On the final night of the recent political convention, there were very direct allusions to Kamala Harris. In her role as the first-ever female Vice President of the United States and the highest-ranking female official ever elected or appointed in the history of the United States, she has been significant to the administration’s platform and symbolic of progress for so many underrepresented Americans.
This background at the convention underscored her historic election and the way she had burst through barriers in American politics. Her rise from California Senator to Vice President was hailed as symbolic of this very commitment of the land to diversity and inclusion.
One of the perfectionistic themes of the convention was a call for greater representation in government, with Harris right out front as a symbol for gender and racial equity. Her election has inspired women and girls across this nation to know that leadership positions are within reach regardless of one’s gender or background.
Convention speakers touted Harris’s leadership through the darkest times and her willingness to wrestle with painful, current issues including COVID-19, economic recovery, and reforms aimed at social justice. Her efforts to fight for healthcare and economic opportunities for all Americans have resonated with both supporters and critics.
Besides the policy initiatives, her presence has been powerful on the world stage. She has worked towards shoring up relations with allies while addressing broader challenges across climate and human rights. Her contribution to this foreign policy dialogue underlines an administration bound by commitments to multilateralism and country-to-country cooperation.