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She was pro-Biden and planned to stump for him throughout Philadelphia before he announced that Harris would be his vice president.
But she said she feels more excited after the announcement.
Parker believes the Harris pick is an acknowledgement of the hard work and value that Black women have brought and continue to bring to the Democratic Party.
“Joe Biden deserves a shout out because he noted that Black women were a significant part of the reason why he got to the dance,” she said. “I am not used to folks getting to the dance and acknowledging those who got them there in such a significant way.”
Now, she said, it’s time to get to work.
“Otherwise, this will be a fleeting moment,” said Parker. “We have to make sure they win.”
And there is work to do.
Harris’ weakness is with young voters. Additionally, a recent Georgetown poll shows while 43% of likely voters have a favorable view, 36% see her unfavorably, and the rest either have no opinion or do not know her.
“The younger voters weren’t really feeling Kamala,” said Jasmine Sessoms, founder of She Can Win, a nonprofit that trains women to run for office. “They leaned toward Susan Rice and Elizabeth Warren. I mean, she was an attorney general and she was tough on crime and that doesn’t really appeal to more progressive voters.”
But, Sessoms said, she will pull in a number of important voter segments.
“Black women, African Americans, that older Black voter that just was not feeling uncle Joe,” she said. “You’re going to get Indian American and Asian American women, and you’re definitely going to get the sorors.”
Harris is used to winning elections. She was the first woman district attorney in San Francisco and first Black woman district attorney in California. She also rose to become California’s attorney general and, of course, became a U.S. senator in 2016.
“She’s ready to be vice president on day one,” said Nancy Patton Mills, chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee.
She believes having a woman of color on the Democratic ticket will pull the party together in Pennsylvania.
“Oh, I think it’s going to energize everyone,” she said. “I’ve heard people say Biden-Harris is the dream team.”
Pennsylvania Sen. Joanna McClinton is a young legislator and said seeing the trails Harris has blazed is inspiring.
“It makes me feel very proud to be a woman in elected office, a woman of color,” McClinton said. “The more we can see ourselves in those spaces, the more we can aspire to be in those spaces.”
Harris being on the Democratic ticket is history, but it’s also a win for generations of women.
“I can’t help but think of Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Ida B. Wells, and all the women who blazed the trail,” said Parker, “and I also can’t help but think about all the little girls who are going to see her and think, I can do that too.”
One thing Parker, Sessoms, Mills and McClinton are looking forward to is the vice presidential debate.
“Oh, I’ll definitely be there,” said Sessoms.