NYC Gazette

Deborah Willis, a professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, has co-authored a photographic biography of Kamala Harris titled "Kamala: Her Historic, Joyful, and Auspicious Sprint to the White House." The book was released last month by Simon & Schuster and highlights the unique aspects of Harris's campaign for president.

Willis collaborated with Kevin Merida on this project. Merida is a contributing essayist to The Washington Post and former executive editor of the Los Angeles Times. The pair had previously worked together on a book about Barack Obama's historic campaign. In their latest work, they aim to capture Harris's warmth and connection with people during her campaign.

The book documents Harris’s journey as the first Black woman and first Asian American to be nominated for president by a major party. It covers her 107-day campaign following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race. Willis explained that their goal was "to shape the memory of this experience, and to share Harris’s dream of a future with fair and even robust opportunities."

"Kamala" features more than 140 photographs from various sources, including private archives and public resources. It includes an opening essay by Merida summarizing Harris’s life and career, along with chapters exploring different themes such as her upbringing, political career, involvement in Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, interactions with children, and support from artists.

Willis expressed confidence in Harris's potential success during her campaign: “I totally believed she would win.” The book serves both as a keepsake and documentary of an effort that inspired many despite not achieving its ultimate goal.

In discussing how the book came together, Willis mentioned that both she and Merida were contacted by editor Dawn Davis to take on this project despite being busy with other commitments. They felt compelled to express hope visually through their work.

Merida noted that capturing personal moments was key: “We wanted to make sure we captured a life in full.” The book is organized thematically rather than chronologically to better explore Harris’s impact on public life.

When asked about what they learned from working on this project, Merida highlighted Harris’s warmth: “I was struck by the warmth of her hugs...the way she puts her hand over her heart.”

The authors hope readers will appreciate how extraordinary Kamala Harris is both in her career and life. Willis emphasized photography's transformative power: "It creates dialogue; it can inspire people."

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