When checking in on the progress of the current administration, it feels only appropriate to bring attention to one of the most groundbreaking women in American history — Vice President Kamala Harris. Madam Vice President Harris has had an effect on countless individuals — including those in our very own Taylor Allderdice High School community. 

“Having a woman of color in the second highest position of power is essential to promoting the idea that the government is truly representative and politics is not only a place for white men,” said freshman Naomi Segel.

“She’s a figurehead for women of color,” said senior Jadyn Gibson who added that “any form of representation, bad or not, is representation, period.”

Civics teacher Mr. Baumann brought up the fact that, “It’s super important that people see themselves in our government.…There are now pointed examples that people can look to as someone who isn’t a white male.” 

“It’s unfortunate that it’s taken this long,” said Mrs. Halloran, an Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics teacher. Harris is both the first woman and the first woman of color to hold the position of Vice President of the United States of America.

However, sophomore Isaac Weissman-Markovitz said, “She is just another neo-liberal, it’s great that she’s a woman and a person of color, but that’s clearly not dictating her policy.”

Senior Chloe Brown remarked, “I don’t care if there’s female representation in power if they aren’t going to fight against the systems that have kept groups like women oppressed for so long.”

“I thought it was amazing that a woman of color was running for president but I thought that she would not be great for the country. She has proven me wrong and is an amazing Madam Vice President,” said senior A’Niyah Dixon.

“She’s stayed out of the news — the Vice Presidency isn’t really something that’s concentrated on much in America, so she’s mostly stayed out of the spotlight,” said senior Ayden Harbin, who added that he had not been following the Vice President’s progress for this reason.

Segel said, “As a Vice President, I view her actions as actions of the administration and president, so it is pretty hard to specify what she herself has done.”

Dixon, who has been following Vice President Harris’s progress, mentioned, “She has voted on behalf of the people she serves and it is amazing to see someone do it.”

Harbin said, “I’m confident that both she and the rest of the Biden administration can at least push the needle towards some well-needed and hard-fought change.”

When Harris accepted victory for the Vice Presidency in November, she said, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.”

Mrs. Halloran added, “I’m hoping we can move on to the next step of seeing a woman as President.” Vice President Harris may be in a position to run for the highest office in the land in the coming years.