On Wednesday night, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, the first black an Asian woman to ever run on a presidential ticket, gave the biggest speech of the campaign at the Democratic National Convention.
I may be the first, but I know I won’t be the last. #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/J4c2WSW5O5
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 20, 2020
Harris spoke about her personal experience as a woman of color with two immigrant parents, one from Jamaica and one from India. Her speech was filled with the lived experience of a black woman in America at a time of great civil unrest in our country.
‘There is no vaccine for racism. We’ve got to do the work…to fulfill that promise of equal justice under the law, because none of us are free until all of us are free.’
That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me.
Women and men who believed so fiercely in the ​promise​ of equality, liberty, and justice for all. They ​organized​, marched​, and ​fought​—not just for their ​vote​, but for a ​seat​ at the table.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 20, 2020
In her support of Biden, she also mentioned one of the biggest reasons the stakes are so high in November: Donald Trump. His handling of COVID-19, the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, and protests that have raged across the country has not only been inept, it’s been directly harmful to the American people, all so he can make big claims to voters that he’s doing a great job.
‘Right now, we have a president who turns our tragedies into political weapons. Joe will be a president who turns our challenges into purpose.’
My mother instilled in my sister, Maya, and me the values that would chart the course of our lives.
She taught us to put family first—the family you’re ​born​ ​into​ and the family you ​choose​—but to also see a world beyond ourselves. #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/xU61nLrUXx
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 20, 2020
Her speech was not all a rebuke and didn’t dwell on the dire state of our nation. She also filled her speech to the American voters with hope for the future and respect for the vision of our founders, acknowledging the great American promise that has never been perfectly fulfilled, but is still worth fighting for.
‘A vision of our nation as a beloved community — where all are welcome, no matter what we look like, where we come from or who we love. A country where we may not agree on every detail, but we are united by the fundamental belief that every human being is of infinite worth, deserving of compassion, dignity and respect.’
For full video of the third night of the Democratic National Convention, see below:
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
