5 ways Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris inspires us

Kamala Harris will be the first woman to serve as America’s VP, but there’s much more to her than being Joe’s Biden’s second-in-command.

A lot of people dream of being in the Oval Office, but many don’t succeed in getting there. During the 2020 presidential election, however, Joe Biden won enough electoral votes to become the president-elect — and his vice president-elect made history right alongside him.

California Sen. Kamala Harris has achieved a great deal in her career as a politician. However, as she begins a new chapter as the second-in-command to the 46th president of the United States, we’re going to break down what makes her an inspiration to many Americans and the world over.

1. She’s a Real Mom(ala)

Kamala has had many titles in her life. Daughter. Big sister. Auntie. Senator. Wife. Vice President-elect. But her personal favorite? Momala. Through her husband, Doug Emhoff, she has two step-children: Cole and Ella.

While she does not have children of her own, Kamala treats Cole and Ella like they’re her own. She has said that they bring her the greatest joy and that they came up with her Momala title. According to an essay she wrote for Elle, her step-kids developed the idea for the moniker a few years after she married their father, as they’d come to an agreement that they hated the term, “step-mother.”

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She also revealed that when she and Doug started dating, they agreed she wouldn’t meet the kids until they were sure their relationship was going to work out. When it did, they were more than welcoming toward her. In their eyes, they’d gained a second mother.

Kamala mentioned in her essay that, when Ella was in high school, she and Doug’s ex-wife (and Cole and Ella’s mother), Kerstin often attended her swim meets and were her cheerleaders, much to her embarrassment.

What makes Kamala an incredible Momala is how she addresses her blended family. Yes, Kerstin is Cole and Ella’s mother, but she is just as much their mother, as seen when she mentioned them in her portion of the Biden-Harris victory speech. She referred to them as “our children” when mentioning her husband.

2. The Message of Hope She Conveys for the Next Gen

Kamala’s message of hope for the next generation is incredibly inspirational. This is apparent in a video her niece, Meena, took of her and her eldest daughter (and Kamala’s great-niece). In the clip, which made the rounds on Twitter, the four-year-old girl and her auntie are talking about the presidency, and the little girl exclaims she wants to be president.

Kamala tells her she could very well become president, but it might be a little while until she can, as she needs to be over the age of 35. (Just 31 more years to go!)

This was so adorable to watch as the little girl also says she wants to be an astronaut. Meena had to clarify in another tweet that her daughter said she wanted to be president and an astronaut, not a president astronaut.

3. She Does Not Carry Her Husband’s Last Name

One of Kamala’s most relatable traits is she does not carry her husband’s surname. It appears in her family, the women — at least of her generation — keep their last name. Her sister, Maya, also kept her last name when she married her husband, Tony West. Meena, who was raised by her mother before her stepfather entered the picture, also keeps the Harris name, though she too is married.

Kamala becoming vice president is the first time a woman in such a high position — at least in the United States — does not carry her husband’s surname. However, since this is a first-time thing, it is unclear if future female VPs or presidents could do the same. Since she is well known with her own last name, it’s likely she chose not to change it when she married Doug.

4. Kamala’s Husband Is Making History, Too

Moving away from Kamala for a moment, I wanted to address a couple of important points regarding her husband, Doug Emhoff.

Since Harris is the first ever female vice president, this makes Doug the first second gentleman of the United States. Despite being a first for the VP’s partner, the title of “second gentleman” is not unheard of when it comes to husbands/partners of lieutenant-governors across the U.S.

There is also something else important to address here: Doug will also be the first second spouse to be Jewish.

5. Kamala Is the First Woman of Color to Take on the VP Role

One of the most important points on this list is that Kamala is the first woman of color to be elected vice president of the United States. Kamala is of South Asian-American, Indian Tamil, Afro-Jamaican, and African-American descent. She follows in the footsteps of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama who was the first Black person to ever take on this honor.

This is truly a memorable occasion within recent history. Joe Biden is a man who understands the American people and knows what it means to lead. He chose Kamala as his running mate not just because he wanted to honor his late son, Beau, but because he saw her drive for wanting to restore their great nation. That, my friends, is what makes a leader.

What’s your view on Kamala Harris’ election as Vice President? Tell us below!