Vice President Harris started her week on June 14th with a trip to South Carolina. Below, the Vice President arriving at Greenville Spartanburg International Airport.
The trip was part of a nationwide push encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The first stop was at the Phillis Wheatley Community Center in Greenville to kick off a COVID vaccination bus tour and other mobilization efforts.
The NAACP sponsored the event, one of many it has hosted around the country to make vaccines available to underserved communities. More from WSPA’s story:
Lillian Brock, secretary for the Greenville chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said transportation is a huge issue for people living in small towns such as Honea Path, Piedmont and Travelers Rest.
“For residents without reliable transportation, reaching a clinic could be an expensive or dangerous trek.
Here you see Ms. Harris with Evelyn Lugo, President of the South Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
There was also a tour of a pop-up vaccine site at the YMCA of Greenville and a meeting with local voting rights advocates. Below, the Vice President with her advance staff for the trip.
The Vice President wore her custom Sergio Hudson suit and what looks like her ‘Cory’ Tee ($85) by L’Agence.
She appeared to be wearing her Manolo Blahnik ‘Lisa’ heels in neutral patent leather.
And her Irene Neuwirth Double Strand Pearl Necklace and unidentified mabé pearl earrings with the gold border. Here you see her necklace in a single strand version and the earrings as worn at previous events.
Tuesday, June 15, the Vice President announced more than a billion dollars in funding to help the “Rapid Recovery Program” for small businesses.
Also on stage with the Vice President for the announcement, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Lisa Mensah, president and chief executive officer of the Opportunity Finance Network, and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Vice President Harris also chaired a meeting on Tuesday with Dreamers and other immigrant women working in the care industry. Tuesday was the ninth anniversary of the creation of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Also at the meeting, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
Tuesday night the Vice President hosted a dinner at her residence for the 24 women currently serving as US senators, believed to be the first gathering of its kind. Below, some of those attending on a bus headed to the Naval Observatory where the house is located, including Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Deb Fischer (R-NE).
Embed from Getty ImagesA group shot via Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
Senator Tammy Baldwin tweeted a photo of herself with the Vice President.
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) reports the Vice President made one of the dishes that was served herself. Ms. Harris is an accomplished cook known for sharing recipes and tips on social media.
Vice President Harris brought back the suit and top by Prabal Gurung worn for the Joint Session of Congress in April.
The designer describes it as a “Hand-Tailored Double Crepe Cream suit and Ivory silk Charmeuse camisole, made in New York City, at the Prabal Gurung Atelier.” Her accessories are the same as those worn on Monday.
Wednesday, June 16, Ms. Harris wore a navy suit we’ve seen on multiple occasions when she was meeting with 16 Democratic members of the Texas State Legislature.
More from this Texas Tribune story:
The vice president, who is leading the Biden administration’s voting rights efforts, invited the lawmakers to the White House after state representatives in May staged an 11th-hour walkout of the state Capitol to break quorum and prevent a final vote on what is considered one of the most restrictive GOP-backed state voting bills following the 2020 election
The Vice President’s suit has an interesting jacket featuring double lapels, front button closure, two flap pockets, and a welt pocket. It remains a UFO (Unidentified Fashion Object); beneath the jacket, it looked like she wore the Cory Tee. UPDATE JUNE 24: We now have an ID on the jacket, thanks to a comment on this post from ‘Daily.’ The Vice President was wearing a piece by Max Mara, the label’s ‘Tirsi’ Blazer ($478) in a blend of 70% triacetate and 30% polyester.
The blazer has a single button front closure, flap pockets, one chest welt pocket, double back vent, pick stitching, and notched lapels. The most distinctive design element is the lapel treatment: they are trimmed in silk. It was first noted at the June 2019 Democratic debate in Miami, Florida.
For more photos and info on the jacket, click here.
Thursday, the Vice President was in Altuzarra for the signing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. Below, Ms. Harris, in her office, signing the legislation in her capacity as President of the Senate.
