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One of the several ways that Kamala Harris would've made history if she'd won Tuesday's election is she would've become the first graduate of an HBCU to become president. NPR's Chandelis Duster spoke with students at Howard, which Harris attended, and they were sad that that won't happen, at least not yet.
CHANDELIS DUSTER, BYLINE: Tears streamed down the faces of many Howard University students like Sharmanda Jean-Francois Wednesday, as Vice President Harris charged them to roll up their sleeves and keep fighting for democracy.
SHARMANDA JEAN-FRANCOIS: Kamala Harris put her energy and soul and her passion into this campaign. And she did a beautiful job with the short amount of time that she was given to run this race.
DUSTER: Casting a ballot for Harris was a proud moment for students like Jean-Francois, who voted for the very first time. It was also a moment of pride to vote for an alumna of their university, an HBCU. Her historic campaign as a Black and South Asian woman, and a political career with a distinction of many firsts, is inspiring for them. Many students say they are angry and were disappointed when Harris said she congratulated President-elect Donald Trump.
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VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him...
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HARRIS: ...That we will help him and his team.
DUSTER: They also say they wish they could've done more to help her win. And while some students say they were shocked when they first heard about the results, they also say it did not come as a surprise. A few say they are scared and fearful of what a future under another Trump administration will bring. Cydni Adams says she is worried women's rights are in jeopardy, and that Trump will follow through on his vow to dismantle the Department of Education. That could impact her financial aid.
CYDNI ADAMS: Most of the people here depend on it, so I know it's just going to make it a lot harder for people to afford college.
DUSTER: But students like Imani Smith say they will not worry about the future.
IMANI SMITH: I'm putting my trust in God. He is far greater than any political view, law, legislation, anything.
DUSTER: Jokim Bryant and others say they were encouraged when the vice president said that only when it's dark enough outside can you see the stars. Bryant says the outcome of the election was a sign for him to push and continue to fight for his dreams.
JOKIM BRYANT: This is only the beginning. And we are now in charge of our futures. It's no longer time for us to be saying somebody else is going to come make a change - oh, the future is going to, you know? It's time for the next generation to step up. We are the next generation.
DUSTER: Chandelis Duster, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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