Kamala Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California, to Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher who immigrated from India, and Donald Harris, an economist who immigrated from Jamaica. Her multicultural background deeply influenced her worldview and later political career, shaping her understanding of diverse communities and the challenges they face.

Harris graduated from Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and economics. Her time at Howard was formative, exposing her to the richness and complexity of the African American experience and solidifying her commitment to social justice.