Photo by Aaron Watts

By Jackson Perez Greenleaf, Staff Writer

CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president Thursday night, drawing on her career as a prosecutor and her dedication to civil rights as the foundation of her campaign.

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention, Harris invoked the legacies of civil rights leaders like Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley, who battled in the courtroom to bring about lasting change.

“At a young age, I decided I wanted to do that work,” Harris said. “I wanted to be a lawyer.”

Harris recounted a formative experience from her high school years when she learned that her best friend, Wanda, was being sexually abused by Wanda’s stepfather. Harris responded by having Wanda move in with the Harris family. This incident solidified her resolve to become a prosecutor, a role she pursued to protect the vulnerable and seek justice for all.

“Everyone has a right to safety, to dignity, and to justice,” Harris said, her voice steady with conviction. “As a prosecutor, when I had a case, I charged it not in the name of the victim, but in the name of the people.”

She underscored her belief that in the American justice system “a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us,” a principle she often conveyed to survivors of crime to remind them they were not alone in their fight.

She described her opposition in this year’s race, Donald Trump, as an “unserious man,” and stressed the serious consequences of his potential return to the Oval Office.

“Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost the last election.”

Harris detailed the events following the 2020 election, accusing Trump of attempting to undermine democracy by trying to discard legitimate votes. “When he failed,” she said, “he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement officers.”

“Donald Trump is focused on himself,” Harris said, underscoring the importance of leadership that prioritizes the people. “This election will determine whether we move forward as a nation or allow one man’s ego to tear us apart.”

Throughout her career, Harris noted, she has served only one client: the people. “Kamala Harris for the people,” she declared, recalling the words she would speak every day in courtrooms across California.

In accepting the nomination, Harris paid tribute to her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, to those who have embarked on their own “unlikely journeys,” and to all Americans who work tirelessly to achieve their dreams. She called for unity, pledging to serve every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or background.

“On behalf of every American, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America,” Harris concluded, her voice rising above the applause from a packed United Center convention hall.

As the first Black woman and the first Asian American to be nominated for president by a major party, Harris’s historic candidacy marks a significant milestone in the nation’s political landscape. With her acceptance speech, Harris solidified her position as the standard bearer of the Democratic Party, promising to fight for justice and equality for all Americans.

Copy Edited by Journalism Department Chair, Ron Thomas