Harris on Black Women in Politics: We Know Our Power and We’re Not Going to Let Anyone Take it from Us

EXCERPT:

HARRIS: "You know, here’s how I think about it. First, on the point about being first, I think you’ve heard me say this, my mother would say to me, 'Kamala, you may be the first to do many things. Make sure you are not the last.' And I know, when I am with all of these incredible women who have been the first in many ways, that is part of the sisterhood of us, is that we know that we are opening the door and that we need to widen it a bit. And we will certainly not be the last. So I will tell you that, in terms of the spirit with which we approach it. And here’s the thing. We also were all born knowing the work that needs to be done, and so we will do it. And we will speak truth about the injustice. We will speak truth about the inequity. We will speak truth about the unfairness. But we also know our power. We are not going to let anyone take it from us. We understand the legitimacy of what we are fighting for, to say, let’s deal with discrimination. Let’s deal with the fact that black women are three times as likely to die in childbirth as other women, not to mention Native women, twice as likely, not to mention rural women, one and a half times likely. We understand wet needs to be done, and we are prepared to do it. And that’s how I think about it. That’s how I think about it. We have to speak truth about what it is. And then, you know, I think that’s why you see all these women taking these roles of leadership, because they are prepared to lead. And I think we will all be better when they do. (Laughs)"