Video: 'Vice President Kamala Harris: Chase the Dream | Full Biographical Documentary | V.P. Kamala Harris'
(Tuesday, October 20, 1964, 9:28 p.m. PDT) — Kamala Harris, the 49th and current vice president of the United States since 2021, serving with President Joe Biden, was born Kamala Devi Harris today in Oakland, California.
Harris, who made history as the first female, Black, and Asian American to hold the office, is the Democratic Party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election. She has blazed a trail as one of the most prominent political figures in the United States.
Harris has served as the 49th vice president of the United States since 2021, alongside President Joe Biden. Before ascending to the vice presidency, she represented California in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and served as California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017.
Born to immigrant parents — an Indian mother and a Jamaican father—Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
She began her legal career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before being recruited to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and later to the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
In 2003, Harris was elected district attorney of San Francisco, becoming the first woman, Black, and Asian American to hold the position.
Her career continued to break barriers when she was elected attorney general of California in 2010, a role she held until 2017.
Video: Watch Kamala Harris' journey from Berkeley to be 1st Black, Asian woman elected to vice presidency'
As attorney general, Harris established herself as a formidable figure in law enforcement and legal reform, making her the first woman and the first person of African and Asian descent to hold this position in California’s history.
In 2016, Harris won the U.S. Senate seat for California, defeating Loretta Sanchez to become only the second Black woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the Senate.
During her time in the Senate, Harris became known for her advocacy on issues such as stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, and the federal legalization of cannabis.
She also gained national attention for her rigorous questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings, including the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Harris first sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019 but withdrew before the primaries. Biden selected her as his running mate, and the Biden-Harris ticket defeated incumbents Donald Trump and Mike Pence in the 2020 election.
Harris played a pivotal role as vice president, particularly in the Senate, where she cast more tie-breaking votes than any previous vice president. Her decisive votes were critical in passing key legislation, including the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
With President Biden opting not to run for re-election, Harris launched her presidential campaign for the 2024 election, securing Biden’s endorsement. She selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, positioning her campaign as a continuation of the Biden administration’s policies while also seeking to make her own mark on the nation’s future.
