Sen. Kamala Harris is changing America’s narrative. She’s a woman of color who’s not afraid to do the right thing, whether that’s defending women’s reproductive rights, working to get dark money out of politics, advocating on behalf of our environment, or keeping immigrant families together. She’s fearless. She also holds space in places that have traditionally been reserved for white men only, and by doing so challenges the norms around influence, power, sensibility, and our democracy.
When I first met Kamala at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in 2016, I remember just looking at her and thinking: Wow. She was so impressive and I immediately wanted to know more about her life, her struggles, her accomplishments, and the road she took to become one of the most powerful women in the United States.
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She also holds space in places that have traditionally been reserved for white men only, and by doing so challenges the norms around influence, power, sensibility, and our democracy.
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She leads with confidence and integrity. She leads with compassion. She hasn’t forgotten where she came from. She knows and understands all of the women who have stood before her, she understands the sacrifices they’ve made for her to stand as a leader, and for her to stand as a U.S. senator. She’s always reaching back—reaching back to help our country, and to empower others to be as successful as she is. Every time I talk to her, or she gives me advice, or she checks on me, I feel like she sees something that she wants to draw out of me. Something that will help strengthen my resolve and my own ability to lead.
Kamala’s presence in our government empowers every woman of color who aspires to be politically active or engaged in their communities one day. Looking at her gives us confirmation and affirmation. The more we see other women of color breaking glass ceilings and knocking down doors of disenfranchisement, the more emboldened we feel. In her, Black women see and realize the impossible.
Rep. Lucy McBath is a U.S. representative from Georgia's sixth congressional district.
DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY TRISTAN OFFIT. ART DIRECTION BY ISABEL CASTILLO GUIJARRO. PRODUCT BY LEE MISENHEIMER.
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