Why Kamala Harris Matters to Girls Who Want to Lead—Even If They Don’t Want to Go Into Politics

You don't have to dream of the White House for Kamala Harris to matter to your story. For many girls, especially those venturing into the STEM labs, leadership clubs, community organizations, or male-dominated classrooms, her presence speaks to something much greater than a political position; a reflection of what it looks like to keep going when the room feels unfamiliar, unwelcoming, or uncertain. There's value in even the quieter moments of watching someone navigate spaces where people didn't always expect her to belong-and choose to stand there anyway.

“Firsts” are a big part of Kamala Harris’ background, and “first” is a word that we both use so frequently that we forget what “first” truly means. “Firsts” are not exactly glamorous roles that come with fame and glory and no responsibility at all. “Firsts” come with a certain sense of pressure and a certain sense of scrutiny that most other people never have to deal with at all. Being a first means showing up prepared, even when you’re exhausted. It means knowing that your mistakes might be amplified simply because you’re visible. And it means proving, again and again, that you deserve your seat at the table.

 Girls experience their own version of this all the time: being the only girl in AP Physics, the only teenager in a professional meeting, the youngest person leading a nonprofit project, or the lone female competitor in a hackathon.

It reframes what feels possible when girls see someone take on that level of challenge. Harris shows them that leadership is not about a specific personality type or kind of background. It's not about being perfect or trying to please everyone. It's about resilience, clarity, and the will to keep moving forward despite obstacles. This matters for girls who want to drive change in any field: tech, business, healthcare, education, arts, and activism-what it shows is that leadership is a skill, not a birthright.

Another lesson from her journey has to do with the power of authenticity. Harris has not hesitated in expressing who she is and what she believes in—and not for the purpose of trying to convince others of anything, but in order to indicate one doesn't necessarily have to personalize leadership. This is very important for young women who come from multicultural or atypical experiences. This message affirms the idea that the background you come from is not something you should downplay or be ashamed of.

Lastly, Harris is representative of the message young women need but aren’t often told: you are allowed to occupy space. “You are allowed to be ambitious without apologizing. You are allowed to speak up, ask questions, and challenge norms.” Many girls are still holding off until they feel ready to lead when, in fact, they are doing just that. Seeing this kind of leadership representation from a female, no matter how you feel about politics, is important because it makes you realize how much power existing can truly hold.

So no, you do not have to run for office to learn something important from the story of Kamala Harris.”All you need is to be someone who wants to build, wants to lead, wants to knock doors open for the people coming behind you. Harris’s story does not shut the door for people like her but keeps it open for girls everywhere with the message that leadership can look like you too.