Kamala Harris Makes History as First Black and South Asian Woman to Secure Major-Party Presidential Nomination

Harris calls for a strong middle class, women’s rights, and national security to end the convention in Chicago

A sea of red, white, and blue balloons and cheers in a packed arena, Vice President Kamala Harris makes history as the first Black and South Asian woman to secure a major-party presidential nomination. It marks a milestone for the United States, energizing Democrats aiming to keep the White House, and to defeat former President Donald Trump in the November election.

“We are charting a new way forward, forward to a future with a strong and growing middle class,” Harris says.

She also introduced the idea of an opportunity economy, a vision where every American, regardless of their background, has the chance to succeed.

Harris also took time to reflect on her personal journey, talking about her immigrant parents and early career as a prosecutor. 

“Every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and said five words: ‘Kamala Harris for the people,’” she shares. “My entire career, I only had one client: the people.”

Harris also laid out her agenda, promising to restore reproductive freedoms, offer a tax cut to the middle class, end America’s housing shortage, and protect Social Security and Medicare. She was particularly forceful in her criticism of Trump, calling him the threat to working Americans and condemning his policies as favoring the wealthy.

On foreign policy, Harris reaffirmed a commitment to NATO and support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. She also addressed the complex situation in Gaza, acknowledging the devastation while standing firm on Israel’s right to defend itself.

Harris seems to be breathing new life into the race since President Joe Biden stepped aside. The campaign is also seeing a surge in donations, raising nearly $500 million since Harris took the lead, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

Harris maintained a forward-looking tone throughout her acceptance speech. And as the final night of the DNC closes, her nomination isn’t just making history, but it appears to have reinvigorated the Democratic Party’s campaign for the White House.