Kamala Harris

Who Is Kamala Harris?

Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. She served as the 49th Vice President of the United States from January 20, 2021, to January 20, 2025, alongside President Joe Biden. Harris was the first woman, Black person, and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.

Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post of Vice President. She had previously served in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and as Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017.

Furthermore, she became the Democratic nominee for president in 2024. Her story is one of firsts — and it is far from over.

Early Life: Oakland, Berkeley, and a World Built on Civil Rights

Born to Two Trailblazers

Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a breast cancer researcher from southern India. Her father, Donald Harris, was an economics professor from Jamaica.

Donald J. Harris and Shyamala Gopalan met as students as part of a Black student group at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1962. They were both scholars. They were both activists. Together, they shaped a daughter who would change American history.

Their first child, Kamala Devi, was born in Oakland in 1964, the same year Shyamala earned her PhD. Harris’ mother chose her name in tribute to her Indian heritage. Kamala means “lotus,” and is also another name for Lakshmi, a Hindu goddess.

Raised in a World of Movement and Meaning

After her parents divorced, Harris and her younger sister Maya were raised by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, as a single parent. Harris recalls she had a “stroller-eye view of the Civil Rights movement” as she went with her mother to marches. These early experiences inspired her to make it her life’s work to fight against injustice.

While growing up in Oakland, she was immersed in both Indian and African American culture. Her mother took Harris to spend time with her grandparents in India during the summer. She also made sure her girls were connected to their African American roots.

Growing Up Across Three Countries

When Harris was 12, her mother moved the family to Montreal, accepting a research and teaching position at the Jewish General Hospital. Harris attended Westmount High School — one of the most ethnically diverse schools in Canada — and was a popular, well-liked student.

After her parents divorced, Harris moved to Canada with her mother and graduated from Westmount High School in Westmount, Quebec, in 1981.

Her multicultural upbringing gave her a unique lens. She understood race. She understood culture. Most importantly, she understood the complexity of identity in America.

Education: Howard University and Hastings Law

As a student at Howard University — a historically Black university in Washington, DC — she interned for California Senator Alan Cranston. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics in 1986.

She was also on the debate team and elected to the student council. These experiences honed her skills as a communicator, a thinker, and a future public servant.

Three years later, she earned a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in San Francisco.

Legal Career: Building a Reputation as California’s Top Prosecutor

Alameda County and San Francisco (1990–2003)

Fresh out of law school, she joined the Alameda County district attorney’s office in 1990, serving there for eight years before crossing the bay to San Francisco.

She did not seek easy cases. She sought justice. Therefore, her reputation grew steadily and impressively throughout the 1990s.

San Francisco District Attorney (2003–2011)

In 2003, she unexpectedly won election as San Francisco district attorney, where she served two terms.

This victory was significant. She became the first woman and first Black person to serve as San Francisco’s District Attorney. However, she was not finished. She had bigger goals in mind.

California Attorney General (2011–2017)

She was elected to the office of state attorney general in 2010 and was sworn into the role in January 2011. She served until 2017.

One of Harris’ key accomplishments as attorney general came in 2012 when she, along with 40 other attorneys general, reached a multi-billion-dollar deal with five U.S. banks that settled over flawed mortgage foreclosure practices. The deal provided relief to those affected by those practices, with the average eligible homeowner receiving $20,000 in mortgage aid.

Harris served as California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017, balancing consumer protection with tough-on-crime positions.

U.S. Senate: California’s Voice in Washington (2017–2021)

She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. She served on the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, pressed tech companies on privacy and competition, and backed health coverage expansions. Her hearing performances elevated her national profile ahead of the 2020 Biden-Harris ticket.

Her sharp, incisive questioning during Senate hearings made headlines repeatedly. She became known for her fearless approach. She became known for her precision. Moreover, she became known for not letting powerful figures off the hook.

Her Senate votes passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Historic Vice Presidency: Breaking Every Barrier (2021–2025)

A Historic Inauguration

On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States. She wore a purple coat and pearls — colors symbolic of both suffragism and Alpha Kappa Alpha, her historically Black sorority at Howard University. It was a moment millions of Americans had never seen before.

She was the first woman. She was the first Black American. She was the first South Asian American. All in one moment. All in one historic oath.

