When Kamala Harris was sworn in as the nation’s first female, Black and Asian American vice president, celebrations ricocheted across the country — but especially among the Howard University community, Harris’ alma mater.
“This is a great day for Harris, for Howard and for our country as a whole. It is a great day for the African American community, the South Asian American community and all American communities. Harris’ ascendance is a powerful symbol of the progress our country has made,” Howard President Wayne Frederick said in a statement.
“To be sure, that progress has been inconsistent, and our country is far from perfect. But we would be remiss to overlook the significance of what Harris’ inauguration represents. That a Black woman can rise to hold the second-most powerful office in the entire country, especially in the midst of continuing inequality, injustice and intolerance, is a decisive testament to our country’s values and its future trajectory.”
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Michael Franklin, the student association’s vice president, also shares a special connection with Harris as a proud member of Howard’s speech and debate team, which Harris was part of while at Howard.
“That the type of rhetorical skill that [comes] from being a member of the speech and debate team has translated all the way into being a barrier-breaking vice president of the United States is truly amazing to watch,” Franklin said. “Knowing that we’re a part of this community; that we’re a part of this legacy; that our team really … was a formative experience for our now-vice president of the United States, is just truly amazing to witness.”
The two graduating seniors are especially hopeful that Harris’ ascension will mean more political support for historically Black colleges and universities like Howard, such as with student loan forgiveness plans and increased funding for school preservation efforts.
“Something that really resonates and really encapsulates the thinking here for me is a quote from VP Harris herself, where she says, ‘I may be the first but I will not be the last,’” Franklin said. “It’s wild that we’re still seeing firsts in these offices going on nowadays, but we know for sure that they definitely won’t be the last, and we’ll continue to see HBCU graduates … breaking barriers and making history.”