Possibility of Sen. Harris becoming VP elect inspires some young women, people of color
LOS ANGELES - The possibility of Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris winning the White House appears imminent, and it serves as an inspiration to young women and people of color.
Kamala Harris would become the first female woman of color to become the Vice President of the United States. Harris is of Black and South Asian descent.
"She's [Harris] got to deal with racism and sexism and so right now she is an example of the ability to overcome them all. We've gone over another hurdle, and that needs to be acknowledged," said LaVonna B. Lewis, the Teaching Professor of Public Policy and Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Lewis said Black people were motivated to vote in the 2020 election for a lot of reasons.
"A question that was asked by the current President [Donald Trump to Black people] 'what do you have to lose,' and I think Black people saw [the answer as] pretty much everything. Becoming invisible except as targets, policies and practices that try to erase the gains that we've made, to delegitimize our voices, to recognize that we have to speak up for the next generation if we're going to live and thrive as Black people then we have to get out and vote," said Lewis.
Gloria Allred, a champion for women's rights, is optimistic and enthusiastic about the idea of Harris becoming the first female and woman of color Vice President.
"I'm so excited and especially excited for our favorite daughter of California, Kamala Harris. I'm especially excited because this is the 100th anniversary, this year, of women winning the right to vote in the United States, suffrage. We should remember that an important part of the battle to win the right to vote was waged by African American women. For too long, African American women and their contribution to our history, to our herstory, to the development of our country in all aspects of life has been made invisible, and it isn't fair, and it's not accurate," said Allred.
She believes Harris would help represent progress.
"It is monumental. It is inspirational. It is so important to little girls everywhere and to teenage young women and to their moms and their sisters, and their grandmothers and their aunts and yes, to our sons as well to know that a woman can be as former and deceased, rest her soul, Ruther Bader Ginsburg, said, in every place where decisions are made," said Allred.
Allred acknowledges Joe Biden for "making the right choice."
"I'm just very proud of Joe Biden for making the right choice, proud of the Democratic party for living its values and I'm proud of women everywhere and I'm proud of Black Lives Matter if I might add because without the voices coming from the people saying we want to be treated with respect and dignity, we want to be represented in every aspect of life, it wasn't just about the criminal justice movement, we wouldn't have what we have today, Kamala Harris as Vice President elect," said Allred.
Violeta Flores, a 21-year-old UC Irvine student, said Harris is a source of inspiration for young people.
"It's about time. She brings much-needed inclusivity in the office especially when these policies are going to influence young adults and their future. There's no representation and it would definitely encourage women, young women to feel like they have a voice and they can pursue careers in politics," said Flores.
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