People in Rochester are reacting to the news of former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden choosing California Senator Kamala Harris as his vice presidential pick.

“The impact that I believe that she will have on this country in terms of breaking barriers and busting through glass ceilings will be quite remarkable and very different from what we saw with Barack Obama,” said Rashad Smith, a radio personality with 105.5 The Beat.

What You Need To Know

  • Both positive and negative reactions have come after Joe Biden named Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday

  • While many are praising the decision, some people are not thrilled to see Harris on the ticket because of her history as a prosecutor in California

  • The organizer of Save Rochester – Black Lives Matters said if Harris wants to represent him, it should not be on the platform of a progressive prosecutor

Senator Kamala Harris is the first woman of color nominated to national office by a major political party.

Harris is a graduate of a historically Black college and university and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

“Our goal is to be supreme and service to all mankind, and now the world is getting to see more examples, it started with Katherine Johnson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures’ who was a first, and now we’re seeing this with the first vice president choice being a member of our organization,” said Tanya Davis, treasurer of the Delta Nu Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

While many are praising the decision to put the senator on the ticket, some people we spoke to are not thrilled to see Harris on the ticket because of her history as a prosecutor in California.

“As she’s climbed her way to the top, unfortunately the great policies and the great work she was talking about, reforming the criminal justice system, all of that has taken a back seat to more centrist ideas,” said Mickey Campbell, organizer of Save Rochester – Black Lives Matter.

One person Spectrum News spoke to said no politician is perfect and all of them come with faults because they are human.

“When we are in the midst of fighting for Black lives and Black equity, we have to understand that – from my perspective, I want to see someone in the White House who also has a Black agenda,” said Smith.

“I think it’s easy for us to play hindsight and second quarterback someone historically, but I think we move forward now and we ask her now, we push our agendas now and we see how she responds,” added Davis.

The organizer of Save Rochester – Black Lives Matters said if Harris wants to represent him, it should not be on the platform of a progressive prosecutor.

“We don’t want Kamala Harris to get out here and be the token Black that satisfies us for another – for four years, eight years and nothing is being done,” said Campbell.