The Announcement

Biden announced his pick to the world through Instagram yesterday, citing his reasons for his choice, saying:

"Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign."

Now that the choice has been made, Americans have the opportunity to get to know Harris as their possible future vice president. Here are some facts about the 55-year old Democrat from California to get started!

1. Already Making History

Harris is the first woman of color to be nominated for office by a major party.

2. Family Facts

Harris is the daughter of immigrants. Her father is a professor at Stanford from Jamaica and her mother was a cancer researcher in India. Harris' parents divorced when she was only seven years old, and she lived primarily with her mother.

3. Time in the Senate

In 2017, Harris was sworn in the Senate as the second African American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history.

4. Keeping Busy

Harris has written three books: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, Smart on Crime and the children's book Superheroes Are Everywhere.

5. Early Career

Before becoming a Senator, Harris served as a prosecutor in Alameda County in San Francisco. Here, she specialized in child sex abuse trails. In 2010, she became California's Attorney General (the first woman, African American and first South Asian person to do so) and was reelected again in 2014.

6. Getting Involved

Harris attended Howard University, where she served on the debate team, joined the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, organized mentor programs for minority youth, and protested against apartheid.

7. Her Stances

In her run for president, she proposed cutting middle class taxes, pushed a Senate bill to make lynching a federal crime and advocated for police reform following the George Floyd killing.