California Sen. Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election on January 22.
On January 27, she officially launched her campaign with a rally in her hometown of Oakland, California.
Thousands gathered in downtown Oakland to hear the Democratic candidate speak.
Source: Business Insider
Becky Cecena (left), 68, and Julie Hartford, 57, traveled from the nearby town of Vacaville to witness Harris' official announcement of her presidential candidacy.
Hartford echoed that sentiment. "I think she actually is for the people, like she says," she said. "Wouldn't it be nice if we had someone in Washington who actually was?"
Law enforcement estimated that about 10,000 people filled the rally space, with about 12,000 filling in the streets surrounding the Oakland City Hall.
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Before Harris took the stage, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir sang the national anthem. SambaFunk, a Bay Area arts collective representing the African diaspora, also performed.
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Female empowerment anthems like Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)" and Alicia Keys' "Girl On Fire" blasted through the space.
Harris became the second-ever black woman to serve in the US Senate when she was elected in 2016.
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She's also the first African-American woman to serve as San Francisco's District Attorney.
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She's taken on a big role in the anti-Trump "Resistance" that has sprouted up in opposition to the current administration.
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And she's backed a number of progressive policies during her years serving in the Senate, like marijuana legalization.
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She immediately paid homage to her hometown of Oakland and her life-long goal of serving her community.
And she referenced her tax proposal that would deliver $500 a month in tax credit to lower income families.
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She also emphasized immigration reform, stressing the need to keep the country's doors open to refugees.
Harris has 25 years of law enforcement experience under her belt, having served two terms as San Francisco's district attorney and five years as California's attorney general.
Source: Business Insider
