Quote:My parents were born half a world apart from each other: my mother in India and my dad in Jamaica. But like so many others, they came to America in pursuit of a dream. And that dream was a dream for themselves, for me, and for my sister Maya.

Born in Oakland, I was raised by my mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris, one of the few women of color to have a position as a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. She was all of five feet, but if you ever met her you would think she was seven feet tall. It’s because of her that I was raised in a community where we were taught to see a world beyond just ourselves. To be conscious and compassionate about the struggles of all people.

My mother always used to say, “don’t sit around and complain about things, do something.” I’ve tried to follow that advice every day and live by the example she set.

Over the next week before inauguration, I'll be sharing the people, places, and moments that have had an influence on my life. Stay tuned.