Kamala Harris’ Secret Past Laid Bare: Wannabe Prez’s Hindu Background, Eco Obsession, Dating Montel Williams... and Being a ‘Momala’ Stepmom
![Kamala Harris’ Secret Past Laid Bare: Wannabe Prez’s Hindu Background, Eco Obsession, Dating Montel Wiliams... and Being a ‘Momala’ Stepmom](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/480x251/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/640x335/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/768x402/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/1024x536/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/1280x670/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/1440x753/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/1600x837/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kUDG1Ar5y/2160x1130/kamala-harris-1723167534483.jpg 2160w)
Aug. 10 2024, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
The Meaning of Kamala Harris’ Name
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/480x252/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/640x335/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/768x402/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/1024x536/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/1280x670/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/1440x754/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/1600x838/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/OzHPCwO16/2160x1131/kamala-harris-2-1723167542526.jpg 2160w)
Kamala Harris, 59, was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964. Her late mother, Shyamala, was an American biomedical scientist who was born in India. She chose Kamala’s name for her Indian roots. It means “lotus” and is another name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Her mother said in 2004: “A culture that worships goddesses produces strong women.”
Who Is Kamala Harris’ Father?
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/480x252/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/640x335/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/768x402/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/1024x536/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/1280x670/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/1440x754/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/1600x838/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/vZO_Rhnpg/2160x1131/kamala-harris-3-1723167610349.jpg 2160w)
Kamala’s father, Donald J. Harris, is a Stanford University professor of economics. Kamala’s parents divorced when she was seven, and her mother raised her and younger sister Maya on the top floor of a yellow duplex in Berkeley, California.
What Was Kamala Harris’ Childhood Like?
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/480x252/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/640x335/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/768x402/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/1024x536/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/1280x670/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/1440x754/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/1600x838/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/FjP9rpsjc/2160x1131/kamala-harris-4-1723167620639.jpg 2160w)
She was bussed from her lower-middle-class black neighborhood to Thousand Oaks Elementary School in a prosperous white district as part of the desegregation of public schools.
She Was Raised in a Multi-faith Family
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/480x252/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/640x335/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/768x402/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/1024x536/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/1280x670/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/1440x754/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/1600x838/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/oj5M4FxWw/2160x1131/kamala-harris-5-1723167651422.jpg 2160w)
As a child, she went to both a Black Baptist church and a Hindu temple.
Kamala Harris Expanded Her Education
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/480x252/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/640x335/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/768x402/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/1024x536/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/1280x670/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/1440x754/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/1600x838/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/fRnS5SVCA/2160x1131/kamala-harris-6-1723167664836.jpg 2160w)
After high school, Kamala went on to Howard University in Washington, D.C., and then to the University of California, Hastings College of Law. She was admitted to the California Bar in June 1990.
Kamala Harris’ Early Work
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/480x252/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/640x335/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/768x402/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/1024x536/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/1280x670/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/1440x754/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/1600x838/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/TzAIhvKbc/2160x1131/kamala-harris-7-1723167873516.jpg 2160w)
After that, she worked as the deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California. From there it was on to the San Francisco D.A.’s office and then in 2000, she took a new job at San Francisco City Hall where she ran the Family and Children’s Services Division.
She Dated a TV Personality
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/480x252/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/640x335/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/768x402/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/1024x536/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/1280x670/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/1440x754/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/1600x838/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0ULbQ6bjG/2160x1131/kamala-harris-8-1723167885666.jpg 2160w)
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In 2001, she dated former talk show host Montel Williams.
He once wrote on social media: “I have great respect for Senator Harris.”
She Won a District Attorney Election
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/480x252/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/640x335/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/768x402/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/1024x536/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/1280x670/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/1440x754/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/1600x838/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/Finh7cSnX/2160x1131/kamala-harris-10-1723167912237.jpg 2160w)
Harris ran for and won an election for the district attorney of San Francisco in 2002 and a second term in 2007.
Kamala Harris Has an Impressive Career as a Lawyer
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/480x252/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/640x335/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/768x402/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/1024x536/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/1280x670/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/1440x754/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/1600x838/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/BHnnV3AVf/2160x1131/kamala-harris-9-1723167924504.jpg 2160w)
In 2011, she became the attorney general for California and was elected again in 2014. She championed environmental protection and won settlements from big fuel service companies like Chevron and BP to resolve allegations that they failed to properly monitor hazardous materials in its underground storage tanks in hundreds of California gas stations.
All About Her Family Life
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/480x252/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/640x335/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/768x402/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/1024x536/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/1280x670/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/1440x754/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/1600x838/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/SaMCEq8am/2160x1131/kamala-harris-11-1723167937375.jpg 2160w)
She married attorney Douglas Emhoff on August 22, 2014, and became a stepmother to his two children, Cole and Ella Emhoff, from his previous marriage. They call her “Momala”.
Kamala Harris Follows a Self-Care Routine
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/480x252/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/640x335/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/768x402/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/1024x536/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/1280x670/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/1440x754/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/1600x838/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/0FDKPlj0t/2160x1131/kamala-harris-12-1723167988245.jpg 2160w)
Kamala is an “enthusiastic” and good cook who clips recipes, and her go-to dinner is roast chicken. She wakes up around 6am and works out for half an hour, then she has a bowl of Raisin Bran with almond milk and tea with honey and lemon before leaving for work.
She Became a Senator
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/480x252/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/640x335/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/768x402/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/1024x536/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/1280x670/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/1440x754/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/1600x838/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/nAtUm26ui/2160x1131/kamala-harris-13-1723168000629.jpg 2160w)
In 2016, she won a seat as California’s junior senator in Washington, D.C.
Kamala Harris Scored a Higher Position
![kamala harris](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/480x252/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/640x335/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/768x402/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/1024x536/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/1280x670/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/1440x754/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/1600x838/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/kGregTOhR/2160x1131/kamala-harris-14-1723168041502.jpg 2160w)
In January 2021, Kamala resigned from the Senate — to become the new vice president!
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