Kamala Harris became vice president in January 2021. The election victory she shared with Joe Biden marks several history-making firsts. Among them: Harris is the first woman and the first woman of color to be elected as vice president. During a career that included six years as California attorney general and three years as a US senator from that state Harris developed a reputation for intelligence, toughness, and a sense of humor—all of which will be tested as she and Biden preside over a fractured and exhausted nation.