Vice President Kamala Harris was the highlight on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, but her stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, also drew attention. Ella was seen in the audience with her father, Douglas Emhoff, Harris’s husband for the past decade, wearing the trending Harris-Walz camo hat to support her stepmother’s presidential campaign.
Ella Emhoff, who is 25 years old, is a model and fashion designer based in New York. She became a stepdaughter to Kamala Harris when Harris married Douglas Emhoff in 2014. Ella has a brother, Cole Emhoff, who is 30 and works in the entertainment industry. Harris affectionately refers to her stepchildren as “Momala.” The names of Cole and Ella were inspired by jazz legends, with Cole named after John Coltrane and Ella after Ella Fitzgerald. Ella graduated from the Parsons School of Design in May 2021, while Cole recently wed Greenley Littlejohn, with Harris officiating their October 2023 wedding.
On her social media, Ella Emhoff describes herself as a young artist and is involved in an initiative called Soft Hands Knit Club. In a candid post, she shared her experience of having a tethered spine, which caused her back to grow improperly and led to kyphosis. She underwent lower back surgery and noted the resulting chronic pain she experiences. Despite the challenges, she found comfort in the connections she made with others who relate to chronic pain, and she has shared her pain management methods, including a discussion on “ketamine” therapy.
Ella has also utilized her platform to encourage voter registration. While she was a prominent figure on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, it remains uncertain if she will take to the stage later this week. Her father, Doug Emhoff, is scheduled to speak on Tuesday, while Kamala Harris will conclude the convention with an acceptance speech on Thursday.