Opinion: America’s Next Chapter: The Case for Kamala Harris

We are among the millions of Americans who have already cast their votes for Kamala Harris for president. It was an informed, and proud, choice.
As Maya Angelou said, “When people show you who they are, believe them.” We closely know Kamala Harris, who she is, what she believes, why she cares and that she’s ready to get to work for all Americans. Harris has spent her entire career in public service. It’s a path she chose because of her deep belief in freedom, opportunity and justice — the promise of America.
What distinguishes Harris’ leadership is her constant awareness of who isn’t in the room. That awareness goes far beyond physical presence — it’s about who we hold in our minds, our hearts and our policies. When she’s crafting solutions for America’s future, she’s thinking about the single parent working two jobs who couldn’t make it to the town hall; the rural family struggling with internet access who couldn’t join the virtual meeting; the first-generation college student studying late into the night; the small business owner working too many hours to attend a campaign rally.
Her vision of America includes those whose voices often go unheard but whose dreams and determination are the true measure of our nation’s promise. This deep understanding shapes not just her policies, but her fundamental approach to leadership — ensuring that every American, in the room or not, has a fair shake in our shared future.
We are the Colored Girls. Combined, we have over a century of political experience. We’ve worked alongside civil rights leaders, presidents, labor leaders and community leaders, and witnessed some of history’s most pivotal moments. Through it all, we’ve learned that true leadership emerges when the moment demands it. This moment requires a leader with vision — one who sees America’s promise not despite our challenges, but through them. Vice President Harris is that leader.
Each of us came to know Vice President Harris at different points along her remarkable journey, as far back as when she was a student at Howard University. Two of us hosted her first national fundraiser when she ran for San Francisco district attorney, determined to reform the system from within. Some connected with her during her groundbreaking campaign for California attorney general. Others worked alongside her during her presidential campaign, witnessing her early commitment to voting rights and democratic participation. Through every role and every challenge, we’ve seen her leadership firsthand.
Harris has revealed her character through her words and deeds. As a daughter of immigrants who dared to dream, she embodies the promise that brought generations to our shores. As a former caregiver who balanced family responsibilities with professional duties, she intimately understands the struggles of working families. Her story mirrors that of countless unnamed women who’ve sustained our democracy through their unwavering service and sacrifice.
In California, as a prosecutor, she pioneered programs giving first-time offenders a second chance. As attorney general, she secured billions from big banks to help homeowners recover from the foreclosure crisis. As a senator, she championed working families and defended reproductive rights. As vice president, she’s helped deliver historic investments in American infrastructure while standing firm against threats to our democracy.
This week, as we cast our votes for Vice President Kamala Harris, we felt the presence of every ancestor who paved this path. We thought about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the March on Washington just a few months before Harris was born. We thought of our grandmothers and grandfathers who couldn’t vote but taught us the power of persistence. We remembered Fannie Lou Hamer, who endured physical violence for the right to cast a ballot. We honored Shirley Chisholm, who dared to be the first Black woman to seek the nation’s highest office, making this moment imaginable. We celebrated faith leaders who held our communities together, teachers who nurtured our dreams and domestic workers who sacrificed everything so their children could thrive.
This week, as 75,000 Americans from all walks of life gathered on the National Mall, we witnessed a moment of profound symbolism.
Harris stood between two monuments demonstrating the long fight toward freedom and justice in America: the Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Between these landmarks — one marking the presidency’s origins, the other embodying our people’s path from bondage to freedom — Harris spoke of America’s next chapter, carrying forward both the weight of history and the hope of tomorrow.
Every step Harris takes toward the presidency walks on ground made firm by the feet of ancestors. Every word she speaks echoes with the whispered prayers of generations who reached for the possibility of freedom even when it seemed impossible.
For us, casting a ballot for Harris carries the weight of history. As Black women who have spent decades in the political trenches, we know the special significance of voting for the first Black and South Asian woman to serve as president. This isn’t just about representation – it’s about realization. The realization of dreams deferred. The realization of possibilities denied. The realization of our ancestors’ faith.
On Nov. 5, Americans can choose more than their next president. They can affirm that the dreams of generations who held America to its promises were not in vain. In Harris, we see a leader who carries their wisdom and resilience.
This week we cast our votes with joy and determination. We believe in Vice President Kamala Harris. She is the leader America needs now.
Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.
Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can’t do it without you.
Can’t afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, Tina Flournoy and Minyon Moore are known as the Colored Girls. Together, they’ve worked with political and civil rights leaders who have shaped our country’s history — U.S. presidents such as Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama; well-known political figures such as Terry McAuliffe and Howard Dean; and legendary activists and historical figures such as Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz. Their 2018 memoir, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics,” is a New York Times bestseller.