Family of Kamala Harris facts for kids
Kamala Harris is the 49th and current Vice President of the United States. Before becoming Vice President, she was a U.S. Senator for California. She also served as the Attorney General for California. Her family includes many people who are well-known in politics and academics.
Kamala Harris's mother's family came from Tamil Nadu, India. Her father's family is from Saint Ann, Jamaica. She is married to an American lawyer named Doug Emhoff.
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Meet Kamala Harris's Family
Douglas Emhoff
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Douglas Emhoff is the husband of Kamala Harris. He is also known as the Second Gentleman of the United States. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents. He lived in New Jersey and then moved to California when he was 17.
Douglas Emhoff studied at California State University, Northridge and USC Gould School of Law. He became a lawyer who worked on entertainment cases. He worked for several law firms before joining DLA Piper. He was married before and has two children. He married Kamala Harris on August 22, 2014.
Cole Emhoff
Cole Emhoff is Kamala Harris's stepson. He was born on September 15, 1994. He is named after the famous jazz musician John Coltrane. Cole graduated from Colorado College with a degree in psychology. He works in the entertainment industry. Cole calls Kamala Harris "Momala."
Ella Emhoff
Ella Emhoff is Kamala Harris's stepdaughter. She was born on May 29, 1999. She is named after the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Ella appeared in a music video when she was younger. She graduated from high school in Los Angeles. Ella is an artist who studies apparel and textiles at Parsons School of Design. She also calls Kamala Harris "Momala." Ella helped design her dress for the inauguration day.
Kamala Harris's Parents
Shyamala Gopalan
Shyamala Gopalan was Kamala Harris's mother. She was an Indian-American biologist and a civil rights activist. Shyamala was born in Chennai, India, on April 7, 1938. She was a talented singer of South Indian classical music.
She studied Home Science in India. In 1958, at age 19, Shyamala moved to the United States. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her PhD in nutrition and endocrinology in 1964.
Shyamala's research focused on breast biology and cancer. She worked at several universities and research labs. She helped mentor many students. Her work helped advance breast cancer research.
Donald J. Harris
Donald J. Harris is Kamala Harris's father. He is a Jamaican-American economist and professor. Donald was born on August 23, 1938, in Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica. He grew up in the Orange Hill area of Saint Ann Parish.
He earned his bachelor's degree in Jamaica. In 1963, he came to the United States. He completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley in 1966. He met Shyamala Gopalan through the civil rights movement.
Donald Harris taught economics at several universities. He was a professor at Stanford University from 1972 until he retired in 1998. He is now a professor emeritus, meaning he is retired but keeps his title.
Other Relatives
Maya Harris
Maya Harris is Kamala Harris's younger sister. She was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and Montreal. Maya had her daughter, Meena Harris, when she was 17.
Maya studied at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford Law School. She is a lawyer and works to support public policy. She also appears as a television commentator. Maya married lawyer Tony West in 1998.
Meena Harris
Meena Harris is Kamala Harris's niece. She was born in Oakland, California, in 1984. Meena earned her bachelor's degree from Stanford University. She also has a law degree from Harvard Law School.
Meena is a lawyer and writes children's books. She started a campaign to raise awareness about social issues. Her 2020 children's book is based on the lives of her mother and aunt. Meena and her husband have two daughters.
P. V. Gopalan
P. V. Gopalan was Kamala Harris's maternal grandfather. He lived from 1911 to 1998. Gopalan was a civil servant in India. He worked for the Indian government in the Ministry of Labour. He also helped Zambia manage refugees from Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Gopalan and his wife, Rajam, were from Tamil Nadu state in India. They had four children. Their oldest daughter, Shyamala, became a scientist in the United States and Canada.
Sharada Balachandran Orihuela
Sharada Balachandran Orihuela is Kamala Harris's first cousin. She was born in Mexico. She moved often between India, Mexico, and the United States. When she moved to Oakland, California, for college, her aunt Shyamala Gopalan helped her.
Sharada graduated from Mills College and University of California, Davis. She is now a professor of English and comparative literature at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is married to a Mexican citizen.
Kamala Harris's Family Background
Kamala Harris has family roots from Jamaica on her father's side. On her mother's side, her family is from India. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a Tamil Brahmin.
Images for kids
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Second Gentleman of the United States Douglas Emhoff in 2021
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Cole and Ella Emhoff at the 2021 inauguration ceremonies on Capitol Hill, January 20, 2021
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Vice President Kamala Harris with her sister Maya Harris, January 2021
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