By Dominique Fluker
Vice President Kamala Harris is in her own lane and leading joyfully. Her infectious laughter and light can fill an empty room and illuminate any dark space.
Many political commentators and experts believe Vice President Harris has brought joy back to politics, specifically the Democratic party. Last month, New York Times opinion columnist Errol Louis penned Kamala Harris and the New Politics of Joy. In the piece, he touched on how Vice President Harris has brought aspects of joy to her campaign, specifically at the Democratic National Convention last month. Guests like Oprah and Bill Clinton infused the word joy throughout their remarks about the Democratic presidential candidate.
For example, the address by ex-President Bill Clinton was a perfect example. “We’ve seen more than one election slip away from us when we thought it couldn’t happen, when people got distracted by phony issues or overconfident. This is a brutal, tough business,” he told the crowd.“We need Kamala Harris, the president of joy, to lead us.”
While surprise guest Oprah Winfrey opened up about heartbreaking personal stories about rape, incest, and medical trauma caused by abortion, she quickly pivoted to speaking about joy and, most importantly, hope for a better tomorrow under Harris’ leadership. “We won’t go back. We won’t be sent back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We’re not going back, “ she said before singing out the J-word: “So let us choose. Let us choose truth, let us choose honor, and let us choose joooooooy!”
Many Black politicos have noticed how joy is cemented in her campaign strategy, but it seems more significant than smiling, laughing, and encouraging fellow Americans to be hopeful. By tapping into the “Black Joy” movement, she’s flipping antiquated stereotypes of Black women and choosing to liberate herself from any perceived expectations of how she should be acting in this position, inspiring others to do the same, like the “angry Black woman” stereotype, which is a stereotype founded in racism and misogyny, which has diminished Black women’s voices, leadership, and agency across society for centuries.
For many Black women, tapping into our joy has been our saving grace and a form of resilience and resistance. Now, Harris is leveraging that same age-old strategy for her campaign. Additionally, a joyful campaign is a stark and refreshing contrast to Trump’s angsty and divisive strategies.
Not only has her joyous campaign disarmed naysayers and Trump, but it’s also inspired Americans to be brave enough to try to find joy in their lives, even during trying times. This proves that a new approach to politics can be effective, an asset to leadership, and a way for all of us to heal. You can always count on a Black woman to be progressive, creative, and innovative, even amid bleak realities.
