By: Kuwarjeet Singh Arora
Kamala Harris is the first woman of color elected vice-president in the White house.
Video: What Kamala Harris means to Canadians (Kareena Aranha/ JRN 270)
Kamala Harris will make history on Jan. 21 2021 when she is sworn in as vice president, becoming the first woman and a woman of color in the White House.
Harris, a California senator of Indian and Jamaican heritage will also be the first intersectional/ mixed-race to serve as U.S. vice president.
Canadians reaction:
Navjot Sanghera, a political science researcher said, “for young girls who come from racialized communities she offers a positive and inspiring role model.”
“Her electoral victory and appointment also speak volumes about the perseverance, resilience, and strength of BIPOC candidates in politics to rise above the types of harassment they continue to be subjected to,” said Sanghera.
Kamal Khera, a member of parliament for Brampton West said, “the election of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is a historic moment for women and girls all over the world,” especially the BIPOC community.
Khera said, “personally, to see someone that looks like me, her name sounds like me and someone with that leadership role in politics is quite special, it is quite a watershed movement.”
Krisantha Antonythasan, a third-year political science student at the University of Ottawa said, “Kamala Harris’s vice presidency is so important. It shows women of color, who are often disadvantaged by the systems of social stratification like race and gender, that they will be able to fulfill such positions.”
“Having representation is important especially in politics so that the issues that many women of color have faced can adequately be addressed and brought to attention after being neglected for so long,” said Antonythasan.
Women in American politics:
According to UN Women in politics: 2020, “as of Jan. 2020, the U.S. sits in 82nd place out of 193 countries of women in parliament. Rwanda sits in the first place and Canada is at 58th place.”
Interactive: Graphic featuring statistics about women in American politics (Gabrielle Angeli Olano/JRN 270)
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