Julia Jordan-Zachery, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the Africana Studies Department, and the author of the award-winning book “Black Women, Cultural Images and Social Policy” and “Shadow Bodies: Black Women, Ideology, Representation and Politics.” She also serves as president of the Association for Ethnic Studies.
Given her national reputation as a scholar of race, gender and public policy, Jordan-Zachery is able to provide perspective on Joe Biden’s selection of Sen. Kamala Harris to be the first woman of color on a major party ticket. She recently was interviewed by NBC News for “The story of Black women in politics: How we got to Kamala Harris’ ascent.”
What is the significance of Sen. Kamala Harris being named Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate, given the challenges facing the country and its history?
The selection of Sen. Kamala Harris is significant for a number of reasons. One relating to her background as the first Black and South Asian woman to run on a major party ticket in the U.S. speaks to how democracy is understood and practiced. The fact that she has an “immigrant” background seems to respond, if only implicitly, to the current administration’s anti-immigrant stance. I think that this is something that is sometimes overlooked in understanding the value of her as a running mate. Third, it signals to Black voters that the Democratic party is open to engaging in a reciprocal relationship. Black voters, and Black women in particular, have disproportionately supported the Democratic party and have not been substantively, in terms of policy, or symbolically recognized for such. Finally, Sen. Harris is a moderate. The selection of Sen. Harris suggests inclusion and expansion of the Democratic party; thereby, giving those who have been on the margin of politics a sense that they will be heard and responded to. This is important given that many in society feel that they are not represented in politics.
What impact could Sen. Harris’ selection and possible election have on public policy issues facing the nation, particularly related to social justice?
Sen. Harris is a determined interrogator whose approach to policy is one of “sweating the small stuff” and “embracing the mundane” in order to affect change (as she wrote in her memoir). She is moderate and that influences her policy choices. Sen. Harris has taken some bold steps in championing social justice in her call for police reform and supporting an anti-lynching bill. Sen. Harris was a leading opponent of the current administration’s policy of separating children at the border. She joined protests at immigration shelters and advocated for expanded oversight of detention centers. And she has been calling for policies to address the nation’s maternal mortality crisis, which disproportionately impacts Black women. Given her moderate stance, I anticipate that VP nominee Harris will continue to address some social justice issues bringing to the forefront a diverse set of issues related to social justice.
From your perspective as a researcher on race, gender and public policy, do you have thoughts on how Sen. Harris’ vice presidential candidacy could inspire other women and people of color to pursue leadership positions?
In this current election cycle a substantive number of women of color are seeking elective office. It is estimated that in 2020, there are 130 identified Black women major-party congressional candidates. Women of color tend to engage in politics based on policy concerns and their quest for freedom and less so on racial identification. The nominated VP can continue to inspire this as her selection signals an opening up of the Democratic Party—a movement away from a rhetoric of inclusion to a practice of inclusion and her advocating for policies that affect communities of color can inspire future political engagement.