Joy, pride, and buzz. At Howard University, there's been a "cosmic shift" since Vice President Kamala Harris climbed to the top of the Democratic ticket, according to junior Janella Laurio. It's the first week of school for Laurio, 21, and she and her roommate are still getting their apartment set up.
She rushed to finish in time to sit down and watch Harris, a Howard alum, accept the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Chicago. Harris is the first Black woman and person of Southeast Asian descent to lead a major party ticket. For the country, the choice is historic.
For Laurio, it's personal. "Not only is she a Black woman like myself, she's also of Asian descent, such as myself," Laurio said. "I went to Howard University.
She's a Howard alumna. I am the president of the Black Women in Pre-Law Society. I mean, she is the Black woman in law.
" Harris shouted out Thurgood Marshall, another one of her alma mater's famous alums, during her acceptance speech Thursday. She said her parents made sure she and her sister learned about the first Black Supreme Court justice. Sign-up for Your Vote: Text with the USA TODAY elections team.
"She taught us to never complain about injustice but to do something about it," Harris said. "That was my mother." Senior Lauren North, 21, said she appreciated and related to Harris' comments about the impact her mom had on her success.
"It is a huge reminder to me even now that although I am a senior and stressed about the f.