What a Kamala Harris Presidency Would Mean
When Kamala Harris was elected vice president, I cried happy tears. Now, our country has the prospect of watching Harris become our first female president, and I'm trying to pinpoint and articulate exactly what this means to me.
President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump once, but I wasn't excited about a Biden ticket this election. He was the default option when he should have stepped aside from the get-go. I expected his presidency to be a one-term deal when I voted for him. A Kamala Harris presidency was what I hoped for when he chose her as his running mate to begin with.
When Harris was elected vice president, my now-8-year-old Hispanic son got to witness a woman of color hold one of the highest offices in the United States. Her vice presidency meant my daughters would have a strong woman on their side in the White House, combating hatred for their race, gender and sexuality. Harris has earned a seat at one of the most important proverbial tables in the world. Now, she will likely be the Democratic nominee and have the opportunity to break through another glass ceiling in America.
After the racism, blatant bigotry and insurrection we witnessed from the Trump administration and continue to witness from Trump and his supporters, Harris means hope. Harris reminds us that people in this country still stand for progress. Harris means poetic justice that Trump will face off with a woman on the ballot once again. When someone steps in the voting booth, these two individuals could not be more different. Let America decide what it wants to be.
I learned in elementary school that the United States is a melting pot of cultures. This term "melting pot" dates back to the 1780s and is a metaphor for a society where a diverse set of people blend together as one. Our American melting pot has been missing a key ingredient: equality. This country is almost 250 years old, and its modern citizens must demand a different melting pot recipe. Most of today's American people expect diversity and representation in our leadership that our founding fathers never imagined. We strive to right inequities rooted in sexism, racism, homophobia and xenophobia.
Kamala Harris in the office of vicepresident is a manifestation of these expectations. We also know that inequity doesn't magically disappear when an election is won. In the past four years, our country has experienced backlash when it comes to women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights as well as religious persecution and racism.
What a Kamala Harris presidency does mean is that efforts will bend toward progress and conversation will have representation from someone who can fully advocate on behalf of the non-white, non-male American people -- and yes, that brings tears to my eyes. But more importantly, that brings voice to my throat.
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