Brooklyn Voters Excited for Harris, But Expect Sexism, Racism to Emerge as VP Vies For Presidency

On Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden said he would not run for a second term as President of the United States in the November election, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. 

Biden delivered a farewell Oval Office speech on Wednesday and said he understood that it was time to hand over power to to "fresh" and "younger" voices.

“I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” he said, while praising Harris as "tough" and "capable."

Harris is not the first woman of color to run for the seat, according to the Center for American Women in Politics, part of Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Brooklyn's own Shirley Chisholm, who was a senator at the time, ran for the Democratic nomination in 1972. Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Japanese-American, ran as an anti-war candidate in the 1972 Oregon Democratic presidential primary. Senator Carol Moseley Braun was among 10 Democrats seeking the 2004 presidential nomination. And former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who is Indian-American, ran against former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. (You can read the full list here.)

Brooklyn residents interviewed by BK Reader expressed relief and excitement that a new Democratic ticket will be formed. And yet some locals also predicted that Harris, who is half Black and half Indian, will likely face sexism and racism from the public and Republican Party in the run up to the November election as she tries to defeat former U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Clinton Hill resident Gordon Luke, a retired minister, was elated about Harris' run, and said the nation is "about to create history."

"And somebody like me can help to create that history by encouraging my children, my wife, and the Black men within our congregation. I’ve heard many of them say they will be voting for her. History will be made," said Luke, 81.

He thinks Harris will choose a white person as her running mate to cement her position and help her break down the racial barrier. 

"I am just excited!" he said. 

Leela Gebo, a Bedford Stuyvesant resident, said she was glad when she heard the news that Biden was stepping out of the election. 

"I think it creates the opportunity for the Democratic Party to nominate a more electable candidate and also supports a precedent I agree with in that politics and the presidency should be geared toward the needs of the people they govern rather than the egos of individuals with power," Gebo said.

“It’s hard for me to judge Harris’ popularity on a broad scale, because the past two elections have indicated to me that polling can be unrepresentative and that the opinions of my own political bubble—in person and on social media—are not representative of the broader diversity of political opinion across the country. And, as much as I’d love to see a woman of color be elected president, I know that racist and sexist platforms across the U.S. will be working against her," the 22-year-old said.

Yeji Chung, a 22-year-old applied behavior analysis therapist, said she was shocked – and relieved – to hear that Biden had dropped out. That said, she questioned whether the country was ready for a woman of color to be president at this time.

"It would be great to have that sort of representation, but due to a lot of bigotry present in the country right now, I'm not sure if people who are more closed minded would want to vote for a woman of color as their president," the Borough Park resident said. 

Democrats should have been developing candidates for the last four years, instead of stifling any potential new candidates as they also did in 2016, lamented Chris Buckley, a 66-year-old Clinton Hill resident who works in theater production. 

Buckely's daughter, Alison Buckley, a 23-year-old educator, was not sure if Harris can be elected.

"I don’t necessarily agree with all of her past decisions, but it makes sense for Biden to endorse her. I don’t know if she will be elected," the younger Buckley said.  "I am aware that that the nature of the United States works to systemically undermine and block women of color, but I would love to believe that a woman of color could be elected.” 

Daniel Brown, a Bedford Stuyvesant resident, said he had high hopes for Harris. 

“I feel great about that [Harris is running]. She’s a sister, a Black sister," the 49-year-old said. "I just hope she’s for the communities that need to be picked up and done well. Like my community, my type of people."

For example, Brown, who owns his own clothing company, said he gives out food to people in need every Sunday to give back to the community.

"Let’s try to build her up to do better things that other presidents didn’t do for my kind, my skin color," he said.

Keun Park, an artist from Clinton Hill, said she didn't know much about Harris and her policies, but wanted to support a woman for president.

"I think it’s cool. I think it’s very very positive. And I guess we will have to see!” Park, 47, said.

Crown Heights resident Mitchell Goecke, 21, thought Biden was being stubborn for not dropping out sooner, saying: "I think his ego got in the way. But I'm happy he finally understood what he had to do."

Goecke, who works for a nonprofit, believes the country is ready for a woman of color to lead the nation. 

"... I think it's about time that it happens. I know that if [Harris] is the nominee, that I would vote for her, and I really hope that that does happen for this country because I feel like that is a great step forward. Next is the Supreme Court," he said. 

The Democratic National Convention, where Harris is almost certain to be voted as the party nominee to run for president, starts on Monday, August 19 and will conclude on Thursday, August 22, in Chicago.