Kamala Harris’s Candidacy Puts a Spotlight on Mixed-Raced Identity

KQED's Forum

Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial and ethnic identity is either an asset or a liability on the campaign trail — it depends on whom you ask. Many voters say they’re ready to elect the nation’s first Black and Asian female president, while some worry that racist backlash will impede her chances. Still others claim she’s “not Black enough.” But, as the United States becomes more diverse and more people identify as multiracial, the Harris campaign is already shifting national discourse about identity politics. We’ll talk about what Harris’s candidacy – and voters’ reactions to it – say about America’s understanding of mixed race identity.

Guests:

Celeste Headlee , award-winning journalist formerly with National Public Radio, professional speaker and author of "We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter"

Sonja Diaz , civil rights attorney, policy expert and co-founder, Latina Futures 2050 Lab - an organization focused on promoting access to leadership roles for Latinas. Diaz is also the founding director emeritus, UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director and founder, AAPI Data - a national research and policy organization focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He is also a researcher at the Asian American Research Center, University of California, Berkeley.