Record-Breaking Tie-Breaking Votes

As President of the Senate, Vice President Harris set a new record for the most tie-breaking votes cast by a Vice President in history — surpassing a record that had stood for nearly 200 years.

As of January 21, 2026, Kamala Harris cast the most tie-breaking votes — 33 — during her tenure as vice president. John C. Calhoun had previously held the record with 31, having served from 1825 to 1832.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer presented Vice President Kamala Harris with a “golden gavel” after she cast her record-setting 32nd tie-breaking vote in December 2023.

These included casting the decisive vote to secure passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act — the largest investment ever in tackling the climate crisis.

Key Achievements as Vice President

Harris expanded the Child Tax Credit to cut child poverty in half. She provided $450 billion in relief to 6 million small businesses. She led the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis.

Furthermore, she championed voting rights, immigration reform, and economic equity throughout her four years in office.

2024 Presidential Campaign: 107 Days That Shook the Nation

Stepping Into the Race

On July 21, 2024, incumbent President Joe Biden withdrew his re-election campaign and immediately endorsed Harris to replace him as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. Harris officially became the nominee of the Democratic Party on August 5, following a virtual roll call vote.

Harris responded, saying: “On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”

The Campaign

Her running mate was Tim Walz, the 41st Governor of Minnesota. Their campaign raised over 1.185 billion dollars — one of the largest fundraising efforts in U.S. political history.

The campaign’s theme song was “Freedom” by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar. It became a rallying anthem. It became a cultural moment. It reflected the energy and spirit of the historic campaign.

Election Loss and Reflection

Ultimately, her campaign failed to convince enough voters to support her in the November general election. She and Walz lost to Trump and his running mate JD Vance. Harris’s term as vice president ended on the morning of January 20, 2025.

107 Days — The Memoir (September 2025)

In September 2025, Harris published a memoir called 107 Days — which was the length of her 2024 presidential campaign, the shortest in history.

107 Days was published on September 23, 2025, by Simon & Schuster, in collaboration with author Geraldine Brooks. The book is 320 pages.

She wrote honestly about Biden’s belated decision to withdraw from the race, writing: “In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high.”

Personal Life: Love, Family, and “Momala”

Meeting Douglas Emhoff

Emhoff and Harris met on a blind date in 2013, set up by a mutual friend. It was her first marriage and his second. They married in 2014.

Harris wrote in her 2019 memoir The Truths We Hold that the morning after their first date, Emhoff sent an email to set up future dates, writing: “I’m too old to play games or hide the ball… I really like you, and I want to see if we can make this work.”

A Blended Family Built on Love

Emhoff has two children from his first marriage — Cole and Ella — who famously refer to the former vice president as “Momala.” Their stepchildren — Ella and Cole Emhoff — are named for Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane.

Harris described her two stepchildren as “my endless source of love and pure joy.” When she was sworn in as vice president in 2021, Harris made history as the first stepmother to be America’s vice president.

Life After the White House

Currently, Harris is promoting her memoir 107 Days while Emhoff has returned to his legal career, working at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as a partner.

In July 2025, Harris announced that she would not run for governor of California in 2026 — a move that seemed to keep her options for seeking the presidency again in 2028 open.

In an April interview, Harris said of a 2028 campaign: “Listen, I might.”

Books and Published Works

Year	Title	Publisher	Notes
2019	The Truths We Hold: An American Journey	Penguin Press	Memoir on personal relationships and upbringing
2019	Superheroes Are Everywhere	Penguin Young Readers	Children’s picture book memoir
2025	107 Days	Simon & Schuster	2024 presidential campaign memoir (320 pages)

Career Timeline at a Glance

Year	Milestone
1986	Graduates from Howard University (B.A. Political Science & Economics)
1989	Earns law degree from UC Hastings, San Francisco
1990	Joins Alameda County District Attorney’s Office
2003	Elected San Francisco District Attorney (first woman & Black DA)
2010	Elected California Attorney General
2016	Elected U.S. Senator from California
2020	Elected 49th Vice President of the United States
2021	Inaugurated; becomes first woman, first Black, first Asian-American VP
2023	Sets record for tie-breaking Senate votes (golden gavel awarded)
2024	Becomes Democratic presidential nominee; loses to Donald Trump
2025	Publishes memoir 107 Days; hints at 2028 presidential run