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Family has been a big theme of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this week. Former Governor of Minnesota and current vice presidential candidate Tim Walz had a hugely viral moment when his son, who has a nonverbal learning disability, an anxiety disorder and ADHD, jumped up and sobbed during his father’s speech. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris also had family on hand, notably her niece and nephew. So who are they? Read on to find out.
On Wednesday night at the DNC, three young people took to the stage to talk about Harris and what she means to them. They called Kamala their “auntie” and appeared on the stage right after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They are: Alexander Hudlin, Jasper Emhoff and Arden Emhoff. The Emhoffs are nephews of the second gentleman of the United States and Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.
Alexander Hudlin is the son of renowned film director Reginald Hudlin. You might not know the name, but you might be familiar with some of his movies, which include: The Ladies Man (2000), Marshall (2017) and Candy Cane Lane (2023). Alexander has produced a number of graphic novels.
During the speech, Jasper affectionately referred to his aunt and his sister Arden said that Harris would care for everyone if she became president. Jasper added that Harris is always there for her family no matter how busy she is or what she’s doing.
“She will make time for what matters. No one is busier than my Auntie, but she always makes time for family. From moments as simple as cooking and sharing a meal to exchanging stories and jokes, Auntie taught me about being present and what is important, and I know that’s how she will lead,” Jasper said.
Arden said her aunt always paid attention to her and made her feel like she was loved and important. Harris, Arden said, has a way of treating everyone with respect regardless of their background. She listens and she pays attention to perspectives that are different from their own.
Alexander shared a story about what happened in 2016 when Harris won her Senate seat and Donald Trump won the presidency. He was less than 10 years old when that happened.
“In 2016, when we celebrated Auntie’s Senate win, we saw Trump winning. I was only nine, but I knew enough to be concerned. Auntie said, ‘Do you know what superheroes do? They fight back. And we will, too,” he said.
After the speech, the second gentleman tweeted that he “couldn’t be prouder” of the kids and that when Harris says she’s fighting for America’s future, she’s “thinking of you.”
Harris has another niece from her side of the family. Her sister Maya is a Stanford University graduate as well as a lawyer. She also works in the political arena and was Hillary Clinton’s policy advisor when she was running for president in 2016. In 2020, she served as a campaign chair during Harris’ failed presidential bid, which didn’t get very far at the time.
Harris’ niece and Maya’s daughter is named Meena. She’s also a lawyer and she founded a media company called Phenomenal that “elevates the stories of women and underrepresented communities through entertainment, digital content, brand partnerships, book clubs, and more.” Meena, 39, has two children of her own.