The legislation makes June 19 a legal public holiday. More from this story in The 19th.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when the Union Army reached Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had been abolished two years earlier. Texas has marked the day for decades, and many states have also adopted the holiday in recent years.
And from Sytonia Reid’s story in The Grio:
On June 19, 1865 an estimated 2,000 Union troops, including regiments of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) led by General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce General Order No. 3.
On that day, roughly 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston were finally informed of their freed status—almost two and half years after the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The Vice President spoke just before the official bill signing by President Biden.
A portion of her remarks.
Here you see the Vice President helping 94-year-old Opal Lee, known as the ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’ to the stage. The 19th notes that “Lee, who is 94, has spent four decades advocating to make Juneteenth a national holiday, partly through the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.”
Embed from Getty ImagesPresident Biden said, “We’re blessed to mark the day in the presence of Miss Opal Lee.” On her Facebook page, Ms. Lee said, “After years of preaching the importance of Juneteenth as a unifier for our country, I’m thrilled to see our country finally recognize it as the national holiday that it should be.” Below, a video with Miss Lee.
A wider shot of the signing.
The law went into effect immediately, making Friday the first federal observance of the Juneteenth holiday. The Vice President wore Altuzarra on Thursday, the Kenton Jacket & Serge trousers. Beneath the jacket, the Lafayette 148 New York ‘Linn blouse,’ crafted from the brand’s signature ‘Finesse Crepe’ fabric, a blend of acetate and polyester. The most notable wardrobe element on Thursday: the Vice President’s matching pearl and earrings, not worn frequently.
Embed from Getty ImagesFriday, the 18th of June, Vice President Harris traveled to Atlanta to promote the White House’s initiative for COVID-19 vaccinations. She visited a vaccine clinic at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Speaking to people who had just received their vaccines, she said, “What you are doing truly is about leadership…It will save your life and lives of people that you love” per Tamar Hallermann of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Ebenezer Baptist Church shared photos from the event on its Facebook page. Here you see her with Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) at the church.
She also visited Clark Atlanta University, a historically black research university in Atlanta. Her stop was part of a vaccine mobilization push.
The University reports she was also there to issue the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge encouraging “colleges and universities to commit to taking three key actions to help their campus communities to get vaccinated,” per a University online post about the visit.
Vice President Harris posed with her advance team for the trip.
She wore a grey suit that remains unidentified, white top, and her Manolo Blahnik ‘Newcio’ heels.
ID UPDATE: Some may have missed the update to the previous Week in Review, IDs on jewelry worn by the Vice President at Capital Pride events.
It looks like the Vice President was wearing jewelry by fellow Californian Harwell Godfrey. The Vice President wore the Black Onyx Heart to Benefit NAACP ($2500) in 18k gold, diamonds, and black onyx. From the Harwell Godfrey description: “The pendant, envisioned as a healing talisman, has an onyx heart at its core. As Godfrey sketched the design, she realized that her signature triangle motif placed over the heart in repetition created what looks like a broken heart that has been put back together. The choice of black onyx was twofold: its color not only represents the black lives it honors, but it is also said to be a stone of grounding and strength. The bail has two bars creating an equal symbol as a gesture of the unity we can achieve when we help each other.”
The back of the pendant reads, “We are one.” 100% of profits from each Black Onyx Heart Talisman will be donated to the NAACP. Ms. Harris also appeared to wear the brand’s Gold Foundation Chain Necklace in 18K gold ($3550)
Many thanks to Tara Young for her comments pointing out the pieces, as I was struggling to ID the items!
The Navy Suit with the double lapel flaps is by Max Mara, and the first time she wore it was for the first primary debate in June 2019!
Thank you so much! I remember it from 2019 because the lapels were so distinctive but hadn’t been able to find and appreciate the tip. I will update the post tomorrow. 🙂