What Vice President Kamala Harris Means for Women in Politics

A woman with long dark hair is speaking in an indoor setting about women in politics. She is wearing a navy blue scarf with white patterns over a black sleeveless top. Behind her are large leafy plants and a bookshelf filled with various books. The PBS NewsHour logo is in the bottom left corner.

On Saturday, November 7th, the world changed for a whole generation of women and girls. Since 1789, we’ve endured a country run mostly by wealthy, heterosexual, white men. There have been 48 vice presidents, representative of only a portion of America. They say “if you can see it, you can be it.” When we heard the news that Senator Kamala Harris would become the first Black, first Asian, and first woman to be the Vice President of the United States, we knew that women and women of color would finally see themselves in the White House. 

This year, we’ve seen more women and women of color run for office than ever before. And with Harris breaking the second highest glass ceiling in the world, we hope that we can anticipate even more progress for women in the future. RBG once said that “women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” The importance of seeing women in high places, especially in politics, has been all the more evident this year. 

Aimee Allison, the founder of She The People, an organization that seeks to elevate women of color in politics, spoke on the significance of women running for office. “Women of color are what’s needed to get America through the challenges and the crisis we currently face.” With mostly men in power, policy has long favored masculine ideals and the priorities of men. It’s clear that that’s not working. 

During her first speech as Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris said, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.” We are so ready for what’s to come! 

Take Action! Herstory may have been made but that doesn’t mean the work is over. Continue to demand equal representation in politics with the hashtag #RepresentHer. And watch our latest doc The Great American Lie to learn more about the importance of gender equality in politics.