‘Run, Kamala, Run’: Mention of Harris’s Father Was a Rare Homage to a Fleeting Figure

During her historic run for the presidency in 2020, Kamala Harris made a rare homage to her father, Donald Harris, a figure who has largely remained in the shadows of her political career. In a campaign video titled “Run, Kamala, Run,” Harris spoke about her father’s journey from Jamaica to America, highlighting his hard work and determination to provide a better life for his family.

Donald Harris, an economist and professor, played a significant role in shaping Kamala’s values and work ethic. He instilled in her the importance of education, equality, and justice, values that have guided her throughout her career in public service. Despite their differing political views, Harris has always spoken highly of her father and the impact he had on her life.

In the campaign video, Harris shared personal anecdotes about her father, recounting how he would wake up early in the morning to go to work and how he would always make time to read to her and her sister at night. She spoke about his commitment to social justice and his belief in the American Dream, values that she has carried with her into her own political career.

The mention of her father in the campaign video was a rare glimpse into Harris’s personal life and the influence her family has had on her. While Harris has often spoken about her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a renowned cancer researcher and civil rights activist, her father has been a less prominent figure in her public narrative. By acknowledging his role in shaping her values and beliefs, Harris paid tribute to a man who has had a lasting impact on her life.

As the first woman of color and the first person of Indian and Jamaican descent to be elected Vice President of the United States, Harris’s political journey is a testament to the values instilled in her by her parents. Her homage to her father in the campaign video was a poignant reminder of the sacrifices he made to provide a better future for his family and the influence he has had on her own journey to the highest office in the land.

In a time when political discourse is often dominated by partisan divides and personal attacks, Harris’s tribute to her father serves as a reminder of the power of family, values, and hard work in shaping our leaders. As she continues to make history and break barriers, Harris’s acknowledgement of her father’s influence is a touching tribute to a man who may have been a fleeting figure in her public narrative, but whose impact on her life has been profound and lasting.