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How do you pronounce Kamala's name? Her great-nieces gave the DNC a lesson
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The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you the latest on the Democratic National Convention.
Actress Kerry Washington introduced two of Kamala Harris’ great-nieces to set the record straight on how to pronounce their auntie’s name.
“Confusion is understandable,” Washington said on the oft-repeated mispronunciations of the vice president’s name. “Disrespect is not. So tonight, we are going to help everyone get it right.”
Harris’ nieces, Amara and Leela then joined Washington on stage.
“First you say ‘Kama,’ like a comma in a sentence,” Amara said.
“Then you say ‘La,’ like ‘la-la-la-la-la,’” little sister Leela pitched in, repeating the sound like a melody.
“Put it together,” Washington said, “And it’s Kamala!”
Former President Trump has repeatedly mispronounced Harris’ first name. At one rally in July, he said: “I couldn’t care less if I mispronounce it. I couldn’t care less.”
Harris' niece, goddaughter and stepdaughter share life lessons they learned from her
Harris' niece, Meena Harris, joined her stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, and her goddaughter, Helena Hudlin, on the DNC stage Thursday to share how the vice president has been a source of encouragement for them. And they vouched that she would serve the country with care and as an inspiring leader.
Meena, the daughter of Harris' sister, Maya, spoke about how she grew up in a household filled with strong women figures — “my mom, my grandma, and my auntie, who showed me the meaning of service, helping her sister, a 17-year-old single mother, fighting for justice for the American people, and still cooking Sunday dinner.”
“She’s guiding me. Now, she’s guiding my own children, and I know she’ll guide our country forward,” Meena said.
Emhoff shared how Kamala helped her make sense of her teenage years when the vice president came into Emhoff’s life when she was 14.
“Like a lot of young people, I didn’t always understand what I was feeling,” Emhoff said. “But no matter what, Kamala was there for me. She’s never stopped listening to me and she’s not going to stop listening to all of us.”
Hudlin added, “To me, her advice means everything. Whether it is pursuing my passions, making an impact, or finding hope when the world doesn’t feel so hopeful. She taught me that making a difference means giving your whole heart and taking action.”
All three said Harris would give everything to the country as president — from fighting for economic opportunity, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice and reproductive freedom.
“Because we are not going back,” Meena said.
Meena — a lawyer, theater producer and author — told CNN in 2020 that it was Kamala and Maya who inspired Meena to write "Kamala and Maya's Big Idea," a children's book about how two sisters effect change by working with the community.
Meena said she was struck by a refrain that her mother, grandmother and Kamala once said: “No one can do everything but everyone can do something.”
Emhoff came into the spotlight in recent weeks after Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said that Harris was a “childless cat lady,” to which Emhoff replied by saying that she wrote on social media, “I love my three parents.”
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