Kamala Harris is seeking to become the first female president in the history of the United States. In her bid to reach the White House, she has a special confidant, Maya Harris, who, in addition to being in the Democratic candidate’s inner circle, is also her sister.

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Born on January 30, 1967, two years younger than Kamala, Maya is a lawyer like her sister.

Because of the roots of their mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a Hindu researcher who specialized in breast cancer, both Kamala and Maya were raised with Baptist and Hindu faith beliefs.

The younger Harris is an activist and political advisor with an extensive career in advocacy and politics, and will likely be a key piece in Kamala’s structure if she wins the elections.

Maya’s career was marked by her dedication to seeking equal civil rights. She has authored several essays and publications on various social issues including gender and police reform.

She also served as an advisor to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign, helping her draft domestic policy. Harris was the director of her sister’s presidential campaign in 2020 until her candidacy was suspended.

Maya has received awards both for her legal career and her activism.

Maya Harris, the confidant of the Democratic candidate

Maya and Kamala have a close relationship, as evidenced by the presence of the presidential candidate’s younger sister during the Democratic Convention in August of this year.

“I wish so much that Mom could be here tonight, I can see her smiling and saying how happy she is for Kamala,” she said at the Democratic Convention. Their mother died of colon cancer in 2009.

Unlike in Kamala’s 2020 presidential campaign, Maya does not have an official title in her sister’s campaign this year.