How VP Kamala Harris is Shaping Leadership for Women all Over

For the first time in history, Vice President Kamala Harris was the first woman vice president of the United States and the first woman of color. What does this mean for women all over the world?

Undoubtedly, the rise of women in leadership is at an all-time high. VP Kamala Harris is charting a New Way Forward—to a future where everyone has the opportunity not just to get by but to get ahead. Powerful women like VP Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Jasmine Crocket, Justice Kentaji Brown, and even Hilary Clinton are great examples of women in America who are not afraid to break barriers.

In July 2024, President Joe Biden endorsed VP Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election. In early August 2024, VP Harris became the official Democratic party nominee following her victorious win in a vote of party delegates.

More than Just Representation

As a woman in America, there are laws set in place that affect the everyday woman. It is important to have someone devoted to change in a position that these laws also affect. Kamala Harris is fighting for better lives for women, and the average middle-class American in a tough position.

Her running alongside President Joe Biden in the 2020 election broke a historical barrier for Black women in U.S. politics, a space where Black women have often been underrepresented. VP Harris’s visibility as a Black woman in such a prominent position inspires many young Black girls and women. Seeing someone who looks like them in a leadership role provides hope and encouragement that they, too, can achieve great things despite systemic obstacles.

I strongly believe that when God has chosen you to fulfill a purpose, it is your duty to be obedient and try every day to fulfill that purpose. America has been divided for so long; VP Harris is committed to ending this divide.

More-than-qualified

VP Harris has spent her entire life breaking barriers; here are a few things you should know about VP Kamala Harris.

According to BBC, VP Harris began her career as the District Attorney of San Francisco. Her next promotion was as California’s Attorney General, where she became the first woman and black person elected to serve as the top lawyer in America’s most populous state.

She used that momentum to propel her successful 2016 run as California’s next US Senator, a perch from which she drew buzz with her prosecutorial style in committee hearings. But it doesn’t stop there. On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President – the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected to this position.

It has been said that both Harri’s parents were at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. Her mother made it her duty to make sure Kamala Harris was knowledgeable about the many barriers she was about to break. Unlike many other politicians, VP Harris is for the people.

Black Women in Leadership Roles

While we know that women in leadership roles are held to a different standard, the harsh reality for Black women in leadership roles is that they face more systematic issues and barriers than any other race. According to Harvard Business School, black women leaders also often lack the support that white peers have access to. What does this mean for VP Kamala Harris?

Harris brings a unique perspective informed by her own experiences as a Black woman. This perspective is essential for addressing issues like systemic racism, criminal justice reform, health disparities, and economic inequality—issues that disproportionately affect Black women and communities of color.

Black women have often been at the forefront of activism and social movements, yet their contributions have been historically overlooked. Harris’s position helps amplify their voices and experiences in mainstream political discourse.

Here’s what’s on the Harris-Walz agenda:

1. Cut Taxes for Working People
2. Lower Food and Grocery Costs
3. Lower Health Care Costs
4. Lower Energy Costs
5. Lower Prescription Drug Costs
6. Lower Costs by Protecting Consumers from Fees and Fraud
7. Help Americans Buy a Home and Afford Rent
8. Invest in the Small Businesses that Drive Growth, Innovation, and Jobs
9. Invest in American Innovation and Industrial Strength Powered by American Workers
10. Create Security and Opportunities for Workers and Build a Care Economy
11. Strengthen Opportunity in Communities Across America
12. Protect Americans’ Ability to Retire With Dignity
13. Make Our Tax Code More Fair and Promote Growth