Jessica Spenchian

Because she knows how to listen

As humans, our most significant and dignifying capacity is our ability to engage in reciprocal listening, otherwise known as the practice of giving one’s full attention to another in an attempt to seriously consider, understand, and, perhaps, even empathize with their perspective.

Kamala Harris is a career practitioner of reciprocal listening and the embodiment of our collective capacity to temporarily reserve judgment in the name of seeking to identify, name, understand, and advocate for the principles, practices, policies, and rights that serve the “people.” The kind of candidacy Kamala Harris offers is leadership by example—both through overt modeling and a compelling call to action—to set aside our perceived differences, come together as human beings, and work collaboratively to solve the most pressing problems of our time, regardless of party affiliation or creed.

Kamala Harris, as a presidential candidate, represents our chance to revive the seemingly lost art of giving attention to others, hearing their perspectives, withholding judgment, and getting curious about the world of possible connections and unlikely collaborations that exist when we agree to move beyond the insular realms of our own convictions. We have so much to gain from seeking to understand “others,” and the health of our democracy depends upon our collective ability to see ourselves as human beings and fellow Americans first.  

Jessica Spenchian is a parent, educator, teacher, and mentor for the California Early Childhood Mentor Program and the founder and director of The Children’s Workshop Oakland.