Howard alumni eager to see Harris in first debate

Howard alumni eager to see Harris in first debate

[NFA] Fellow Howard University alumnae beam with pride as they discuss Senator Kamala Harris and her historic rise in American politics as she prepares for a high-stakes debate against Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday.

Colette Luke has more.

Howard University alumni like Danielle Ricks say they can't wait to watch fellow alum and Democratic Vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris in Wednesday's high-stakes debate against Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday.

"I don't even know if I want to watch.

I'm starting to feel sorry for Pence already.

It's not going to be a pretty sight… She was on the debate team here at Howard University.

She was made for a time such as this.

So I don't know how you debate a debater, if you're not a debater." And Shana Ervin who was in the same Freshman class as Harris had two words: "She ready" In the 1980s, Harris attended Howard University, a private, historically black university located in Washington D.C.

That boasts a tradition of inspiring and educating generations of young African-American students.

Harris was described by classmates as a student leader and the women attribute the empowering atmosphere at Howard University and her can-do attitude to the 55-year-old's success.

"What we all got when we came to Howard, is that which fuels us through life.

It allows us to deal with all the devaluing, it helps us to take care of families, friends, communities...that's who she is." The junior senator from California is known for her sometimes aggressive questioning style in the Senate, most notably during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 2018 for Brett Kavanaugh.

"We can not possibly move forward Mr. Chairman." Harris, who is born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, became the first Black woman and Asian American to join a major-party U.S. presidential ticket and will be relied on to help mobilize the Democratic Party's most loyal constituency - African American voters.

"There are not enough words in the English language to describe how much pride we have that she..one of our own, is on a national stage and I feel like I'm in very good hands... I feel like we're going to be heard in some of our issues are going to come to the forefront and come to the table.

And at the very least, again, be heard"