Former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection Tuesday of Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as his vice presidential running mate leads me to say to my sisters and brothers: Let’s shout to the heavens! Hurrah and Praise the Lord!  Our time has finally come — as Democrats, as women, and as African Americans.

Harris adds tremendous experience, strength of character, national name recognition, and yes, much-needed diversity to the now-complete Democratic ticket to run against President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

But in addition to adding gender, racial and geographic diversity, Harris complements Vice President Biden politically. Biden has always said he wants a “simpatico” running mate and Harris most definitely fits the bill.

On the most important issues, a Biden-Harris ticket will fight as a strong team, and fight hard, to unite our country and our diverse communities.

After four years of chaos and division under President Trump, Biden and Harris will work to protect and save Americans devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. They will also work to build a stronger and fairer economy; achieve universal, affordable, quality health care; protect our communities of color and reform our criminal justice system; and combat the climate crisis.

In addition, Biden and Harris will restore and strengthen our democracy, including by protecting the right of all eligible Americans to vote.

After four years of the Trump administration’s failures, Biden and Harris will finally create a 21st century immigration system. They will fight to provide a world-class education to everyone living in the United States, citizens and non-citizens alike. And they will renew American leadership in the world.

In addition, the Biden-Harris ticket is closely aligned on Democratic foreign policy priorities. While lacking Biden’s experience on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as former President Barack Obama’s vice president, Harris, like Biden, wants the U.S. to return to the Iran nuclear deal, and she supports Israel as well as global U.S. alliances, including with NATO.

Like the former vice president, Harris also views Russia as a top foreign policy concern. Often highlighting Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, she repeatedly warns of more interference this year.

Closer to home, Harris is a battle-tested campaigner who has earned victories in numerous municipal and state elections – San Francisco district attorney in 2003 and 2007, California attorney general in 2010 and 2014, and U.S. senator in 2016. And, as we saw repeatedly during the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination process, Harris won’t back down to anyone, including Vice President Pence when she debates him Oct. 7.

When Harris endorsed Biden for president in March, she pledged to do everything in her power to help elect him the next president of the United States. With her name now on the ticket, we’re about to see the extent of that power.

The power of an incredibly talented Black woman will now help Biden lead our great country to the Promised Land!