‘You Need To Kick That F—ing Door Down”: Kamala Harris Uses Expletive To Describe How To Break Barriers To Leadership

In speaking today at the annual Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership Summit, Vice President Kamala Harris had some words of advice for those in the crowd: Don’t be timid.

Harris, the first female and first Black and Asian-American elected vice president, told the group, “So here’s the thing about breaking barriers. Breaking barriers does not mean that you start on one side of the barrier and end up on the other side. There’s breaking involved, and when you break things you get cut. And you may bleed, and it is worth it every time.”

She then gave a pep talk to young people of diverse backgrounds to “not be silent” in high profile meetings. “Your voice can be strong,” she said.

Then, to emphasize the point, she added, “We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open, and sometime they won’t. And then you need to kick that f—ing door down.”

The crowd clapped at the comment, before Harris said, “Excuse my language.” She then laughed.

The public expletive was unusual for Harris, who tends to choose her words carefully in speeches and other events.