Kamala Harris May Reshape How People View the Vice Presidency Forever

“The symbolism alone of having a Black woman vice president and going around the world—representing the Red, White, and Blue—I think it’s really going to, again, reinvigorate the world toward American values.” —Ravi Perry Ph.D., Chair of Political Science, Howard University

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The day many thought would never arrive is finally here: Donald Trump’s presidency is coming to an end.

And it is his ungracious (yet welcomed) exit that ushers in a historic moment for the country, namely the inauguration of Kamala Harris—the first woman, Black, and South Asian person, and HBCU grad—as vice president.

“Her ability to simply connect with a broad base of folks is really, I think, going to change the way in which people see the vice presidency as a really powerful position that speaks to them,” said the chair of political science at Howard University and professor Ravi Perry, Ph.D. “She’s able to relate to so many more people than so many more of our other former vice presidents.”

Perry believes more Black folks will keep an eye out on the president and vice president’s policies surrounding Black issues during their tenure, especially with a Black woman as second-in-command.

Black women, in particular, supported Harris and the Democratic ticket during the 2020 race, yet are all too often the unsung heroes of the party base and simultaneous “backbone of our democracy.” With that in mind, Perry is still hopeful for change and notes this is just the beginning of a potential new relationship between Black folks and the highest office in the land.

“We’re gonna be paying more close attention,” he said. “I think that the Biden-Harris administration should certainly be quick to address the agenda items that matter to us most.”

Dr. Perry shares even more about the significance of Vice President Kamala Harris, explains why Black folks will be following the Biden-Harris White House very closely, and more in the video above.