Who Is Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris? 5 Things to Know About the Politician Who’s Making History

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Who Is Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris? 5 Things to Know About the Politician Who's Making History

History in the making! Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election win was a miraculous feat — but he couldn't have done it without Senator Kamala Harris by his side. On Saturday, November 7, the Biden-Harris ticket emerged victorious over President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Harris, 56, is the first woman, the first Black person and the first South Asian to be elected vice president. The longtime politician began her impressive career as district attorney of San Francisco, California, in 2004. She held the seat until 2011 and was the city's first person of color to be elected district attorney. Harris worked her way up the ranks, serving as California's attorney general from 2011 to 2017, taking over from Jerry Brown. Throughout her career, Harris has been no stranger to breaking barriers. After winning her race in the 2016 Senate election, she became the second Black woman and first South Asian American to serve in the Senate. As the daughter of both a Jamaican immigrant and a native Indian, Harris' fearless demeanor was instilled in her from a young age. "My mother, who raised me and my sister, was a proud woman," Harris recalled in a November 2019 video. "She was a brown woman. She was a woman with a heavy accent. She was a woman, who many times people would overlook her, or not take her seriously. Or because of her accent, assume things about her intelligence. ... Every time she proved them wrong." [jwplayer 7XgFgws0] In January 2019, Harris officially announced her candidacy for president of the United States. Though she was briefly considered a top contender, she suspended her campaign just under a year later. She quickly threw her support behind Biden, who confirmed in August that he had selected Harris as his running mate. After making history once again, Harris sent an inspiring message to young girls around the country. "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," Harris said on Saturday night. "Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they've never seen it before. And we will applaud you every step of the way." Scroll down to learn more about the Vice President-elect! [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Kamala Harris/Instagram

1. She is the daughter of immigrants

The former senator's father, Donald J. Harris, moved to the United States from Jamaica in 1961 to attend the University of California, Berkeley. While studying for his PhD, he met Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian immigrant who went on to conduct cancer research at the university. The pair wed in 1963 and raised daughters Kamala and Maya Harris, now a political analyst for MSNBC, in Berkeley, California. The couple eventually split in 1971.

Kamala's election to the second most powerful office in the nation is historic, making her the first woman, the first African American and first Asian American to hold the position. Before her mother passed away from colon cancer in 2009, she left Kamala with a powerful motto: "My mother used to have a saying, and she would say to me: 'Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you're not the last,'" Kamala recalled during a January 2019 town hall.

Credit: Courtesy of Kamala Harris/Instagram

2. She has two stepchildren

In August 2014, Kamala tied the knot with attorney Douglas Emhoff, who was previously married to Kerstin Emhoff from 1992 to 2008. The exes share two children, Cole and Ella, who affectionately call the V.P.-elect "Mom-ala."

Credit: Courtesy of Kamala Harris/Instagram

3. Cooking is her favorite way to unwind

After a busy day of legislating, the former prosecutor turns to the kitchen for comfort. "Everything else can be crazy, I can be on six planes in one week, and what makes me feel normal is making Sunday night family dinner," she told The Cut in August 2018. "If I'm cooking, I feel like I'm in control of my life." In November 2019, a video of Kamala and Mindy Kaling cooking a traditional Indian dish, masala dosa, went viral.

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4. She was close with Joe Biden's late son, Beau

Before she was selected as Biden's running mate ahead of the 2020 election, Kamala was already close with the former V.P.'s family. During her time as California's attorney general, she formed a bond with Beau Biden, who held the same position in Delaware at the time. "There were periods, when I was taking heat, when Beau and I talked every day, sometimes multiple times a day," Kamala recalled in her 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold: An American Journey.

The pair remained close friends through the years, and after his 2015 death, Kamala attended Beau's memorial service. "I feel fortunate to have known Beau as a friend and to have had the opportunity to work closely with him as Attorneys General. My heart and prayers go out to his family, which he loved so passionately," she wrote via Instagram at the time. 

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5. She's a member of Howard University's Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority

The California native pursued her undergraduate degree at Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, D.C. Before her 1986 graduation, she pledged to the school's Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. "She just reminds me to be fearless in the pursuit of my goals," a fellow sorority member told The New York Times in July 2019.