Ahead of final campaign sprint, Black women leaders urge Harris to stay focused in the face of personal attacks

Halfway through the final night of the Democratic National Convention, actress and celebrity host Kerry Washington noted there are some who struggle – “or pretend to struggle” – with how to say Vice President Kamala Harris’ first name.

Halfway through the final night of the Democratic National Convention, actress and celebrity host Kerry Washington noted there are some who struggle – “or pretend to struggle” – with how to say Vice President Kamala Harris’ first name. “Confusion is understandable,” Washington said. “Disrespect is not.” In keeping with the convention themes of joy and an introduction to the Democratic nominee, Washington was joined onstage by Harris’ great-nieces Amara and Leela Ajagu, who led the crowd in a chant: Comma, like the punctuation mark. La, like a sing-song la-la-la. It was a lighthearted approach to a darker theme running through this election: the ways that race and gender have colored the attacks leveled at Harris since she launched her presidential campaign. For many woman of color, particularly those who have run for office and been in the political spotlight, it’s a familiar challenge. “When I have a job to do, you can call me every name in the book – that does not define me,” said Val Demings, a former Florida US congresswoman and 2022 Democratic nominee for Senate. “I am defined by the quality of work that I do for the people that I represent.” The end of the Democratic convention marks a new phase of the campaign, a 74-day sprint to Election Day and increased pressure on Harris to lay out her policies, including at next month’s debate. In interviews and convention speeches, Black women leaders said the Harris campaign should continue to avoid engaging directly with personal attacks.