who is Maya Harris, who pushes (in the shadows) her sister's campaign

UNITED STATES – Since the start of her blitzkrieg campaign, Kamala Harris has not stopped talking about her mother. Supporting photos, it highlights the immigrant journey of this Indian woman who arrived in the United States to pursue studies in oncology. But another member of the vice-president's family also has a crucial influence on her career. This is Maya Harris, his little sister, who, in the shadows, participates in his political strategy, to hope to beat Donald Trump this Tuesday, November 5.

“Kamala has aroused so much optimism, so much joy throughout the Nation. This is why we need his leadership at this historic moment”launched Maya Harris on August 22, during the last day of the Democratic convention in Chicago, while her sister officially became the party's candidate for the presidential election after the withdrawal of Joe Biden. If the 57-year-old little sister is not often in the spotlight, she remains one of Kamala Harris's closest confidants and advisors.

The two sisters grew up in California in the 1960s, in an immigrant family, with an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. After their parents' divorce, they were raised by their mother Shyamala Gopalan in Berkeley, then for a few years in Montreal, where the latter worked as a professor at McGill. “We leaned on each other”explained Kamala Harris to Washington Postevoking the help of his sister in this difficult transition period.

Another ordeal will bring the two sisters closer together: Maya's pregnancy at 17, when she has just graduated from high school. After the birth of Meena, her daughter, Maya, Kamala and Shyamala help each other, to enable the young mother to continue her studies.

Hillary Clinton campaign advisor

Like her older sister, Maya pursued a legal career. She obtained her law degree from Stanford University in 1992, recalls the BBC. Maya Harris worked as a lawyer and taught law classes, before joining the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, an NGO of which she became executive director in 2006. In 2003, she became involved in the campaign of her sister, who aspires to become a San Francisco prosecutor. Kamala Harris makes it happen.

In 2016, Maya Harris was hired to be part of Hillary Clinton's campaign team, which propelled her into the heart of political life. She is responsible for developing the political program. According to Voxit is a report written two years earlier, Women of color: a growing force in the American electorateon the growing influence of racialized women in American elections, which would have made Maya Harris indispensable to the Clinton campaign.

A strategist with a discreet profile

The campaign ended in defeat, to the benefit of New York billionaire Donald Trump. Which does not prevent Maya Harris from being part of another campaign team again in 2019: that of her sister for the Democratic primary. But Kamala Harris drops out due to lack of funds and it is Joe Biden who will ultimately be chosen. This year, if the little sister is more discreet than in 2019, where she was criticized for her mismanagement as campaign director, revealed at the time the New York Timesshe nonetheless remains a pillar of her sister's political strategy.

When Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of his candidacy in July, Maya Harris was present with her sister to help her launch her campaign, specifies the American media. She was also at her side when the new candidate had to work on the choice of her vice-president. Proof that the whole family is involved in this campaign whose outcome is unpredictable, Maya's husband, Tony West, left his position as legal advisor at Uber… to also join Kamala Harris' campaign.

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