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Joe Biden Selects Kamala Harris as Running Mate By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia alifornia Sen. ography. vulnerable people,” forms for racist and Kamala Harris Through the ex- according to her biog- sexist attacks against is Joe Biden’s ample of courageous raphy. Harris and others who choice for vice presi- leaders like Thurgood Over the course of were considered in dent. Marshall, Constance her nearly two terms the vice-presidential "I have the great Baker Motley, and in office, Harris won sweepstakes. honor to announce Charles Hamilton a $25-billion settleIn an open letter that I've picked Ka- Houston, Harris said ment for California by nearly 700 Black mala Harris - a fear- she learned the kind homeowners hit by women leaders, the less fighter for the lit- of character it requires the foreclosure crisis, attacks were roundly tle guy, and one of the to stand up to the defended California’s denounced. country's finest public powerful and resolved landmark climate “Black women are servants - as my run- to spend her life ad- change law, protect- many things. We are ning mate," Biden vocating for those ed the Affordable business executives, tweeted in a text mes- who could not defend Care Act, helped win political strategists, sage to supporters, themselves. marriage equality for and elected officials, Biden said, "Together, After earning an all Californians, and philanthropists, and with you, we're going undergraduate degree prosecuted transna- activists,” the letter, to beat Trump." from Howard Univer- tional gangs that traf- circulated throughout Harris had routine- sity and a law degree ficked in guns, drugs, the media and posted ly been seen as the top from the University of and human beings. to various social mepick, but her clash- California, Hastings, Since taking office, dia accounts, read. es with Biden during she began her career she has introduced “We are health and the Democratic de- in the Alameda Coun- and cosponsored leg- wellness practitioners. bates appeared to give ty District Attorney’s islation to raise wages We are entertainers Biden pause. Office. for working people, and faith leaders. We However, Biden In 2003, Harris be- reform our broken are wives, mothers, had been photo- came the District At- criminal justice sys- daughters, educators, graphed in recently torney of the City and tem, make health- and students. We set weeks with talking County of San Fran- care a right for all and shift culture. We points which noted cisco. Americans, address build power, and we not to hold a grudge Among her the epidemic of sub- are powerful.” against Harris. achievements as Dis- stance abuse, support Counting among Sworn in as Sena- trict Attorney, Harris veterans and military the many Black womtor in 2017, Harris be- started a program that families, and expand en who signed the came the second Afri- gives first-time drug access to childcare for open letter are Dr. can American woman offenders the chance working parents. Johnnetta B. Cole, and the first South to earn a high school Earlier Tuesday, Maya Cummings, Asian-American sen- diploma and find em- President Donald Dr. Hazel Dukes, ator in history. ployment. Trump suggested that Suzanne DePasse, She has said that Having completed “some men are insult- Valeisha Butterfield her life as a prosecu- two terms as the Dis- ed” that Biden had Jones, Cora Masters tor and fighting jus- trict Attorney of San long ago narrowed Barry, Melanie Camptice was inspired by Francisco, Kamala his search to women. bell, and Karen Boyher mother, an Indian was elected as the first However, Trump’s kin-Towns. American immigrant, African American and statements were seen “We are the highactivist and breast first woman to serve as a last-minute bid to est propensity voters cancer researcher. as California’s Attor- rattle the Democrats. in this nation. We are Growing up in ney General. Women’s groups a coalition of Black Oakland, Harris had In this role, she and the civil rights women leaders, who, “a stroller-eye view “worked tirelessly community in recent in this inflection point of the Civil Rights to hold corporations days had blasted me- of the Black liberation movement,” accord- accountable and pro- dia members and indi- movement, where ing to her official bitect the state’s most viduals on social platpeople around the 10
Harlem Community Newspapers | August 13. 2020
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world are galvanized to action, know that the time for Black women in the United States is now,” the women penned in the letter. Earlier, 100 prominent Black men including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Charlamagne Tha God, NBA Star Chris Paul, Bakari Sellers, and rapper Doug E. Fresh, signed a letter of solidarity calling for Biden to select a Black woman. “As someone who has said throughout the campaign that VP Joe Biden needs to choose a Black woman VP, the urgency for that pick has gone from something that should hap pen to something that has to happen. It disgusts us
that Black women are not just being vetted in this VP process but unfairly criticized and scrutinized,” the men wrote in the missive. “Was Joe Biden ever labeled ‘too ambitious’ because he ran for president three times? Should President Obama not have made him the VP because he had to worry about his ‘loyalty’ when he clearly had ambitions to be president himself? Why does Senator Kamala Harris have to show remorse for questioning Biden’s previous stance on integrated busing during a democratic primary debate?”
