Kamala Harris represents an opportunity for coalition building between Blacks and Asian Americans

Kamala Harris speaking via a screen to demonstrators at the protest against racism and police brutality on Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) by Danielle Casarez Lemi, Southern Methodist University and Melina Juárez Pérez, Western Washington University Kamala Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother; she is Black and South Asian. She celebrates both sides of her ancestry, which unites two racial groups that are often seen in the United States as being opposed to each other. If you’ve heard anything about Black and Asian American relations in the U.S., what you’ve heard likely focuses on hostility and conflict between the two groups. In electoral politics, research on multiracial legislators indicates that those with dual nonwhite backgrounds like Harris have the potential to serve as bridges between groups and use their backgrounds to influence policy that serves multiple communities. Harris’ nomination as Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate is an opportunity to understand the history of the relationship between America’s Black and Asian communities. It’s also a time to consider the possibility for political coalition building between Blacks and Asian Americans in this moment when racial discrimination is an urgent subject...