Inside Life: Caribbean-Americans United For Kamala Harris? Get Up, Stand Up!

When senator-elect Kamala Harris quoted Bob Marley saying her presence on the political scene signals a time to “Get Up Stand Up” she punctuated a campaign promise she launched as California Attorney General when she declared “Kamala Harris For The People.”
At that time she already oversaw the largest state justice system in all of America.

In both instances, her purposeful statements hinted a brewing hurricane from the west.

That action swept the nation on July 21 when President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term but instead would yield to his Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him.

Coincidentally on that same Sunday, Jotaka Eady, founder of a group called Win With Black Women was gearing for her regular weekly Zoom chats. After hearing the news Oprah Winfrey probably would describe as having a “aha moment” Eady had to shift into high gear and immediately change the focus of her conversation to the online loyals. Eady had been leading the women’s networking session since the pandemic year but in her own words she felt she could not ignore the opportunity to open a broader dialogue.

Eady said she felt compelled to focus on the historic timeframe — choosing to seize the moment.

Within minutes, history repeated with Donna Brazile and a long list of influencers joining the conversation. The short of it is that 44,000 women logged on. That same day, a newly-minted group named Caribbean Americans United in Support for Kamala Harris launched.

Atiba Weza said “The initial purpose was for us to mobilize and raise funds for the campaign.”

Now it seems the mission is to is to make “a significant contribution to the effort to elect vice president Harris to the presidency of these United States of America.”

“In 2021, the US Census Bureau listed the number of (Caribbean nationals) at 3.06 million…. there are enough of us to make an impact on the electoral process.”

Weza does not expect to amass the $2 million totalled by the Black women of America who started the momentum that one evening.

However, in reaching out to Caribbean Americans from the diaspora he is asking “each of us to enroll a minimum of 20 individuals and ask them to do the same” in order to grow the group.

Still in formation, two days after its formation membership was at 267.

He said the goal is for 5,000 Caribbean Americans to join a virtual chat room for town hall meetings that could provide a financial cache to enhance the presidency of the first Black female leader of the USA.

Meanwhile in the town of Portland in Jamaica where Harris’ father attended Titchfield High School, jubilation ensued when news of a native’s offspring promised a commander-in-chief.

Apparently Kamala, the daughter of a south Asian woman and Caribbean father offered pre-independence celebration to the island but joy to the parish of Port Antonio which is known as the birthplace of jerk chicken.

It is also the familiar summer holiday destination Vice President Kamala Harris often recalls as her youthful respite.

The last Sunday in July, a number of support groups rallied for fundraisers. Among them; Harlem Black Women for Kamala Harris. In the middle of the village organizers urged eager constituents to meet at the Harriet Tubman Memorial at 121st & Frederick Douglass Blvd.
Earlier last week Barack Obama, the first Black president of the USA and his wife Michelle endorsed the veep’s journey to the Oval office.
Former Vice President Al Gore also declared support.

Actor George Clooney, pop singer Beyonce and a long list of entertainers have energized the headliner for the political party whose convention is pending.

“We can do it,” Weza said, “We owe it to our progeny and to those whose struggles made it possible for us to be here.”

“We are not going back!” the revved up candidate told a group of supporters last week after a surge in volunteers, donations and momentum positioned her in the global spotlight.

Throughout each campaign stop she seemed confident, strong and ready to fight her rival opponent who is now asking Christians to vote for the last time.

Former President Donald Trump told his supporters they will never ever have to vote again if/when he becomes the next leader of the free world.

His plan is to dictate policy which would end elections.

Simultaneous to Trump’s predictions Harris’s campaign has birthed support from White Dudes For Kamala Harris, White Women in Support for Kamal a, LGBTQ For Kamala Harris, White Women, Latinos and a plethora of newly-formed coalitions.

Additionally, in seven days, the Black woman at the top of the Democratic ticket has amassed a whopping $200 million.

Imagine going from zero delegates to now emerge the presumptive candidate?

The Associated Press reported she needed 1,976, she has already surpassed that figure for nomination on the first ballot at the convention.
Harris’ historic surge is already unprecedented but will the prosecutor win over the prosecuted?

Catch you On the Inside!