The Truths We Hold - Book Summary

An insight into a rising political figure.

As the political tides turn and new leaders emerge, it's impossible not to notice the change rippling through the fabric of American politics. The era that saw Donald Trump flip the script within the Republican Party also witnessed Hillary Clinton's unexpected struggle against Bernie Sanders' tenacious campaign. It’s clear now more than ever — traditional political narratives are being challenged, and the people’s stance on urgent issues is evolving.

This dynamic climate has opened the doors for a wave of fresh, diverse legislators in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. While history often spotlights Trump's unforeseen triumph in the 2016 elections, the influence of a novel cohort of policymakers might shape America's future in profound ways. Among these modern trailblazers stands out Kamala Harris — a name that reverberates through the corridors of power with an echo of change.

Daughter to a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, molded by her tireless pursuit of justice and honed by her seasoned legal expertise, Kamala Harris has swiftly imprinted her voice in the Senate with unwavering dedication to transformation.

So, who exactly is Kamala Harris? That's the puzzle we're about to piece together. Tracing her roots back to the bustling community of Oakland, journeying through her impactful tenure as District Attorney in San Francisco, and her influential legislative role, this narrative will sketch a vivacious portrait of a lawyer and politician ascending the ladder of influence. Lean in and listen as we explore:

How and why the prosecutor's path beckoned to Harris;

Her stances on pivotal policies like healthcare, national security, and immigration;

And her firm belief in the power of redemption and second chances for all.

The inspiring journey of Kamala Harris from multicultural roots to legal ambition.

In the year of 1964, the city of Oakland, California, became the cradle for a child who would grow to challenge conventions: Kamala Harris. Her father, Donald Harris from Jamaica, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan from India, both found their way to the prestigious halls of the University of California, Berkeley. Her parents, though worlds apart by birth, were united by their intellectual pursuits and deep-seated values—values they would instill in their daughter.

Her mother's journey was a leap into the unknown; at the tender age of nineteen, encouraged by her forward-thinking parents, Shyamala embraced the adventure all the way to Berkeley, which she had only imagined from afar. With steely determination, she embarked on a Ph.D. program, soon intertwining her academic goals with a passionate commitment to the civil rights movement. It was this shared passion that kindled a romance with fellow activist Donald Harris during a protest.

Together, they built a life vibrant with the sounds of jazz, the aromas of Indian cuisine, and an environment brimming with knowledge and culture. Kamala's childhood was shaped by this rich blend, underscored by gospel and jazz melodies, with her mother's voice adding a warm cadence to the home. But this harmonious tableau was disrupted as Donald and Shyamala's paths diverged.

The call of academia took Donald farther away, and Shyamala, seizing an opportunity at McGill University, moved with her daughters to Montreal—a decision that presented young Kamala with an icy challenge. The transplant from sunny California to the French-speaking, frosty landscapes of Canada was a tough one for Kamala, who humorously recollects her initial struggle with the language, echoing with quizzical "Quoi?"

Nevertheless, Kamala found her footing. Inspired by the formidable figures of the law—Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley, luminaries who altered the course of civil rights with the power of their legal acumen—she began to envision a future where she too could wield such influence. With the conviction of her heritage and the fire of the civil rights movements fuelling her resolve, Kamala Harris set out to chart a course towards a legal career that promised to break barriers and champion justice, mirroring the giants who had come before her.

From Howard University to the courtroom: Kamala Harris's path to prosecution.

As the doors of high school closed behind her, Kamala Harris set her sights on Howard University, a historically black institution revered within her family and admired for its unwavering dedication to uplifting African American intellect. Founded in the ashes of the Civil War, Howard was a beacon for those denied educational opportunities elsewhere, enduring through an era rife with segregation and discrimination.

Kamala's arrival at Howard in the autumn of 1982 was like a dream transformed into reality. The rich tapestry of students — from legacy children to first-generation college-goers, from city natives to those from rural backgrounds, from across diverse African diaspora — sparked an epiphany in her: here she was surrounded by individuals as varied as the hues of their skin, yet each uniquely "young, gifted, and black," a notion immortalized in Nina Simone's anthemic lyrics.

