America Needs Powerful Black Women

It Is Time To Normalize a Black Woman In The White House

Kamala Harris did not mention anything about her race or gender during the Democratic National Convention. Unlike past candidates who have brought it to voters’ attention that they might be female or Black, Harris felt no need to even mention it.

This was deliberate and a good decision for several reasons. First, I don’t believe Kamala Harris is interested in winning votes based on her identity. Her resume and capabilities speak for themselves. She doesn’t need a race or gender advantage to boost her standing.

Second, why state the obvious? It is clear, at least to most people besides Donald Trump, that Kamala is female and a woman of color. By not even mentioning it, she was working to normalize that women and people of color are now and should be in positions of leadership, including the highest office in the land.

Just look at the diversity of speakers at the DNC. People of color were simply a NORMAL part of the lineup. And that is the point. You don’t even need to call it out because it is normal and should always be considered normal. Diversity is normal, and it is who we are as Americans.

A third reason Harris didn’t feel the urgency in speaking about her gender or race is her self-confidence. Harris was presenting a large and undeniable contrast to her opponent, who insists on using division and identity politics to promote himself.

Harris laid out an inclusive vision “on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language your grandmother speaks.” During her acceptance speech, she spoke a unifying message that transcends identity and is all-inclusive. She said with a good deal of authenticity and passion,

“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”

“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads. And listens. Who is realistic, practical, and has common sense. And always fights for the American people.”

Harris’ America is a mosaic of people from all nationalities, walks of life, nations, and religions. For Harris, America is not a melting pot but a place where unity is centered around an idea, not a skin color. This idea draws the immigrant and gives hope to the impoverished and marginalized. It is the idea that there are natural rights, and those rights are to be protected by a government that doesn’t play favorites. We haven’t always lived up to that promise, but with Harris’s ascendancy, we can move much closer to the ideal.

However, for all the downplaying of gender and race, we witnessed at the DNC, I do think it is important to call out a few elements of her identity that contribute to her strength, vision, poise, and something new in the halls of power. I’m speaking of the power that Black women bring to the American table.

When I say “power,” I don’t mean the type of power that dominates, subjugates, or creates an “us vs. them” society—that is how Trump defines power. Power can also be used to unify, include everyone, create cohesion, and empower those who have no power.

We have never allowed women of color to bring their particular skill set to the highest office in the country. This could be a historic opportunity to tap into a source of strength and emotional intelligence that has been overlooked and discriminated against.

I want to be careful here because there are some harmful myths associated with the idea of a “powerful Black woman.” After all, the mythical “strong” black woman has been used as a trope over the centuries to commit medical malpractice on women of color and to ignore their health issues. It is no coincidence that health and mortality for Black women today still suffer in comparison to white women.

Dr. Yvette Cozier of the Boston University of Public Health has observed:

“….compared to their white counterparts, Black women are more likely to be the primary household breadwinner; reside in lower socioeconomic status communities, regardless of their own education or income; hold frontline jobs with limited flexibility or opportunity to telecommute; serve as caregivers within multigenerational households; and experience discrimination and racial bias at every level of society.”[i]

Because of this discrimination of both race and gender, there is a health toll on Black women that still has not been thoroughly addressed. So, I don’t want to perpetuate a myth that has contributed to chronic health issues for women of color.

The strength to which I am referring has more to do with the inner lives of women of color because of their lived experiences at the cross-section of both gender and racial discrimination. The inner lives of Black women provide a source of strength that can be harnessed in leadership roles in ways that others may not be able to reproduce.

Dr. Cozier goes on to identify what might be at the core of Black women's ability to persevere under difficult, if not impossible, circumstances.

“Frequent religious service attendance was associated with lower mortality, and using one’s religion/spirituality to cope with stress was associated with decreased risk of hypertension. Also, coping in the form of talking to others about racist or discriminatory experiences, or acting against such experiences, seemed to attenuate or lessen the health impact of these events. These activities emphasize the importance of community—spiritual or secular—in our lives, and how mindfulness, prayer, and activism can provide strength and comfort in a turbulent world. In summary, we need to care for ourselves and each other.”

Kamala Harris frequently refers to her upbringing that included religious attendance, and her mother’s activism. These are pillars that have given strength to women of color throughout our history. It is no wonder that the emphasis of the DNC this time around focused on community, faith, and inclusion. These are values that Harris has inherited from a rich family life and diverse backgrounds. As an Attorney General and prosecutor, she has been able to seek justice and was an activist in California.

Then consider her pick of Tim Walz from Minnesota. Walz spoke of being raised in small-town Nebraska, where community and “looking out for your neighbor” were just how it was. His was a different experience from Harris’ but had the same outcome. Focus on cooperation, community, and looking out for your neighbor was all on display at the DNC. It can be a role model for the nation.

I also think of Kamala Harris’ predecessors in politics: Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Carol Moseley Braun, Patricia Roberts Harris, Condoleezza Rice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and many others, who have paved the way for Kamala Harris. They have all brought their own unique mixture of strength, compassion, perseverance, and intelligence to the roles they’ve been given. These women have sought justice and community in their respective roles.

That is why I believe we are now at a point where a Black woman stepping into the role of Madame President can be and should be normalized. With her vision of community, inclusion, diversity, strength, and empathy, she has the opportunity to alter the nature of American politics and our understanding of “power” and prioritize working toward the common good.

We are in a new era in American politics. It is time to put the politics of division, hatred, and name-calling behind us. It doesn’t mean everyone will agree with each other, but there is a core of values on which all humans can agree which is why you saw so many Republicans speak at this convention.

Perhaps Former President Barack Obama summarized the vision of these values when he said during his DNC speech:

“Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican or somewhere in between, we have all had people like that in our lives. People like Kamala’s parents, who crossed oceans because they believed in the promise of America. People like Tim’s parents, who taught him about the importance of service.

Good, hardworking people, who weren’t famous or powerful but who managed in countless ways to leave this country just a little bit better than they found it.

As much as any policy or program, I believe that’s what we yearn for a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other.”

Kamala, this woman of color, will lead the way.

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[i] https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/pov-what-strong-black-woman-means-to-me/