Kamala Harris turns 60: From an immigrant's daughter to a Presidential candidate

Kamala Harris's journey from her roots as the daughter of immigrants to her candidacy for the US Presidency, embodies the American dream. On her 60th birthday, here are a few facts about her life.

Kamala Harris, the running candidate for the presidential post in the USA, has had a dedicated and hard-working career. From being the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica to notably recording her presence in the White House, she has become an example for many immigrants in the USA.

Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, she stands as a formidable figure in American politics. Serving as the 49th and current Vice President of the United States since 2021 under President Joe Biden, Harris has marked her name in history as the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to hold this esteemed position.

After an initial run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Harris became Biden’s running mate, leading their ticket to victory over the incumbent administration.

As Vice President, she has played a pivotal role in an evenly split Senate, casting more tie-breaking votes than any other vice president, thereby facilitating the passage of significant legislation like the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act.

With Biden’s endorsement, Harris has officially launched her campaign for the 2024 presidential election, choosing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, as she continues to navigate the complex landscape of American politics and strive for progress.

SOME NOTABLE FACTS ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS

1. Kamala Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian immigrant, and Donald Harris, a Jamaican immigrant, in the United States.
2. Her father became the first scholar to earn tenure at Stanford University, where he currently holds emeritus status.
3. Harris attended Vanier College in Montreal before transferring to Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, DC, where she joined the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.
4. She began her legal career as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, in 1990, gaining a reputation as a skilled prosecutor.
5. Appointed as an assistant district attorney in 1998, she became the first person of colour elected as District Attorney of San Francisco in 2002, winning re-election unopposed in 2007.
6. Kamala Harris cleared a significant number of backlogged homicide cases, implemented higher bail for gun-related crimes, and established the San Francisco Reentry Division with a low recidivism rate.
7. She led initiatives to combat truancy (the action of staying away from school without good reason) among at-risk youth, issuing citations to parents of chronic truants to integrate public safety with educational reform.
8. Elected in 2010, she became the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold the position of Attorney General of California in history, serving until 2017.
9. After Senator Barbara Boxer announced her retirement, Harris declared her candidacy for the California Senate seat in January 2015 and quickly emerged as a leading contender.
10. In November 2016, she defeated Loretta Sanchez with over 60% of the vote, becoming the second Black woman and first South Asian American senator in US history.
11. As a senator, Kamala Harris championed stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, federal cannabis legalisation, and healthcare reforms.
12. She gained national attention for her incisive questioning of Trump appointees during Senate hearings, including Jeff Sessions and Brett Kavanaugh.
13. Condemned Trump’s Executive Order 13769, known as the 'Muslim ban', and called for the resignation of Betsy DeVos and Jeff Sessions.
14. Harris was selected by Joe Biden as his running mate on August 11, 2020, making her the first African American, Indian American, and third woman nominated for vice president on a major-party ticket.
15. Harris was sworn in as US Vice President on January 20, 2021, making history as the first woman, first African American, and first Asian American Vice President of the United States.
16. In a 50–50 Senate split, she cast 13 tie-breaking votes in her first year, surpassing Mike Pence's record.
17. Harris briefly served as acting president on November 19, 2021, while Biden underwent a medical procedure.
18. Assigned to address the root causes of migration from Central America, she visited Guatemala and Mexico on her first international trip as Vice President.
19. She advocates for national abortion protections, LGBTQ+ rights, and an earned pathway to citizenship; opposes the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supports military aid to Israel.
20. Kamala Harros married attorney Doug Emhoff in 2014, becoming a stepmother to his two children, and is an active member of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco and The Links, an organisation for prominent Black women.