Women of color are a big priority for Hillary Clinton's campaign, and according to her senior policy advisor, Maya Harris, the democratic frontrunner has policy ideas to prove it.
Interestingly, Clinton has had a complicated relationship with black female voters during this election cycle. While the demographic has come out in droves to support the candidate, and she's gained many high-profile endorsements from ladies who exude #blackgirlmagic, Clinton has also faced criticism from prominent author Michelle Alexander and younger activists.
But Harris believes Clinton is whole-heartedly dedicated to their cause. Sitting down with The Huffington Post at Clinton's Brooklyn headquarters last week, Harris said the former secretary of state has been an advocate for black women-owned businesses and hopes to combat the barriers they may face.
"She's putting forward plans like how we're going to be able to increase access to capital, which has been a barrier [and] a challenge for many women who are trying to start up businesses, in particular African American women, who she's heard stories from along the campaign trail, and certainly over the years," Harris told host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani.
Clinton has also pushed for affordable child care, paid family leave and an increased minimum wage, all of which would impact women of color in a big way, Harris suggested.
[Of] minimum wage workers, women are nearly two-thirds, and they're predominately women of color. Women of color are often in low-wage jobs that don't have benefits. They don't have paid sick days. They don't have paid family leave. And they are not earning enough to afford childcare when childcare costs have gone up 25 percent over the last decade. In the majority of states, it costs more for childcare than for college tuition.
Harris added that she thinks Clinton's plans are both realistic and achievable.
"She has concrete plans and proposals that add up and that would make a real difference in the lives of many women of color," Harris said.
Hear more from Maya Harris in the video above.
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