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Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Harris as his running mate on Aug. 11, 2020.
Photo: TONY CENICOLA/NYTFormer Vice President Joe Biden announced Harris as his running mate on Aug. 11, 2020.
Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Harris as his running mate on Aug. 11, 2020.
Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Harris as his running mate on Aug. 11, 2020.
Former Vice President and current Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden made history Tuesday by choosing the first African American of also Asian descent in Sen. Kamala Harris from California as his vice president pick.
Regardless of politics, the fact that a woman, who is also a minority, has been chosen is a historic decision. Only three other women have ever been either among the top two slots on the ticket.
Stemming from the decision, women from the City of Laredo and Webb County voiced their satisfaction with the choice and explained what it means for women in public service.
“I am happy to see her giving a voice and paving the way for women who aspire to contribute to this country through public service,” Local League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Chapter’s President of Mujeres Poderosas Priscilla Pantoja said.
“I’m sure to many there is a sense of restored hope to see a person of a minority group being selected, because it ensures issues that plague minorities across the nation continue to be relevant. I believe it will help (Biden’s) campaign, for his selection alone is a demonstration of respect and equality toward women.”
Even local political leaders also voiced celebratory remarks at the fact that a woman will now be at the top of a ticket in a time when issues of race and gender are prevalent.
READ MORE: Laredoan running Biden’s Texas push stresses South Texas’ power in election
“Every woman who believes in herself has the same capabilities as men when it comes to decision making,” Webb County Commissioner Rosaura "Wawi" Tijerina said. “A man may be stronger than a woman physically, but she can make decisions that that can move this nation to a higher level.”
Around Webb County, other similar expressions of hope where shown by female leaders who are at the second and top of their executive governments in their respective cities. Especially as some point out that their leadership still continues to be doubted by their own residents due to the fact that they are simply women in top political posts.
“I find it quite grand that he choose a woman as a vice president, especially since woman are usually -- sadly in today's society -- still not taken as seriously as men in the political spectrum or hence in any spectrum, quite frankly,” City of Rio Bravo Commissioner Amanda Perez Aguero said.
“As far as her being a minority, she certainly is a multitude of one being a woman, and an African American and Indian woman definitely puts her in that spectrum. I find it quite wondrous. We definitely need more diversity and more women in politics. We can do as grand of things as men.
“I hope with this perhaps one day we might be lucky enough and have a female president, with us (potentially) having a woman as the president’s right-hand, I hope this will inspire little girls to aspire to be in politics.”
Throughout the county, one of its three municipalities is helmed by a woman. As the mayor of El Cenizo, Elsa Degollado is very intrigued and excited by the former vice president’s decision.
“I’m very happy a woman was chosen,” Degollado said. “Women make up 50% of the population, so it was logical we be treated with respect and dignity.
“There is a sense of pride. Minority women are passed for higher positions all the time. This time, a minority woman was respected for her qualifications. She brings her wisdom and experience to the table.”
Although the pick by Biden is one that is celebrated, some of the local women leaders also point out that he – along with President Donald Trump – is facing several sexual harassment allegations against him by various women. And another accuses him of selecting her due to being a major player in “keeping segregation.”
“Both candidates for president have allegations,” Degollado said. “In the case of (former) Vice President Biden, he passed the Violence against Women Act when he was Senator which protects minority women and allows them to file complaints against men who assault them and not have the fear of being deported. This demonstrates he is sensitive towards women's issues. Women do not want handouts. They want to be treated with respect and dignity, and be equal under the law.”
READ MORE: If Kamala Harris becomes vice president, what happens to her Senate seat?
“I said he would choose her because he was at the forefront of keeping segregation,” US Congressional Candidate Sandra Whitten said on her political Facebook page. “Now he has to recover, and what better story than hers?”
Others feel that by choosing a woman on his ticket, Biden has also done well for the country and showed that he respects and sees women as equals who should have a voice even in the most prestigious of positions.
“By (Biden) choosing a woman as his vice president, it's going to help him since it seems he's trying to prove a point that he's not the man he's being painted as,” Aguero said. “It seems he choose a woman to prove otherwise. I just hope those allegations aren't true, and if they are, that's quite disappointing to see such a huge figure cause so much harm.”
The fact that the choice by Biden was also good for the party and political process is something that some locals feel makes the questions of allegations something to not discuss, as he is trying to right his wrongs by putting a woman on top of his own party’s ticket.
“I think that the sexual allegations against him are a separate issue, and we should focus on the historic presidential campaign ahead of us and how the Democratic Party represents the diversity and values of our country,” said Jessica Olivares, a part of LULAC Mujeres Poderosas and other businesses around the city. “Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris are creating history by showing our country that women of color can lead. It’s time to break down the barriers for women of color.”
Although the election is still more than 80 days away, many point out that the pick will certainly reignite the political campaign as it has been tempered down by the continued plague of the novel coronavirus pandemic. But now with the addition of the California senator into the equation, more people are already eager to vote on both sides as a voice for both women and racial and ethnic minorities is on the ballot.
“Time will tell, but the message (Biden) sent to women was that if he becomes president, there will be a sense of openness to talk about women and family issues.” Degollado said. “We may not always agree, but he will hear us out. This appointment was long incoming. This is only the third time a woman has been seriously considered to run on a major ticket in more than 200 years.”
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