Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
Interesting

Comic looks at life of Kamala Harris in Canada

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Jan, 2021 11:23 PM
  • Comic looks at life of Kamala Harris in Canada

A Winnipeg cartoonist says he is honoured to play a small role in a historic moment after his comic book about U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris was included in a Canadian celebration of Joe Biden's inauguration.

“Kamala in Canada” by Kaj Hasselriis was part of a swag bag given to people who attended a virtual inauguration event at the United States embassy in Ottawa.

The comic follows Harris during her time living in Montreal as a teenager.

Hasselriis says he was inspired when he heard how a young Harris staged a protest after her landlord banned kids in her apartment building from playing soccer in the courtyard.

He says many kids may have given up, but Harris chose to take action.

Hasselriis says he hopes the book shows children that they can make change happen and inspires them to get involved in politics.

“It’s useful for them to know that politicians were once kids themselves,” he said. “And if you are a kid, that means you could one day grow up to become a leader.”

Hasselriis decided to create the comic when Biden named Harris as his running mate. It was published just before the vice-presidential debate in October.

Harris lived in Montreal for five years from the age of 12 until she graduated from Westmount High School in 1981.

Hasselriis said his book also looks at the climate around the Quebec referendum in 1980 and how that may have affected the new vice-president's view of politics.

“There’s no way that Kamala Harris could have lived as a teenager in Montreal without having this huge political issue hanging over her head,” he said.

Hasselriis previously wrote a comic called “Politikids” which tells childhood stories about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and former Green party leader Elizabeth May.

In the lead up to the 2019 Canadian federal election, he was able to deliver a copy to each of the politicians during their stops in Winnipeg.

Hasselriis said he’s not sure if Harris has seen the book about her childhood in Canada yet. He sent a copy to her Senate office after it was published.

Copies of the book were also purchased by the U.S. consulate in Montreal.

Hasselriis said he hopes the comic will make it into the vice-president’s hands one day. But for now, he’s happy to know that it was included in the inauguration celebrations at the U.S. embassy in Canada.

“What it means is that they are celebrating the election of the first woman vice-president, the first woman of colour, the first Black woman,” Hasslriis said.

“It’s a historic moment. It’s a big deal.”

 

MORE Interesting ARTICLES

VIRUS DIARY: Always learning from 'happy little accidents'

VIRUS DIARY: Always learning from 'happy little accidents'
Bob died 25 years ago. But his legacy lives on, thanks to YouTube videos, books, even a collection of T-shirts.

VIRUS DIARY: Always learning from 'happy little accidents'

Canadian forestry invents biodegradable mask

Canadian forestry invents biodegradable mask
Earlier this year an article in the journal Environmental Science and Technology estimated that during COVID-19 the world is throwing out 129 billion face masks every month, some of which become litter that eventually washes into oceans.

Canadian forestry invents biodegradable mask

Gardener's Notebook: How to plant for fragrant summer nights

Gardener's Notebook: How to plant for fragrant summer nights
Jasmine tobacco’s petals unfold colorful or pure white trumpets, the latter of which especially glow in the moonlight.

Gardener's Notebook: How to plant for fragrant summer nights

VIRUS DIARY: She has her cake, but others can't eat it, too

VIRUS DIARY: She has her cake, but others can't eat it, too
When my birthday rolled around in June, I had to face the fact that, thanks to COVID-19, I would not be having cake with anyone. Yet I went ahead and made the cake I really wanted — a three-layer, naked strawberry chamomile cake.

VIRUS DIARY: She has her cake, but others can't eat it, too

Face masks amid the art: New York City's museums to reopen

Face masks amid the art: New York City's museums  to reopen
When the iconic T. Rex at the American Museum of Natural History again welcomes visitors, it will gaze down at humans acting a bit differently.

Face masks amid the art: New York City's museums to reopen

'Calamari comeback': Tiniest state's DNC video gets big buzz

'Calamari comeback': Tiniest state's DNC video gets big buzz
There goes Rhode Island again — always finding a way to get its tiny tentacles onto the national stage.

'Calamari comeback': Tiniest state's DNC video gets big buzz