An 11-year-old's tribute to Kamala Harris has caught the senator's eye.
Kamala is an inspiration to many young women right now. Not only has she proved to be a force for the people of California, but now she's bringing her leadership to the entire country. Her candidacy makes her the first Black and Asian American woman to be nominated for vice president by a major party.
One of the many young people she's already had an impact on is Celeste Lewis. The 11-year-old from Salt Lake City got a haircut just before the vice presidential debate. When she saw her new look, she thought she looked like Kamala.
That's when Celeste decided to play vice president, with the help of her mom. Erinn Harley-Lewis was surprised when she found her daughter with high heels on, ready to pretend to be Kamala. It was then that Erinn saw what a big influence Senator Harris has truly been on her little girl.
Earlier this month, the country watched vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris debate our current vice president, Mike Pence. Kamala was whip-smart and charismatic. For many young women, she was an inspiration in that moment, like she's already been in so many moments before.
One of those little girls was 11-year-old Celeste Lewis. The Salt Lake City tween got a haircut just before the debate.
"After getting it done I looked in the mirror and I said, 'Wow, I look like Kamala Harris,'" Celeste told Local DVM.
Celeste decided to try a Kamala look and surprise her mom with it. She put on some jewelry, her mom's heels, and her brother's blazer.
"I hear 'clink, clink, clink,' and I'm thinking, 'Who's walking in high heels in the house on a Sunday afternoon?'" said Celeste's mom, Erinn Harley-Lewis.
Celeste and Erinn went out into their cul-de-sac. She filmed Celeste's awesome Kamala-style strut.
"The motorcade is pulling up. The vice presidential candidate is here," she said as Celeste walked closer.
"Senator Harris, do you have any words for us?"
"I do," Celeste replied.
"When I become vice president, I want to help all the American people. I want to deliver health care for all, equality and justice, under the law."
Erinn shared the video with her friends, in part because Celeste was adorable but also because the whole thing was quite touching.
"This touched my heart, because when I was her age I didn't have anybody on that political stage who looked like me," Erinn said.
One of Erinn's friends suggested she share it on Twitter, and so she did.
Kamala saw the video of Celeste and replied to Erinn.
"She has my vote. Tell her to keep leading," the senator wrote.
Celeste's sister, Noelle, spotted the tweet while Celeste was in an online class. She pulled her aside to show her.
"How could this happen?" Celeste wondered.
"I'm just a normal 11-year-old girl."
Erinn has a pretty bare-bones Twitter presence, so she was really surprised that things went down that way.
"I threw it out in the ether and thought, 'For some, one-in-a-bazillion chance that she sees this, at least I will have said thank you to her,'" Erinn said.
"That's what it was about. 'I'm grateful. Thank you for giving us a good role model — being a good role model — and representation matters.'"
Celeste isn't the only one to test out a Kamala costume. Another parent shared a photo on Twitter of their child dressed as Kamala for Role Model Day at school.
"Today is Role Model Day at my daughter's school and she chose Senator @KamalaHarris
and I cannot even ," they tweeted.
We suspect we may see a few more Kamala costumes this Halloween. Of course, she isn't the only VP candidate to inspire costumes. Mike Pence's infamous fly on the head is looking like a hot possibility for those feeling festive this year.
