To the world she’s vice president, but to her sister Maya, Kamala Harris is simply “big sis.” A resurfaced 2012 video has gone viral, showing the siblings laughing and playfully recounting the proper title for the older Harris sister, with the younger sister standing firm on not using it.
The clip, taken from a joint interview with Newsweek and The Daily Beast at the “Women in the World” conference, seemingly shows their playful sibling rivalry as they talked about women’s issues.
At the time, Harris had made history as her state’s first woman, the first Asian American, and the first African-American to hold the office of California attorney general.
What made the video particularly charming was Maya’s refusal to call her older sister “General Harris” — what Maya said was the title for a sitting attorney general.
“What they call attorney generals when their attorney is general?” she asked the interviewer. “They call them ‘general.’”
Harris interrupted and said, “Yes, they call me General Harris and she hates that.”
“When she was elected attorney general, she actually said, ‘You realize you’re going to have to start calling me General Harris,'” Maya continued.
Quipping, in true little sister fashion, “So my feeling is when she’s president of the United States, I will call her ‘Miss President,’ but until then you’re just Kamala.”
Harris, the now-Democratic presidential nominee, playfully responded, “No, I’m Big Sister … Big Sister General!”
The two, who had been smiling and giggling, then erupted into infectious laughter — the same kind of laughter that the GOP is currently mocking the VP throughout her historic campaign run.
One Instagram user reposted the video in a carousel nine other images showcasing other scenes from the campaign trail including clips of Harris and her running mate Tim Walz’s personalities, clips from the Democratic National Convention and even a doughnut run from Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance.
Many commented on the post, zeroing in on the lead video of the Harris sisters.
“That laugh was black AF!” one person wrote. Someone else added, “When they laugh at the end, leaning forward is precious.”
Another said, “I busted out laughing the same way because that is something my big sister would say!!”
A fourth comment offered a glimpse of what they believe will happen if Harris becomes president.
“The White House is going to be so full of love and laughter and acceptance of everyone in this country,” one comment read. “No more I like veterans who haven’t been captured. No more go back to your own country. No more making fun of disabled people. No more describing women on how they look. I cannot wait Madam President.”
One comment on the X platform even went as far as to highlight that Maya seemingly anticipated her sister’s future.
“The way @mayaharris_ predicted this,” a tweet of the video read.
The way @mayaharris_ predicted this: pic.twitter.com/6F89KSg6HU
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) July 22, 2024
Harris and Maya are the daughters of the late Dr. Shyamala Gopalan and Dr. Donald J. Harris, two immigrants who came to the United States in the 1960s to pursue higher education.
The two met, fell in love, and decided to stay in America, where they became deeply involved in fighting for causes dear to their heart such as the civil rights movement. Dr. Gopalan, of Indian descent, and Dr. Harris, originally from Jamaica, married in 1963, marking the beginning of a family rooted in activism and social justice.
The vice president was born in 1964 in Oakland, California, and raised in Berkeley, along with her younger sister, Maya, who was in 1967. They were raised in Berkeley. Although their parents divorced in 1971, Kamala and Maya were raised with a deep appreciation for both their Indian and Jamaican heritage.
While Harris has become a household name, especially after making history as the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian woman to serve as vice president, fewer people are familiar with the impressive achievements of her sister, Maya.
Maya is an accomplished lawyer who played a crucial role in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign as a senior policy adviser, according to NPR.
She later served as the campaign chairperson for her sister’s 2020 presidential run, showcasing her expertise in political strategy and advocacy. Maya’s commitment to social justice is further evidenced by her previous role as the vice president of democracy, rights, and justice at the Ford Foundation, one of the most prominent philanthropic organizations in the world.
A graduate of Stanford Law School, Maya has dedicated her career to advancing civil rights and democracy, much like her parents did decades before. Her work, though perhaps less visible than her big sister’s, has had a profound impact on the lives of many, making her a force in her own right.
