Kamala Harris says ‘the Democratic Party has taken Black women for granted’

In a candid moment, former vice president Kamala Harris called out her own party for failing to prioritize Black women.

There’s a lot of weight that comes with being the first to do something. And when you’re Black and a woman, that weight is exponentially heavier. Kamala Harris, who is no stranger to the weight and scrutiny that comes with being the first Black woman to not only become Vice President of the United States, but also to make it through the primaries and have her name on the ballot, has been confronting that reality with candor since the release of her new book “107 Days.” 

Appearing on “Storehouse & Friends,” a conversation series curated by entrepreneur and publisher Tamira Chapman, featuring The Lip Bar’s founder, Melissa Butler, and communications strategist Kiaira Nixon, Harris addressed the tension many Black women face when working towards a goal in a society that tries to trivialize their identities. 

“Often I feel like Black women have this tension between, you know, who they are and the mission that they are trying to accomplish. I want to know if you faced any of that tension when you were on your mission, especially considering that your mission was race agnostic and gender agnostic. You were trying to do the work that the country needed,” Butler asked. “Did you find that you faced tension of that sort?

To which the former Vice President responded simply: “I think the Democratic Party has taken Black women for granted.” 

“There are very specific issues that impact Black women in America that should be some of the highest priorities. I made them priorities when I was vice president, such as Black maternal mortality,” she continued. 

And during her historic 107-day presidential campaign, Harris says she knew one of the many high-stakes questions was whether the country would pay attention to the needs surrounding women’s health issues like postpartum, fibroids, maternal healthcare, and more. 

“And then you look at what’s happening now with this guy in office, and they’re cutting funding for scientific research if it has the word woman or Black in it,” she added. “So, to your point, I am never going to shy away from who I am. I’m never going to feel burdened that, because of who I am in terms of my race and my gender, that I should pretend not to be.” 

Throughout the 2024 presidential race, Harris was subjected to waves of criticism, ranging from her political policies to her dating history. All of which she says were attempts to “deflect from accomplishment, credibility, what [she] stood for, and what [she] was prepared to do for the country.” Despite the election outcome, Harris emphasized that there’s still much work to be done, encouraging everyone to counteract the current attempts to divide the nation further. 

“There was an incredible amount of optimism and a sense of possibilities and dare I say joy,” the former vice president shared, reflecting on her campaign. “ And I want to remind everyone that’s in you. Everyone brought [those things] to those 107 days. But it’s in you. And we cannot let any one election or individual dampen that light that we all carry. 

“And let us be able to see it in each other. We know that, especially in moments of darkness, we have to let that light shine a path for us. But part of our light is that we also understand that our optimism is directly connected as fuel to the fight,” she continued. “So we’re not just going to sit around with a smile on our faces. But with the optimism that we have and the joy it brings us, we’re going to go out and [do something] whether it’s joining a peaceful protest, getting involved in an election, volunteering for a nonprofit, or being active and present.”

“Right now, the modeling that we each can do has an exponential impact […] so let’s get out there and be active and continue to inspire the way that only we uniquely can,” Harris concluded. 

Watch the whole conversation below: