/Twitter
