Kamala Harris and the Intersectionality of Being a Black Woman Voter

Kamala Harris is a boss. Her confidence is truly inspirational. Watching her grill idiots, like Brett Kavanaugh, makes my day. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day she announced her presidential run. Her campaign posters even paid homage to the first Black woman to run for president, Shirley Chisholm. At the surface, this should be everything I want. I honestly never expected to see a Black woman run in my lifetime. Especially after Michelle Obama told us, in her own gracious way, \”hell no\” when asked if she would consider the presidency. Since this is something I’ve always wanted, why do I still feel incomplete?

For starters, almost everything Kamala accomplished as a District Attorney and Attorney General contradicts my core values. Prison industrial complex disproportionately affects people of color. Creating laws that could send low-income mothers to jail simply for their child\’s truancy seems counterproductive. While she speaks so eloquently about civil rights, her actions have attempted to revoke these rights. It is irresponsible to overlook policy just because she’s a Black woman. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to be critical of any Black candidate. To a lot of people, it’s more important to push “us” through and worry about position later. This is a direct result of all Black people not being able to vote and run for office until the 1960’s, more accurately the 1970’s. She only just announced her run and hasn’t even begun campaign promises. However, what’s done in the past is a good indication of what to expect in the future.

I’m still undecided about who I’m voting for. For the first time, I’m stuck at the intersection of being a Black woman and a responsible voter. I’m zero percent interested in Bernie Sanders as he pretty much excused racism during the midterm elections. It’s time for someone younger, nonwhite, and female to take the reins. But at what cost? This time around, I’m determined to make an educated decision. The same way I did during the midterm elections. I cannot blindly vote for someone that looks like me if others that resemble my family will continue to be oppressed. Just like I can’t expect a White candidate to prioritize issues that plague Black communities. The “lesser of two evils” always seemed like a cliche before this moment. Regardless of my choice, I will still treat Kamala like the boss chick she is, with every ounce of respect she deserves. As a sista, she’s earned that much.