Finding her rhythm was not a challenge for Harris at Howard. She swiftly took to leading the economics society, sharpening her argumentative prowess with the debate team, and embracing the sisterhood of a sorority.

Her activism didn't end within the university walls; she stood in solidarity with those protesting apartheid in South Africa and nurtured her growing interest in law with an internship at the Federal Trade Commission. By her graduation in 1986, Harris' ambition was clear: she would enter the legal arena as a prosecutor, despite reservations from her family who were mindful of the law's historical misuse against communities of color.

Nevertheless, Kamala Harris was undeterred. She was well aware of the law's dual edges — a weapon of oppression but also a powerful tool for justice, as exhibited by trailblazing prosecutors who had confronted the Ku Klux Klan and the US Attorney General Robert Kennedy's defense of the Freedom Riders.

With her mother's words etched in her spirit — "Don't let anyone tell you who you are. You tell them who you are!" — Harris claimed her mission. To her, becoming a prosecutor was never about perpetuating injustice; it was about redefining the role to serve as an arbiter of equality on her own terms.

A pivotal experience in court shapes Kamala Harris's legal philosophy.

Before Kamala Harris ever bore the mantle of attorney, a fateful summer in 1988 brought her to the bustling Alameda County Superior Courthouse in Oakland, California. In the crucible of her last year of law school and the impending bar examination, she stood on the cusp of her legal career. The chance to intern in the District Attorney’s office was her inaugural delve into the gritty realities of law.

The role of an intern may seem inconsequential, with little sway in the grandiose theatre of justice. But for Harris, this became an unshrouded window into the judicial system's core and a crucible defining her aspirations as a lawyer.

As she observed a drug bust case unravel, led by her supervisor, the stakes became personal, and the implications for the innocent far too real. The details of a misfortunate woman — an incidental bystander ensnared by a police raid — leaped from the file in front of Harris, etching a story of a life disrupted. The woman, guilty only of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, was facing a nightmarish weekend locked away, which could fracture her family life and even lead to the loss of her children.

Empathy fused with urgency as Harris was struck by the thought of this woman’s children possibly falling into the hands of Child Protection Services. The tangibility of that fear galvanized her into action — she was compelled to plead with the court clerk, imploring for just a moment of the judge's time.

With the courtroom's pendulum about to swing shut for the weekend, the judge heeded the call. The case was heard, and with the decisive strike of the gavel, the innocent woman was spared from unnecessary detention — free to return to the warmth of her family for dinner.

For Kamala Harris, this wasn't just an internship task completed; it was an epiphany. The experience crystallized the profound impact of the legal practice on individual lives. It demonstrated the colossal responsibility that comes with the title of attorney and the imperative to employ every iota of authority to uphold justice's true spirit. This moment didn't just shape Harris's view of the legal system; it ignited a resolve to be an unwavering advocate for justice within it.

From setback to sworn-in prosecutor: Kamala Harris’s crucial lessons from the frontline.

With the parchment of law school behind her and bar exam papers freshly submitted, Kamala Harris anticipated the commencement of her dream role as a deputy district attorney in Oakland. The groundwork for her envisioned future was laid, only for an unforeseen letter to arrive in November — she had not passed the bar.

Despite the sting of disappointment and the humbling predicament of retaking the exam amidst already accredited colleagues, Harris found a silver lining. Her employer's decision to retain her as a clerk offered her a searing insight that theory and textbooks couldn't impart — the invaluable education of practical experience in the trenches of justice.

Persistence prevailed, and Harris's second encounter with the bar led to triumph. The day she took her oath as an officer of the court became a beacon in her life. The grueling trek between her two examinations led her to a profound realization: the essence of justice is learned not in the echoing lecture halls of academia but within the visceral realities of the courtroom itself.

For Harris, the emblematic declaration — "Kamala Harris, for the people" — as she commenced each case, was not mere formality but a covenant with the core tenet that every transgression affected the fabric of the community. Prosecutors wield the collective might of society to balance the scales, amplifying the voices of the vulnerable against the din of the powerful.

The mantle of a prosecutor is heavy with consequence. With each decision — the pressing of charges, plea bargains, sentencing recommendations — the potential to alter lives rested in the hands of Harris. As a newly minted legal practitioner, she was acutely aware of the immense authority, and gravity vested in the stroke of her pen.

Yet, with even the mightiest powers come boundaries. A poignant case etched this truth into her consciousness: a six-year-old girl, a silent victim of her brother's gruesome conduct, unable to voice her harrowing ordeal to a jury. With her silence, the case crumbled, releasing her perpetrator. The only refuge for Harris was solitude and the poignant release of tears, a somber acknowledgment of the justice system's limitations and a reminder of the relentless pursuit for better outcomes that her career demanded.

From confronting chaos to catalyzing change: Kamala Harris's transition to public office.

Kamala Harris had established herself within the realm of prosecuting crime in Alameda County, but as 1998 dawned, a new chapter beckoned. The San Francisco DA's office awaited her leadership for their career criminal unit, a division plagued as much by repeat offenders as it was by inner disarray.

The change of scenery was double-edged—the prestige of guiding her own team of prosecutors was shadowed by the dilapidated state of the office she'd stepped into. Outdated technology paired with a severe lack of organization painted a disheartening scene. Even the very act of filing seemed to have been long abandoned, with lawyers believed to be discarding files post-trial unceremoniously.

Relations with the police department further frayed the fabric of their operation; gripes about dismal conviction rates from officers were echoed by prosecutors burdened with petty cases at the cost of pursuing more serious criminality. The internal climate was equally stormy, periodically ravaged by random dismissals.

Harris labored to instill order and progress, yet the entrenched issues resisted unilateral reform. The call to make a real difference arose when Louise Renne, pioneering as the city attorney, entrusted Harris with the division for children and family services. Armed with Renne's support, Harris pioneered innovative policies, establishing sanctuaries for victims of sexual exploitation and marking a transformation for juvenile sex workers from entrapment to empowerment. This new path wasn't merely a means to a noble end; it sowed the seed of confidence in Harris's ability to sculpt policy imaginatively and effectively.

The stark contrast between the successes in the family division and the disintegration elsewhere in the DA's office amplified Harris's drive. The resignation of seasoned prosecutors, compounded with serious offenders circumventing justice, was untenable. There was a clarion call for renovation at a systemic level.

Believing in her visionary capacity and progressive insights, Kamala Harris set her eyes on the position of District Attorney for San Francisco—a step toward not only tackling the city's legal turmoil but embarking on a road to broader impact through the platform of elected office.

Challenging the status quo: Kamala Harris's campaign focus on reforming justice.

Kamala Harris, with a mere six percent name recognition, faced an uphill battle as she entered the race for District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. Against the incumbent Terence Hallinan, her journey was arduous, but come 2004, she emerged victorious, ready to pave the way for systemic change.

Harris didn't mount her campaign solely to showcase her legal acumen; she was propelled by a profound discontent with prevailing injustices and an aim to revolutionize a floundering system. Her triumph in the election represented a milestone, challenging the staggering underrepresentation of black women in a justice system predominantly governed by white men — a demographic imbalance starkly highlighted by a 2015 report.

Her goals were grand in scope, zeroing in on combating the epidemic of mass incarceration. The United States, with its 2.1 million-strong prison populace, stood as a notorious leader in global incarceration rates by 2018. The root of this predicament, Harris identified, lay partially in the fiercely punitive 'War on Drugs' approach, which disproportionately penalized marginalized communities for minor transgressions.

The case of Harris's friend Lateefa resonated deeply with her. Lateefa's journey from troubled youth to a lauded community stalwart, recognized by a MacArthur "Genius Grant," posed a poignant "what if" for Harris. The what-if Lateefa’s misstep had been drug possession rather than shoplifting became a guiding reflection in Harris's campaign — a reflection that inspired the innovative "Back on Track" initiative.

The program represented a departure from traditional punitive measures, offering non-violent first-time lawbreakers avenues for rehabilitation and personal development. Boot camps replaced jail cells, and education in life skills supplanted time behind bars. The results spoke volumes: a mere ten percent recidivism rate for Back on Track participants starkly contrasted with the national average of fifty percent for comparable offenses. Moreover, the financial implications were substantial, with program costs at $5,000 per individual versus the $40,000 annual cost of incarceration per inmate.

Harris's intensive campaign and groundbreaking approach not only challenged the existing justice model but provided a viable, humane, and effective alternative, marking her tenure with promise and ushering in an era of potential transformation for San Francisco's criminal justice system.

From the DA’s office to the halls of Congress: Kamala Harris's senatorial journey.

The announcement from California's Democratic senator Barbara Boxer in 2015, signaling an end to her 24-year tenure, opened a decisive door for Kamala Harris. Her reputation as a forward-thinking district attorney positioned her as a natural successor in the eyes of many who sought to maintain the state's liberal representation. After careful consideration, Harris stepped into the fray, announcing her candidacy for the Senate.

The race for the Senate seat became a proving ground. Though the prospect of a Democratic win was strong, besting the crème de la crème of the party was an entirely different battle. Harris found herself locked in a challenging campaign against the formidable and experienced congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. California bore witness to Harris's unrelenting commitment as she journeyed its breadth aboard the “Kamoji,” a telltale campaign bus emblazoned with her likeness in emoji form. Her dedication bore fruit, and Harris was elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate in November 2016.

Yet, her milestone was tinged with the sour note of Donald Trump's concurrent triumph. In a speech laden with resolve, Harris encouraged Californians not to yield to despair, but to recognize the enduring nature of the struggle for fairness and justice.

Inaugurated into the Senate on January 3, 2017, by the departing Vice President Joe Biden, Harris wasted no time positioning herself as a bulwark against the policies of the nascent Trump administration. Her heritage as the offspring of immigrants and her own encounters with bigotry steeled her opposition to Trump's stringent immigration measures. Harris saw them not only as inhuman but as fundamentally flawed in their execution.

Harris argued that the intensification of deportations drove immigrant families into hiding, instilling fear that restrained them from participating in essential societal activities — from education and healthcare to reporting offenses, thereby undermining community safety.

An early indicator of her senatorial stance was her interrogation of John Kelly, the prospective Secretary of Homeland Security, on whether he intended to exploit data from immigrants seeking naturalization to pursue deportations. Faced with evasion and no explicit reassurances, Harris voted against his confirmation. His eventual appointment solidified Harris's place as a tenacious advocate against Trump's approach, presaging further confrontations to come within the fraught landscape of her senatorial tenure.

Championing Central American immigrants: Senator Harris’s fight for justice.

The Northern Triangle of Central America, comprising El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, has been a crucible of violence — a stark reality confirmed by the staggering 50,000 murders recorded between 2011 and 2014. For the citizens of these nations, the journey to the United States often represents a final, desperate bid for safety. Migration crises such as these have long blipped on Kamala Harris’s radar, even prior to her Senate days.

Back in 2014, an influx of minors fleeing this turmoil sought refuge on American shores, only to be met with a hostility that deeply troubled Harris. The incident in Murrieta, California, where irate residents barred buses of undocumented children from reaching a processing center, seemed a far cry from the humanitarian response warranted by such a situation.

Harris was acutely aware that expedited legal processes floated by Congress lacked the comprehensiveness needed to justly resolve the fates of asylum seekers ... especially for unrepresented minors who, without legal aid, stood a 90 percent chance of seeing their pleas rejected. Drawing on her legal expertise and network, Harris mobilized law firms to provide pro bono services and championed legislation to channel funds towards nonprofits assisting with asylum claims.

The Trump administration’s move in January 2017 to rescind temporary protected status for immigrants from the Northern Triangle marked another call to action for Harris. The executive order posed a dire threat to the rights of approximately 350,000 individuals, exacerbating an already troubling trend where prior legislative changes had seen asylum approvals decline by 10 percent.

Harris found a new battlefront against a policy of such cruelty that it rose to international notoriety: the separation of migrant children from their parents at the American border. As a steadfast opponent of these measures, Harris not only pressed hard against John Kelly in Senate hearings but actively campaigned in the media to shine a light on the appalling conditions of the detention facilities where these young ones were confined.

