107 Days - Kamala Harris

I finished this book in just a couple of weeks. I appreciated how candid and open Kamala was in sharing what went on behind the scenes during her presidential campaign. I’ll admit, I don’t follow politics as closely as I probably should, but, like many of us, I followed this campaign.

Her nomination drew widespread excitement, support and strong endorsements from across the country, including groups like Win With Black Women, founded by Jotaka Eaddy. The organization launched in 2020 but gained momentum after Kamala was announced as the presidential candidate. They even hosted a virtual call with 44,000 Black women that “broke” Zoom. A monthly call that I have recently joined and have found to be a great space for networking, support, and lifting up Black businesses.

One of the things I appreciated most after reading this book was Kamala’s connection with young people. I enjoyed learning about her “Stars Project,” where she invited a different young staff member each week to simply ask how she could help them in their professional role and acknowledged their hard work. She even closed the book by highlighting a young girl from Compton, California, who had written Kamala a note admiring her professionalism and “levelheadedness” during the campaign. Kamala later attended her high school graduation shortly after.

Of course there was a lot more discussed in the book and it felt like more than just a behind-the-scenes look at one of the shortest and most controversial presidential campaigns in history. It was Kamala’s opportunity to share her perspective on what could’ve been handled differently, why certain choices were made, how certain situations affected her, and, also a subtle, yet not so subtle “I told you so.”

She also used it to remind us that, regardless of your profession, women, especially Black women and women of color, continue to face misrepresentation, disrespect, ridicule, and a lack of full support during times when it’s needed the most. 

I enjoyed her autobiography.