Kamala Harris Visits Viewpoint High School

California’s Attorney General Kamala Harris visited Viewpoint High School in Calabasas on April 17, defining her stance on civil rights and encouraging the students to always seek justice and equal opportunities for all.
Harris, the highest ranking African-American and South-Asian elected official in the state, as well as the highest ranking female elected official, spoke in honor of Viewpoint’s observance of Black History and Women’s History months. She defined the core of America’s fundamental values to be the “pursuit of justice and equality.”
In defending the rights of the people, Harris emphasized that every American citizen must be a patriot—an apt recommendation, given that the Patriot is Viewpoint School’s mascot.
Harris defined her purpose in government service as “giving a voice to the voiceless” of society. “We are all and should be treated as equals.” To this writer—a female and a member of a minority like Harris-–her stirring words definitely struck a chord.
The Attorney General continued that equality, in every sense, cannot be expected to be achieved immediately and that even a decisive victory in the courts can take years to reach the streets. Harris told students that they must always “appreciate the passage of time,” that while now is the time to take a stand on important matters, sometimes patience is required.
For example, though the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education mandated the integration of education systems in 1954, Harris noted that 20 years later she was a student at only the second public school to be integrated in Berkeley, California.
To Harris, success is not complete when a ruling is handed down in a courtroom but ultimately, when it has direct benefit to the people. She reminded students that unfortunately, the pursuit of justice and equality has always been a demanding and lengthy venture.
Harris inspired the students at Viewpoint to anticipate the future with an open mind by taking action today.

<i>  Rachel Hsu, a Pacific Palisades resident, is a junior at Viewpoint, enjoys acting and has a strong interest in Shakespeare. She is the daughter of Victor Hsu and Dreama Gose.</i>