Kamala Harris: Redefining family in the American spotlight

Just a few weeks ago, few gave Kamala Harris much of a chance for the White House. Today, she may become the first female president in the United States' history, although, of course, she won't be the dream candidate for all Americans (as none of the candidates are).

“In reality, in an age of polarization, there isn't one America but two. These represent different value systems, sensibilities, and senses of humor,” says Agnieszka Graff, cultural studies expert, columnist, and professor at the American Studies Center of the University of Warsaw.

Harris comes from a family of immigrants. Her father, Donald Harris, was born in Jamaica. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, came to the United States from India. The Harris family was actively involved in civil rights advocacy and instilled in their daughters the belief that taking action is necessary. Their mother often reminded Kamala and her sister Maya: "Don't just sit idle and complain about the situation. Try to do something!" The future Vice President of the USA took her mother's words deeply to heart.

Kamala Harris's legal and political career is impressive, but since she replaced Joe Biden in the presidential race, Americans have also shown a keen interest in her personal life.

"She would be the most radical candidate ever to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination," wrote Fox News commentator Marc A. Thiessen in "The Washington Post." Harris holds liberal views (she once described herself as a "progressive prosecutor") and lives in a modern family. It can be considered modern if she participates in raising her husband's children and does not have her own.

Kamala Harris married Douglas Emhoff on 22 August 2014. They met the year before on a blind date and reportedly fell in love at first sight.

This is Harris's first marriage. Emhoff was previously married to Kerstin Emhoff, née Mackin, until 2008. "During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions," Emhoff admitted in a statement to CNN. The British newspaper "Daily Mail" was the first to report on Kamala Harris's husband's infidelity during his first marriage when he cheated on his then-wife with his daughter’s teacher. The woman became pregnant, although she did not continue with the pregnancy.

Kamala Harris was said to have been aware of all this before she chose to marry Emhoff.

After such experiences, it is hard to believe that today everyone enjoys friendly, cordial relations, and Kamala has been involved in raising Douglas and Kerstin's children for years: Ella, now 25, and Cole, now 30. However, their public statements affirm that this is indeed the case.

“Kamala came into my life when I was 14,” said Ella Emhoff during the Democratic Convention. “She has always taken me seriously. She has always been ready to listen to me.”

Ella and Cole call Kamala "Momala." "When Doug and I got married, I talked to his children. No one liked the term 'stepmom.' Instead, they came up with the name 'Momala,' which stuck. I am very grateful to Doug, Kerstin, and especially Ella and Cole for welcoming me into their family. I can say one thing for certain – my heart would not be whole, nor my life complete, without them. It is pure love that we show each other daily, " Kamala Harris wrote in a 2019 essay "Elle."

Unusually, Douglas's ex-wife also speaks warmly about Kamala. "I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it," wrote Kerstin Emhoff in a statement sent to CNN. "For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has been a co-parent with Doug and I," she added. Kerstin described Harris as "loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and always present."

This statement was in response to conservative attacks on Kamala Harris, criticising her for being childless. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, labelled Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (a member of the United States House of Representatives) as "a bunch of child-free cat ladies who are unhappy in their own lives."

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a politician, similarly commented on Harris, stating during a Trump voter event in Michigan that her children keep her "humble," while Harris "has no one to make her humble."

Harris called these views "outdated." “We have our family by blood, and then we have our family by love, and I have both, and I consider it to be a real blessing. And I have two beautiful children, Cole and Ella, who call me Momala. We have a very modern family. My husband's ex-wife is a friend of mine,” Kamala Harris said on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast.