News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. August 22, 2024: Tonight in Chicago, Illinois, US Vice President Kamala Harris, the 59-year-old daughter of an immigrant from Jamaica, Caribbean; and India, will become the first black woman of Caribbean and South Asian heritage to ceremonially accept the Democratic Party’s nomination as its Presidential candidate in the Nov. 5th election. But scrubbed from any description of Harris – from her bio or any speeches so far, is any reference to her Caribbean roots except for one place in 2021.
Harris describes herself as simply “Black and South Asian” on her bio. The media, the DNC and every speaker has gone along with it while some like CNN has gone further to claim she is African American. She is not!. But where did the black come from? Obviously her Jamaican born, Caribbean immigrant father, esteemed Professor Donald J. Harris.
But in the current euphoria of celebration of Harris, Professor Harris as the biological father does not exist. It was the same during the 2020 election.
Fed up with the false narrative, CEO of Invest Caribbean, Felicia J. Persaud got together other Caribbean immigrant groups and Caribbean leaders and entertainers under the umbrella, the Caribbean American Action Network (CAAN), and hosted a star studded Caribbean inauguration celebration on Jan. 17, 2021, three days before her inauguration as US Veep. The purpose – to call to attention the fact that Harris also has heritage in the Caribbean.
The event, broadcast by One Caribbean Television, featured performances by Jamaican Dancehall star, Flourgon, Barbados soca king Edwin Yearwood, Jamaican reggae star Nadine Sutherland, Grammy-nominated Jamaican maestro, Dr. Monty Alexander, CD, Jamaican Reggae Star Papa Michigan of the duo Michigan & Smiley, Jamaican gospel singer Joan Meyers, Jamaican legendary band, Fab Five, Antigua & Barbuda’s Soca diva Claudette Peters of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados Gospel singer Toni Norville, Bajan soca star Kirk Brown, 9-year-old rising star, Tykairi Sargeant also of Barbados.
Independent Jamaican artiste Janine Jkuhl, Jamaican American Owen Dalhouse who recently released ‘Heal the Soul of America’ , Guyanese drummer Menes De Griot and Shanto , St. Vincent and the Grenadines jazz musician Frankie McIntosh along with Maxie Gouveia, Rashid Thorne and De Griot.
Speakers included Caribbean-born US Congressman Adriano Espaillat of NY; Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness; The Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Sir Hilary Beckles; Chair of the CARICOM Consular Corps of New York, Counsel General of Barbados to NY, O. St. E. Mackie Holder; Dr. Michelle Chester, who administered the first COVID-19 vaccine in the US; Jamaican-born nurse, Sandra Lindsay, who became one of the most famous nurses in the United States after receiving the COVID-19 shot in the US and Caribbean Immigrant Services founder, Irwine Clare, Sr., O.D.
Harris’ team was forced to acknowledge the effort and send a speech in one of the few times she has ever acknowledged her heritage in the Caribbean. She did not mention Jamaica anywhere, but only the “Caribbean,” while acknowledging “Caribbean Americans.”
READ HER REMARKS BELOW
“The contributions of Caribbean Americans are indeed woven throughout the fabric of our country and those contributions are reflected in the lives of so many Americans with Caribbean roots, from Eric Holder and Colin Powell to Shirley Chisholm. And I’m proud to be with you, as a vice-president elect with roots in the Caribbean.”
“Thank you for the efforts that so many of you have many of you have made throughout the course of the campaign to get us to this moment. Whether it was in participating in virtual events, making phone calls of zooming with us. You did the work. You helped lay the ground work for this historic occasion. Now, because of you and so many others, our country is on a path to heal and rebuild. Of course, the road ahead won’t be easy, our nation continues to face challenges.
“From the corona virus pandemic to this recession. From climate crisis to a long overdue reckoning with racial justice To healing and strengthening the democracy we all cherish. But we are ready to get to work. And we are filled with a sense of purpose Winning this election was not the end of our work. Very important
ways, its was the beginning.”
Tonight, as Kamala Harris makes global news and accepts the DNC nomination with a flourish and a major speech, we remain hopeful that somewhere, somehow, she will remember to also remember her Caribbean heritage for without her Caribbean father, she would not exist – unless of course her’s was an immaculate conception.
Read More about US Presidential Election: Kamala Harris: Vice President of the United States – Positive Caribbean and Latin America News from NewsAmericasNow – The Black Immigrant Daily
