Since it became clear that Kamala Harris would be the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, many people in the U.S. have struggled with pronouncing her name, as “Kamala” is not a commonly heard name in the country.
Donald Trump, Harris’s opponent, used this confusion to mock her, deliberately mispronouncing her name as “Kambala.” While the reason behind this choice is unclear, some speculate it could have been a subtle reference to Barack Obama, suggesting he was influencing Harris. Regardless of his intent, Trump eventually received some help in learning the correct pronunciation.
During the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Harris’s grandnieces, Amara and Leela, gave a playful tutorial on how to pronounce her name. Actress Kerry Washington introduced the young girls, stating that while confusion might be understandable, disrespect is not.
BREAKING: Kerry Washington just brought out Kamala Harris’ nieces to teach Donald Trump how to pronounce a Kamala’s name. Retweet so all Americans see this incredible clip. pic.twitter.com/5UcOarXzT3
— Kamala’s Wins (@harris_wins) August 23, 2024
To teach the correct pronunciation, 8-year-old Amara explained, “First you say ‘comma’ like the comma in a sentence,” and 6-year-old Leela added, “Then you say ‘la’ like la-la-la-la-la.” They then encouraged the DNC audience to practice, turning the lesson into a fun and memorable moment.