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Watch: Vice President Kamala Harris Remembers the First Grade Teacher Who Shaped Her Life

The candidate remembered Mrs. Wilson, who “encouraged me when I was her student and years later cheered me on when I graduated from law school.”

Harris with her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson. (Vice President Kamala Harris/Facebook)

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This article is part of The 74’s EDlection 2024 coverage, which takes a look at candidates’ education policies and how they might impact the American education system after the 2024 election.

Through the years, Vice President Kamala Harris, who now looks to become the nation’s 47th president, has repeatedly pointed back to a first-grade teacher as a defining influence who helped her get to where she is today.

“My first-grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson, encouraged me when I was her student,” Harris posted to Facebook back in 2021. “Years later [she] cheered me on when I graduated from law school.

“This year and every year, we celebrate America’s teachers, who make a lifelong impact on America’s students.” 

Here’s what else Harris has had to say about Mrs. Wilson: 

Other recent EDlection coverage from The 74: 

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