Vice President Kamala Harris has frequently spoken about the significant influence her parents, particularly her mother, had on her life and ambitions. In a 2022 Mother’s Day Facebook post, Harris reflected, “My mother was the first person to tell me that my thoughts and experiences mattered. My mother would often say to me: ‘Kamala, You may be the first to do many things. Make sure you are not the last.’”
Harris, recently endorsed by President Biden for the 2024 presidential race after his withdrawal, is the eldest daughter of economist Donald Harris, 85, and breast cancer researcher Shyamala Gopalan, who passed away in 2009 at age 70. Harris has shared several nostalgic photos of her parents on social media, including a March 2024 Instagram post where she wrote, “My mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a scientist who had two goals in life: to cure breast cancer and to raise her two daughters.”
Donald Harris, originally from Jamaica, and Shyamala Gopalan, from southern India, met at UC Berkeley while pursuing graduate studies. Both were involved in the Afro-American Association, which discussed African history and the African-American experience. Gopalan’s move to the U.S. was initially meant to be temporary, but she stayed after meeting Donald and participating in the civil rights movement.
In her 2019 memoir, Harris highlights her mother’s journey from India to Berkeley and her passion for science. Despite family expectations for her to return to India, Gopalan chose to stay and marry Donald Harris, making significant decisions for her own life and career.
Harris also emphasizes how her mother raised her and her sister Maya with a strong sense of pride in their South Asian heritage while understanding they would be seen as Black in America. Her parents were active in civil rights, and Harris recalls being brought to marches in a stroller. She learned from her mother that serving others gives life purpose.
Harris’ parents married in 1963 and had two daughters before separating when Kamala was around five. Harris’ father remained in their lives, but her mother was the primary influence in their upbringing. Donald Harris, a prominent economist, shared memories of Kamala’s adventurous spirit and their custody battle in a 2019 essay.
Gopalan’s significant contributions as a breast cancer researcher were noted for advancing understanding of hormone-responsiveness in breast tissue. Harris often highlights her mother’s struggles and achievements, emphasizing her resilience in the face of prejudice. Donald Harris, now a professor emeritus, also contributed to Jamaican economic policy and advised several prime ministers.