As Vice President Kamala Harris begins her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, public interest in her background has surged. Many are eager to learn more about her ethnicity and the personal histories of her parents. Many people are interested to know more about Kamala Harris’ age, who her parents are, and her ethnicity.
In this article, we will explore more about Vice President Kamala Harris’ parents and ethnicity.
Who are Kamala Harris’ parents?
Harris, the daughter of Donald Harris and Shyamala Gopalan, has often highlighted the diverse backgrounds of her parents.
Donald Harris, hailing from Jamaica, and Shyamala Gopalan, originally from southern India, both came to the United States to pursue advanced degrees at the University of California, Berkeley, as reported by TODAY. They married in 1963 and welcomed two daughters, Kamala in 1964 and Maya in 1967. Their marriage eventually ended, and they divorced a few years after the birth of their second daughter.
Kamala Harris often speaks of her mother’s notable career as a breast cancer researcher. Donald Harris has also contributed significantly to economics, serving as a professor at Stanford University for 26 years before becoming a professor emeritus.
What is Kamala Harris’ ethnicity?
Harris was born in Oakland, California, and is 59 years old, as per Britannica. She is of mixed heritage. Her diverse background makes her the first Black and South Asian American to hold high office in the US.
The cultural roots of Kamala Harris’ parents deeply influenced her upbringing and she has frequently expressed pride in her South Asian heritage.
According to AOL, in her 2019 autobiography, The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, Harris reflects on how her family instilled a strong sense of pride and identity in their heritage. Discussing her upbringing, Harris wrote that her mother was aware that she and her sister would be seen “as Black girls,” and further stated that “she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud Black women.”
