Vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris 'revolutionary,' says young Windsorite

Having California Sen. Kamala Harris named as vice-presidential nominee of Joe Biden's party is life-changing for Windsorite Dilraj Gill. Gill said she finally feels like women in Black and South Asian communities are being represented.

On Tuesday, Biden said Harris would be his running mate. Harris is the first woman of colour to compete on a major party's presidential ticket.

"This is such a major step for women and especially women of colour ... it's basically revolutionary for South Asians and especially women all around the world," said Gill, who is the youth president of Windsor's South Asian Centre. 

The news was welcomed by some other women in Windsor-Essex that spoke to CBC News, who said they identify with Harris and are proud to see a woman of colour representing the needs of their communities. 

"I am over the moon, I really don't think that there could have been a better pick," said former Ontario Liberal MPP candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh Remy Boulbol. 

"She is the one who has stood up for people that don't have voices and that is always my kind of a candidate."

Boulbol said since women and women of colour are rarely represented in politics, specifically at more national levels, Tuesday's nomination "says a lot to women across the world." 

Boulbol added that since Harris is a daughter of immigrant parents — her father is Jamaican and her mother is Indian — children of immigrants can see "what can happen when you work your butt off." 

For Boulbol, Harris is a "relentless" truth-seeker who will value relationships between the United States and Canada. 

Windsor criminal lawyer Linda McCurdy had a similar reaction as Boulbol. McCurdy said she's been following Harris since the beginning and thinks she's very knowledgeable and well-spoken. 

"I have watched her and her progress from the position that she held in political office and I think she's an excellent addition to the ticket," McCurdy said. 

Gill said she recognizes how Harris's nomination impacts young women like herself and brings hope for the future. 

"They'll be able to see someone just like them in the media, in the news and she has grown up just like so many of us that she understands how to fight for historically marginalized groups," Gill said.

"Most importantly, for me, knowing that there's someone so familiar to you in this big arena is going to motivate me and  [others in the] young community to feel more a part of the system."