Her advocacy, steadfast and vocal, was part of a broader chorus that ultimately contributed to the cessation of this inhumane practice in June 2018. In defending the rights of Central American immigrants, Harris not only amplified their plight but highlighted America's ongoing struggle between its values and its actions.

Envisioning a healthier future: Kamala Harris's fight for healthcare as a right.

A dinner in 2008 dramatically underscored the personal nature of healthcare for Kamala Harris when her mother made a heart-sinking revelation about her diagnosis with colon cancer. It was a day that indelibly imprinted the certainty that everyone will eventually confront the healthcare system intimately.

Harris contends that this very system, within which such critical moments unfold, is fundamentally flawed in the United States. Despite outspending all other nations, the US's health outcomes tell a story of inequity and inefficiency — declining life expectancies, skyrocketing maternity mortality rates, and an insidious link between poverty and a ten-year deficit in life expectancy, a gap more detrimental than that attributed to lifelong smoking.

In this context, medical costs have burgeoned into the top trigger for personal bankruptcy, compounded by the relentless increase of insurance premiums. It's a system where for-profit entities thrive whilst everyday individuals suffer.

Harris's vision for healthcare is transformational; she sees a nation where healthcare is unentangled from financial status and tightly woven into the threads of basic human rights. Central to this vision is a single-payer model that decouples healthcare access from monetary wealth, placing the focus firmly on patient outcomes over profit margins. This reimagining is an Antidote to a harsh reality where illness too commonly spirals into fiscal catastrophe.

Complementing the structural overhaul of healthcare access is Harris's push for bolstered investment in cutting-edge medical research and development. This initiative zeroes in on bridging the chasm between what pharmaceutical companies—chasing bottom lines—neglect and what public health imperatively needs. By empowering institutions like the National Institutes of Health with more robust funding, Harris advocates for innovation conceived not just out of profit motive but from a public health imperative.

From committee sidelines to national spotlight: Senator Harris observes Russia's influence.

As Kamala Harris settled into her role in the Senate, an unexpected vacancy on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence piqued her interest. She learned this often-overlooked committee was shunned for its lack of visibility, given its dealings with highly confidential matters. Yet Harris saw it not as a disadvantage but as a significant opportunity to delve deep into pressing national security matters.

Almost immediately following her inauguration into the Senate in early 2017, Harris and the committee found themselves at the heart of a political maelstrom as an intelligence report unveiled Russian cyber interference in the 2016 presidential election. This development transformed the usually clandestine committee into a focal point of intense nationwide scrutiny.

Through rigorous sessions with intelligence agencies, Harris and her colleagues unraveled a web of calculated influence. The adversary was clear: Russian operatives, who, through social media proliferation, found fertile ground for their divisive and deceptive campaigns. The methods were insidious, capitalizing on platforms like Facebook and Twitter to amplify false narratives and deepen societal fractures.

Hillary Clinton, a candidate for the presidency, emerged as a primary target, her campaign bearing the scars of relentless trolling. To Harris, the success of these endeavors was rooted in their exploitation of America's preexisting vulnerabilities — unresolved issues of racial discrimination, immigration, and LGBTQ rights. These societal fault lines shaped the country's collective weakness, a realm where malice found its foothold.

For Harris, combating such injustice is not only a professional quest but a moral imperative. Her resolve is steel-reinforced each time she encounters the tangible successes of her initiatives — the young lives rerouted towards prospects rather than prisons, the academic triumphs of children to immigrant parents. These narratives reinforce her conviction; prejudice and malice are the true shackles on America's progress, ones that she is determined to break.

In summary: Kamala Harris, a force in the quest for justice.

Kamala Harris, born to immigrant parents united by the currents of the civil rights movement, was intuitively drawn to the pursuit of justice. Her choice of law as a medium for change saw her rise through the ranks as an influential prosecutor and later as a visionary District Attorney in San Francisco. Her ambitions propelled her into the political realm, leading to her election to the US Senate in 2016. Amidst her tenure, she has emerged as a formidable critic of the Trump administration and a beacon within the Democratic Party, leveraging her role to challenge injustices and strive for a more equitable America.