Kamala Devi Harris, the first female Vice President of the United States, has a remarkable and diverse background that has shaped her into the trailblazing leader she is today.
Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Harris’s upbringing was deeply influenced by her parents, both of whom were immigrants with strong academic and social justice backgrounds.
Kamala’s Harris mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher and civil rights activist from Chennai, India. She came to the United States in 1958 to pursue a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her father, Donald Harris, is a Jamaican-born economist who also came to the U.S. to further his academic pursuits and eventually became a professor at Stanford University.
Growing up in Berkeley, Kamala Harris was immersed in a vibrant cultural and intellectual atmosphere. Her parents’ active involvement in the civil rights movement exposed her to concepts of justice and equality from a young age. Following her parents’ divorce when she was seven, Kamala and her younger sister, Maya, were primarily raised by their mother, Shyamala. Shyamala instilled in them a strong sense of pride in their South Asian and African heritage and a dedication to public service.
Kamala attended Thousand Oaks Elementary School in Berkeley, known for its progressive approach to education and diversity. Later, when her mother secured positions at McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Kamala attended Westmount High School, where she continued to excel academically and socially.
After graduating from high school, Kamala returned to the United States to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s most esteemed historically black universities. At Howard, she pursued majors in political science and economics, participated in the debate team, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Her time at Howard was formative, reinforcing her identity and commitment to leadership and social justice.
Following her graduation from Howard University in 1986, Kamala returned to California to attend law school at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1989 and was admitted to the California Bar in 1990.
Kamala Harris’s early life and educational experiences provided a sturdy foundation for her future career in law and politics. Combining her parents’ dedication to education and social justice with her own determination and hard work, she emerged as a trailblazing figure in American politics. From her diverse heritage to her unwavering commitment to justice, Kamala Harris’s upbringing played a crucial role in shaping the leader she is today.
