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Vice President Kamala Harris is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, and if elected in November, she would bring plenty of firsts to the office of the president, too.
Holli Holliday, president of D.C.-based Sisters Lead Sisters Vote, said while it was a “bittersweet moment” when President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, she believes Harris is the best chance for Democrats as they look to defeat former President Donald Trump.
“I think the American people are going to greet her as a breath of fresh air,” Holliday said.
Holliday said the organization, which was founded in 2018, was established at a time when members felt that Black women were shut out of some of the highest positions of power.
“I think it continues to show that we’re a country that’s interested in breaking down some of those concrete walls and ceilings that have boxed so many marginalized communities in, and I think it is another step in breaking down the walls of exclusivity to the highest mantles of power,” Holliday said.
The organization believes the tens of millions of dollars in fundraising contributions that have come in since the start of Harris’ candidacy shows she has strong support from not only people of color, but from people “across the spectrum.”
Holliday said she was also not concerned about Harris entering the race at such a late stage, because she said Harris has been closely involved in the campaign with the president.
“As she moves into the top spot, she simply is expanding a role that she’s already been playing,” Holliday said.
Holliday said she also believes Harris’ presidential run will inspire others to follow their dreams.
“I think the sweet part, especially for an organization like ours, which was founded in the shadow of 2018 when we were concerned about whether or not we would ever have a Black woman on the Supreme Court, a Black woman in the White House, a Black woman governor — we had one, at that time, Black woman in the Senate. And it felt like Black women were shut out of some of the highest places of power,” she said.
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