Kamala Harris
Kamala D. Harris served as the 49th Vice President of the United States from 2021 to 2025, making history as the first woman, first Black American, and first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. A trailblazing prosecutor, senator, and national leader, Harris has dedicated her career to fighting for justice, equality, and opportunity for all Americans, embodying the principle that she has "only had one client: the people."
Born October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Harris was raised by immigrant parents who instilled in her a deep commitment to civil rights and public service. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was a pioneering breast cancer researcher from India, and her father, Donald Harris, is an economist from Jamaica. Growing up with what she calls "a stroller's-eye view of the civil rights movement," Harris learned early that fighting for justice requires both courage and persistence. She graduated from Howard University, one of the nation's most prestigious historically Black universities, and earned her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Harris began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office before being elected District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003, where she pioneered the innovative Back on Track program that became a national model for reducing recidivism. As California's Attorney General from 2011 to 2017, she took on transnational gangs, prosecuted big banks that defrauded homeowners, defended the Affordable Care Act, fought for marriage equality, and created the nation's first statewide open-data initiative for criminal justice. Her philosophy as a prosecutor focused on being "smart on crime"—addressing root causes while ensuring public safety and protecting the most vulnerable.
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017, Harris gained national recognition for her incisive questioning during committee hearings and her advocacy for civil rights, immigration reform, and healthcare access. As Vice President, she cast more tie-breaking Senate votes than any vice president in history—33 in total—including crucial votes on pandemic relief and the largest climate investment ever. She led efforts to address the root causes of migration from Central America, strengthen global alliances, and tackle issues ranging from maternal health to voting rights, while serving as a key advisor to President Biden on matters of national and international importance.
Harris has authored four books that reflect her journey and values. Her memoir The Truths We Hold: An American Journey (2019) weaves together her personal story with her vision for America, exploring themes of justice, opportunity, and the power of collective action. Superheroes Are Everywhere (2019), a children's book illustrated by Mechal Renee Roe, celebrates the everyday heroes who shaped her life and encourages young readers to recognize the superheroes in their own communities. Her first book, Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer (2009), outlined her innovative approach to criminal justice reform.
Her latest work, 107 Days (2025), offers an unprecedented inside look at her historic 2024 presidential campaign—the shortest in modern American history. Written with novelist Geraldine Brooks, the memoir provides candid insights into the pressures, triumphs, and heartbreaks of a campaign that captivated the nation. With behind-the-scenes details and unflinching honesty, Harris chronicles not just a political race but a defining moment in American democracy, offering lessons about resilience, leadership, and the ongoing fight for the soul of the nation.
Married to entertainment lawyer Douglas Emhoff since 2014, Harris is stepmother to Cole and Ella Emhoff, who affectionately call her "Momala." Throughout her career, from prosecutor to Vice President to presidential candidate, Harris has broken barriers while remaining grounded in the values her mother taught her: "You may be the first, but make sure you're not the last." Her books continue to inspire readers of all ages to engage in democracy, fight for justice, and believe that change is possible when people work together for the common good.
