Now that the General Services Administration in our federal government, ahem- Emily Murphy has finally signed off on the transition of power, can we all now celebrate what we have always known to be true? Kamala Devi Harris will be the next Vice President of these United States of America! You heard it right, our Madame Vice President to be is a black woman! Who doesn’t stan a black woman making history in this way? This historic win makes Kamala a real life example of the black girl magic that we try to instill in our black girls everyday. 

In a country where black people were considered ⅗ of a person, we have been kidnapped, killed, maimed, beaten, broken down, discriminated against, and told our lives don’t matter, as Maya Angelou says, “Still we Rise.” Black people have been saving this country from itself since the beginning of this country. On November 3, 2020 we showed up in droves to vote one of the most racist presidents in our country’s history out of office. We voted to put a black woman second in charge. And make sure you get her name right, it’s pronounced, Comma-La. It don’t get any more magical than that. 

Meet Auntie

Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, to an Indian mother and Jamaican father, both earning PhD’s from the University of California, Berkeley. Kamala’s parents married in 1963 but divorced in 1961 when she was seven and her little sister Maya was four. Kamala began her educational journey being bused to school in a more affluent neighborhood. She was a part of Berkeley’s desegregation program. The Harris sisters moved to Quebec, Canada when Kamala was twelve years old. Her mother accepted a research and teaching position there. Kamala completed high school in Canada and attended Howard University (Mecca) where she earned a degree in political science and economics. She went on to receive her law degree at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Let me check in quickly, if this background information is not hitting different for you, I don’t know what will. Kamala has always been determined. She was president of her chapter of the Black Law Students Association and graduated with her law degree at the age of 25. She was admitted to the California Bar just before her 26th birthday. Again, black girl magic. What did Michelle Obama say? “It is what it is.” 

True Black Girl Magic

Kamala’saccolades are many. She served as District Attorney for San Francisco and went on to become Attorney General of California before she went on to become a California senator. All that hard work has not only made her qualified for her new job title but allows her to make history in her role. White men have governed this country since the country’s inception. Their goal was for white men to govern this country forever. America made history in 2008 by electing it’s first Black president, and is making history again as all of this country’s previous vice presidents have been white males. That changes on January 20, 2021.

Be encouraged

Kamala’s accomplishments should be an encouragement to little black girls everywhere. There is a pressure on black girls to be great, but not too great. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says it best in her book, We Should All  Be Feminists: “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We way to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man.”

It’s time to let every little black girl that the sky is no longer the limit. It’s time for them to soar. Dream Big, little black girl! On January 20, 2021 at a minute past noon your Vice President will look like you!

Until next time,

Mommi Bella