8 surprising facts about Kamala Harris

By MiNDFOOD

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) listens to a question from the audience during a forum in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. October 2, 2019.  REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) listens to a question from the audience during a forum in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. October 2, 2019. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo
She's vice president-elect, senator, wife, aunt and even 'Momala'.

Here are eight things you may not have known about the amazing Kamala Harris.

She went to school in Canada

Harris moved to Montreal when she was 12 with her sister and her mother. She went to a French-speaking prep school and also completed high school in Quebec.

She held her first demonstration at age 13

Harris has a long history of activism – in fact, she staged her first demonstration at the age of 13. With the help of her sister, she protested in front of their apartment building, demanding that children who lived in the building be allowed to play in the front lawn. The building owners soon changed the policy.

She loves to cook

Harris has previously described herself as “something of a gourmet cook”, and says she always turns to cooking “during difficult times”.

 

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She’s a children’s book author

As well as writing two memoirs, Harris has written a book for children called Superheroes are Everywhere, which teaches kids that heroes don’t have to wear capes.

She’s already made history several times

During her career, Harris has had many firsts. She was the first African American and first woman elected district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California. She was the first Black and Asian American woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket. She is the first woman and first woman of colour to be elected vice president.

The Trumps donated to her attorney-general campaign

Political contribution data on the California Secretary of State website revealed Donald Trump donated $5,000 to Harris in 2011 during her first bid for attorney general and $1,000 in 2013 for her re-election, while Ivanka Trump donated $2,000 in 2014.

She was friends with Beau Biden

While she was attorney general, she formed a friendship with Joe Biden’s late son Beau, who was then Delaware’s attorney general. Harris says there were times when she and Beau would talk “every day, sometimes multiple times a day”.

She was married for the first time at 49

Harris married her attorney husband Doug Emhoff in 2014 at the age of 49. They had met on a blind date. His two children from a previous marriage refer to her as “Momala”.

Kamala Harris is our Jan/Feb cover star. Find out more about the issue here, or purchase your copy here.

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