Shattering the Mold (Episode 20)

January 20, 2021 was a historic day for the United States; the world witnessed the swearing in of the first female Vice President in our country, Kamala Harris (pronounced ‘comma la’). This moment was historic, not only due to Vice President Harris’ gender, but also due to race, ethnicity, and other multiple identities. She is the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent to hold this position. Naming and celebrating the many aspects of her identity are important as they reflect the complexity of who Vice President Harris is, the vast perspectives she holds, and all of the boundary-breaking identities she highlights. It allows us to move away from a narrative that centers whiteness and maleness as default identities, so that we can acknowledge the nuance that comes with holding intersecting identities.

By de-centering whiteness and maleness as the default identities, we are making space to bring all identities into the center of our narrative. As women, we value the contributions of all women of all races, and celebrate the fullness of their identities that may not be described neatly — to the discomfort of many! In a time when we are being encouraged to unify as a country, it can be difficult to acknowledge that someone can hold identities that are both the same and different from our own. As Shaunna and Lisa strive to keep the complexities of Vice President Harris at the forefront, they also explore concepts of “unity” and how the American experiment sometimes works against itself as it calls for unity, but more effectively works through principles of synergy