Fun Facts About Kamala Harris That You Never Knew About

Kamala Harris may not have won the presidency in 2024, but let's not be mistaken: She still shattered a glass ceiling. Besides being the first woman, Black American, and South Asian American to ever be Vice President, Harris' impressive career before politics includes significant roles in the other two branches of government — first as an attorney general and then as a U.S. Senator. She's a bona fide government Renaissance woman, yet people still love to belittle her achievements, often with bogus claims. For instance, JD Vance's "childless cat lady" comment, which implicated Harris, wasn't just wildly ignorant but also untrue. While she doesn't have any pets, Harris is a devoted stepmother to two children, Cole and Ella Emhoff, who aptly call her "Momala."

During her VP tenure and presidential run, we got a deeper glimpse into her life, including her marriage to Doug Emhoff and the untold story of Harris' childhood. Yet, there's still a gold mine of information about the Howard University alum that remains under the radar. We rounded up some lesser-known fun facts about Harris, because she's way more fun than her critics give her credit for. After all, Charli XCX doesn't call just anyone "brat."

Despite Kamala Harris' demanding career, she still finds time to prioritize herself. "I work out every morning, regardless of how much sleep I've had," the former prosecutor told Barack Obama during a 2020 video call shared on X, formerly Twitter. What's even more surprising is the way Harris works out. While many famous figures may train in a private gym, her regimen closely resembles that of many Americans. In 2021, an X user filmed a video of her running up and down the Lincoln Memorial Steps.

However, running stairs isn't her go-to workout. As she told The Cut in 2018, she typically starts her day either on the elliptical or at SoulCycle. "Sometimes I swim if it's not going to create an issue with my hair," Harris added.

Fortunately for Harris, husband Doug Emhoff, who also has been photographed running stairs and was at a SoulCycle class the day news broke that Joe Biden had dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, also follows suit. He told Men's Health in 2020 that Harris' fitness routine has positively influenced him. "Every morning Kamala Harris works out, by hook or by crook. And it's not like I can sit around and eat a bowl of cereal while she works out. It got me into the same groove she's in," he said, adding, "I'm in way better shape now than I was 10 years ago." 

While we're all familiar with Kamala Harris' relationship with Doug Emhoff, we sometimes forget that she has a past dating history, which includes dating talk show host Montel Williams. Footage of them together at a multiple sclerosis event with Williams' daughter Ashley in 2001 started making the rounds online during Harris' first run for president. Seemingly, Williams was not a fan of the chatter it prompted two decades later. Confirming their courtship on X, formerly Twitter, in August 2019, he wrote: "@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single." He then added: "So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?"

Harris has never publicly commented on her relationship with Williams, and very little is known about their romance. Williams, however, still seems to have a lot of respect for his former girlfriend. Although he initially vetted a different Democratic candidate for president after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, he later reposted a tweet from Maryland Governor Wes Moore that endorsed Harris. 

If you've ever seen a video of Kamala Harris dancing, you already know she's got rhythm. As it turns out, she was heavily involved in dance growing up. Harris and her younger sister Maya took ballet classes in Berkeley, California, which later prepped Harris not only on the dance floor, but also for her family's move to Montreal when she was 12 years old. "It was a difficult transition since the only French I knew was from my ballet classes, where Madame Bovie, my ballet teacher, would shout, 'Demi–plié, and up!'" she wrote in her 2019 memoir, "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey."

While Harris seemingly parted ways with ballet when she arrived in Canada, she never lost her passion for dance. A photo of Harris in the 1981 Westmount High School yearbook listed "dancing with Midnight Magic," as her favorite pastime, via National Post. The outlet noted that this was a dance troop she and her friend had founded. Although Harris has left the dance community, she still has its support. The "Dancers for Harris" group mobilized on social media during her presidential campaign.

In 2018, then-senator Kamala Harris let The Cut in on a fun secret: She was a sneakerhead, specifically a Converse sneakerhead. "I have a whole collection of Chuck Taylors: a black leather pair, a white pair, I have the kind that don't lace, the kind that do lace, the kind I wear in the hot weather, the kind I wear in the cold weather, and the platform kind for when I'm wearing a pantsuit," she said. 

As Harris began her campaign for the 2020 election, her love for Converse became increasingly evident. She often wore the classic canvas sneakers during casual outings, and she even had a pair customized for the campaign. Her typical campaign outfit featured Converse, jeans, a blazer, and pearls. Fans appreciated how she paired her Chuck Taylors with pearls so much that October 28 was unofficially declared "Chucks-N-Pearls Day" in honor of her iconic fashion choice.

Of course, not everyone was a fan. When Harris wore her trademark look for Vogue's February 2021 cover, which was released days before the inauguration, criticism over her outfit was abundant. However, not everyone was turned off by the look. Matt Powell, a sneaker industry expert, told Quartz that "sales of women's Chuck Taylors doubled versus a year ago," precisely during the week Harris and Joe Biden were officially sworn in. In other words, Harris made Converse cool again.

In 2019, Kamala Harris showcased her deep love for cooking in her YouTube series dubbed "Cooking With Kamala," where she whipped up some novelty noshes, including Monster M&M cookies, bacon fried apples, and the South Indian breakfast specialty, Masala Dosa. Additionally, a video of Harris dishing out her best turkey brining tips that same year, filmed a minute before she went live on TV, has become a fan favorite. Not only does it put her true culinary expertise on full display, but it also shows that she's always down to talk about food.

As for her favorite snack, Harris is a Doritos Nacho Cheese enthusiast. She's frequently been seen snacking on them and even admitted to overindulging in the cheesy chips on the night that Donald Trump was first elected president for comfort. "I went home and I sat on the couch with a family-sized bag of nacho Doritos. I did not share one chip with anybody. Not even [second gentleman] Doug [Emhoff]. I just watched the TV with utter shock and dismay," she wrote in an August 2024 fundraising email (via The Hill).