Former WLBT reporter graduated with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A familiar face to longtime WLBT viewers has walked the same paths as Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris.

Darren Duarte shares insight into his college classmate and her journey to the White House.

Reporter and fill in anchor Darren Duarte attended Howard University with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris from 1982 to 1986.

“When I got to WLBT I was only two years removed from graduation with Kamala,” said Duarte. The Massachusetts native watched his classmate develop into a political powerhouse.

“She was always involved, and she ran for student council as a freshman,” said the former journalist. “So she always kind of knew what she wanted to do, and look at her now. We’re so proud."

While at Howard, Duarte worked on Capitol Hill for a member of the House of Representatives while the vice president-elect worked in the Senate.

“When you think about it, she worked for Senator Alan Cranston of California at the time,” said Duarte. “The next senator was Barbara Boxer. The next after that was her."

The Brockton Massachusetts native worked at WLBT from 1988 to 1990. He is now the communications director and spokesperson for the Brockton Police Department.

Over the years he has followed the career of his fellow HBCU graduate.

“It’s a great feeling and it couldn’t have happened to a better person, and someone who worked so hard,” added Duarte.

Jackson resident Lily Caldwell is also proud to see a woman in the administration of the next president. The nurse hopes Harris will be hands-on in uniting the country, helping put an end to the pandemic and putting Americans back to work.

“She’s the first and I hope she’s not the last and she’s set and example for all women regardless of color,” said Caldwell. “Women should feel that regardless they can do what they want to do.”

The former California senator is scheduled to take the oath of office January 20th.

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