How The First Female Vice-President Offers ‘Possibilities’ To Black Americans And A Hurting Nation

Millions of women will embrace the historic inauguration of the nation’s first female vice-president, Kamala Harris. Among those celebrating are Donna Wilson and Melanie Scott, both members of Harris’ sorority and graduates of the university she attended, Howard University, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in Washington, D.C.

“Going to Howard was like going to the ‘Black Mecca,’ Scott said. “The way people feel about Harvard is the way I feel about Howard.”

Scott and many other graduates of HBCUs see the ascension of Harris as long overdue recognition of the academic institutions credited with the success of generations of Black Americans.

“At my first law firm, they said, ‘You mean Harvard,’ and I said, ‘No, I didn’t say Harvard,’” recalled Wilson who is the division chief for real estate in the legal department in the office of another prominent African American politician, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “So, now the world can see that folks who attend a HBCU are like the rest of the folks … that we can rise up to be whoever we want to be when we put our minds to it.”

Scott and Wilson know what it takes to travel paths rarely traversed by women of color. Scott served as the first African American in some key professional roles during her tenure at Kansas City Community College. She was the first director of the Intercultural Center and understands why Harris is a beacon of hope during this time of racial division in America.

“For me, this is not just me looking from afar. For me, this is personal,” Scott explained. “There’s a demographic shift in our nation, and we have to come to terms with that. And I think Trump made people fear diversity and inclusion. It’s another way of saying, ‘Country, get ready for it. Our numbers have already changed. We are a diverse country.”

With outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo under fire for remarks challenging the value of multiculturalism, political analysts see the new president and vice-president’s job of unifying the country particularly difficult. The inauguration, long viewed as another step in the peaceful transfer of power, will be marked by the presence of 20,000 National Guard troops standing guard this year to protect the Capitol from another violent attack from a mob of pro-Trump supporters activated by months of baseless claims of a fraudulent election.  

A Nation In Need Of Healing

It is a volatile stew of grievance politics and white supremacy. And into the political fray will step Harris, propelled into office by a wave of Black voter turnout destined for the history books with Black women playing a pivotal role in the moment.

“It says the power of Black women are the truest base of the Democratic party,” states Dr. Shayla Nunnally, Chair of the Africana Studies Program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. “It shows us how meaningful Black women have been in asserting democratic practices – electoral participation.”

But, despite the excitement, there is a clear-eyed assessment of the reality facing Harris as she becomes the second-in-command.

“I think her background as a prosecutor will serve her well … she knows how to be a fighter,” Wilson explains. “She’s compassionate, a congenial person, and she will know when to use those skills. I just think she is well prepared to be the second in command during this environment because she’s been in battle in every stage of her career.”

Harris’ skills will be called upon during a time when Americans are more divided than they have been since the Civil War. A recent Statista poll showed that 35 percent of those surveyed said they had a very unfavorable opinion of Harris while 20 percent had a somewhat favorable opinion of the former California Senator.

“We know Black women have been on the battlefield for inclusion,” Scott asserts.

And Wilson agrees, citing the “possibilities” Harris represents for little girls of all races and for women.

“The world is seeing what a Black woman is capable of,” she says. “And I hope we will now see the corporate boardrooms, the C-suite now saying, ‘Wow, okay…’ We don’t have the level or representation of that level that we should … we would like to see it throughout every industry. Hopefully, it will open a lot of eyes to the possibilities.”

Ballgown, Chucks and Pearls

Scott is wearing her pearls for the inaugural event, having invited “women who don’t look like me” to also reach for their pearls as a tribute to the first female vice-president.

Wilson has her day planned as well.

“I will be glued to the television,” she said. “I have my attire which will include a Howard University shirt, pearls and pink-and-green Chucks.”

The Chuck Taylors are also nod to the new vicepPresident who is known for her stylish stockpile of the sneaker she made popular on the campaign trail.

Wilson ordered a ball gown last spring for the inauguration, anticipating a victory for Harris and an end to the coronavirus pandemic. She was right about Harris, but the pandemic stretches on and will claim the new administration’s attention on Day One with 400,000 American deaths attributed to the virus and millions more sickened and infected.

A global pandemic and a country on edge would challenge any administration. Biden/Harris face obstacles many historians say have not been seen in decades. But supporters like Scott and Wilson see a vice-president who can transcend “boundaries of race and ethnicity” – a skill set the nation needs.