Kamala Harris is a DEI Vice President
Doubly Exceptional Vice President
My first day of law school orientation two guys said something to me I’ll never forget. At an event at a local bar two guys (both with four letter first names and first-name last names) asked me in the most nonchalant manner how I felt knowing I was only there because of affirmative action. That moment stung, and it forecast what was going to be some of the most challenging three years of my professional life, and it is ongoing. It was a reminder that everything I did or would do would painted by many as not earned— Didn’t Earn It— a DEI leg up.
It is tiresome to have to work two or three times as hard to even be close to where others get to start off. To surpass them…well that is even more.
We know what you mean when you say DEI—if you want to say it SO BAD why not say it with your chest?
Now this asinine rhetoric is back in discussing our Vice President of the United States.. huh? But then I saw a tweet that made me see the light, Kamala Harris, like many of us, is a DEI hire. A Doubly Exceptional Individual.
This— all of this. So, yeah Vice President Harris is a DEI.
Look at the presidential race and people vying for such important jobs. When we apply for jobs we submit a resume that lists our accomplishments and credentials. For this —job— lets look at a blind resume of each candidate and see who we would ‘hire’
Candidate 1:
Education- JD, BS Poli Sci
Professional- Venture Capitalist, author, 18 months in US Senate
Legislation- Introduced 36 bills
Loves- Couches
Candidate 2:
Education- JD, BA Poli Sci & Economics
Professional- Deputy DA, 2 term DA of Major City, 2 term Attorney General of largest state in US, 48 Months in US Senate, 3.5 years as US Vice President
Legislation- Introduced 132 bills
Loves- Laughing (joy)
I have been an employer and given these resumes, I am easily siding with candidate 2. But nah— apparently to many that candidate is unqualified and ‘not ready’ while candidate one is. Sure JAN
To point further to the disrespect, former president paprika skin continuously says she has a ‘low IQ’ or is a ‘low IQ individual’ This comment hilariously brought to you by the bleach man of — person, woman, man, camera, tv— fame. Kewl.
Look, I don’t know VP Kamala Harris. Yet. But one second into her speaking you realize she is brilliant. Further, I don’t know what she has been through exactly but I DO KNOW she is a Black woman in America. Neither of those things is easy, and put together they are doubly hard.
To say she isn’t qualified is a knock and a reminder to ALL OF US, that no matter what we do or accomplish if we aren’t a straight white Christian cis male— they will attack us. And for those of us who are blessed with melanin the attacks come twofold. They want to remind us that we are always unfit to lead, unfit to dream.
When anyone of color achieves or dares to seek excellence, small minded individuals want to attack that as a way to soothe themselves for not being able to do the exact thing they are discussing.
I wish I had seen that tweet about doubly exceptional before I started school. I could have responded with more than a blank stare of disbelief. What I can say now though is looking at what the VP has done and many people around this country have done in spite of the obstacles thrown our way— those are some Doubly Exceptional Individuals.
Official White House Portrait