Vice President Kamala Harris‘s record embodies the values Latinos like me celebrate every Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout her career, Harris has fought for the issues that matter most to Latino families; she has worked to lower costs for families, ensure access to well-paying jobs, and ensure our communities can thrive.
Harris’s continued fight to provide financial relief to families mirrors the millions of Latinos who support their loved ones both home and abroad. Following the 2008 financial crisis—which disproportionately harmed Latino households—Harris took action to deliver relief for California families. As California’s attorney general, she strong-armed big banks into raising their initial offer from $4 billion to a whopping $20 billion mortgage settlement benefitting local homeowners.
She also took on for-profit colleges, an often predatory industry that disproportionately harms Latinos and burdens them with unsustainable debt. She has continued to fight for equity in higher education as vice president, helping deliver historic student debt relief: As of this month, the Biden-Harris administration has delivered almost $170 billion in debt relief to more than 4 million borrowers. This means putting more money into the pockets of millions of Latinos so that they can focus on providing for their families.
While Latinos are more likely to rely on family members for care, Harris’s policies have shown that the government can also care for Americans by providing access to affordable health care. This is an issue particularly salient to our communities, as Latinos have the highest uninsured rates of any racial or ethnic group and are more likely to struggle to afford medications. T
hanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government finally has the power to negotiate drug costs for Medicare, making life-saving medications more affordable for our abuelitos and abuelitas. And achieving health equity has been a key focus in drug price negotiations—in fact, six of the first 10 medications announced for negotiations are more likely to be taken by Latinos.
Supporters of the Latinos for Harris-Walz campaign attend a party in Los Angeles on Aug. 22 to watch vice president and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris delivering her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Harris also understands the value of hard work and has shown a commitment to providing good-paying jobs and protections for workers. Many Latinos come to the U.S. in search of a better economic future for themselves and their families, yet oftentimes they fall victim to the predatory practices of unscrupulous businesses that take advantage of migrant workers. Harris cracked down on businesses engaging in wage theft and exploiting our most vulnerable workers during her tenure as California’s attorney general. As vice president, she has continued to champion worker protections, including policies that would protect outdoor workers from extreme heat.
Still, the American dream is only fully realized when we’re finally able to come home without worrying about how we’re going to put food on the table for our families—yet many Latinos continue to live paycheck to paycheck. As a senator who walked picket lines and sponsored policies to strengthen unions and expand labor protections, Harris has exhibited an understanding that holding a job in and of itself doesn’t guarantee full realization of the American dream.
Studies have shown that while Latinos are less likely to be union members, we also have the most to gain from a union: higher wages, better job stability and enhanced benefits. Harris has also led efforts to expand access to capital for underserved communities, and Latino-owned small businesses have thrived. In fact, Latino business ownership is up 40 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. While many Latino communities have historically suffered from underfunding and disinvestment, Harris’s policies are putting our communities at the forefront of an opportunity economy that rewards hard work.
From attorney general to senator to Madam Vice President, Kamala Harris has repeatedly championed policies that create more opportunities for all Americans, including Latinos. She has consistently taken on corporate interests and secured lower costs—whether that’s through student loan forgiveness, Medicare, small business support, or unions. This Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s elevate the policies that will most benefit our Latino communities.
Gaby Blanco is the senior constituency media associate at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
