The Truths We Hold: An American Journey

While Harris acknowledges the immense importance of activist movements and their influence on her values and upbringing, she also presents a case for changing the system from within, arguing that meaningful reform and progress can be achieved by working within existing institutions and structures. Throughout the book, Harris demonstrates how this approach has guided her career and shaped her vision for effective governance and social change.

Harris shares how she was raised in the civil rights movement, and how this impacted her view of political change: “I knew part of making change was what I’d seen all my life, surrounded by adults shouting and marching and demanding justice from the outside” (25). Harris explains that she came to realize that “there was an important role on the inside, sitting at the table where the decisions were being made” (25). As an adult, she decided that “[w]hen activists came marching and banging on the doors, I wanted to be on the other side to let them in” (25). This belief helped shape her desire to become a prosecutor.

Despite the skepticism of some who viewed the role of prosecutor as perpetuating injustice, Harris saw it as an opportunity to effect change. She explains, “I knew this history well, of innocent men framed, of charges brought against people of color without sufficient evidence, of prosecutors hiding information that would exonerate defendants, of the disproportionate application of the law” (25). Yet rather than rejecting the system entirely, Harris chose to work within it, believing that her presence and perspective could contribute to positive change. This decision reflects her belief that true reform often requires engaging with existing institutions.

Harris’s approach to reforming the San Francisco District Attorney’s office further illustrates her commitment to changing systems from within. Upon joining the office, Harris encountered numerous challenges, including outdated practices and low morale. She describes the situation: “At the time, the San Francisco DA’s office had a dubious reputation. I was concerned by stories of dysfunction in the office” (33). Instead of becoming discouraged, Harris saw this as an opportunity to implement reforms from within. Her efforts to modernize the office, improve efficiency, and boost morale demonstrate how working within a flawed system can lead to meaningful improvements.

Harris’s work on addressing the issue of sexually exploited youth provides another example of her approach to changing systems from within. She acted from her position within the City Attorney’s office: “I started by co-founding a task force to study the issues of sexually exploited youth. We put together a group of experts, survivors, and advocates to help guide the work” (35). This initiative led to concrete policy changes, including the establishment of a safe house for exploited youth and increased focus on investigating brothels. By leveraging her position within the system, Harris was able to create tangible improvements in how the city addressed this complex issue.

In conclusion, the theme of changing the system from within is a central tenet of Harris’s approach to public service and social reform as presented in The Truths We Hold. Through her career choices and specific initiatives, Harris demonstrates that working within existing structures can be an effective means of achieving meaningful change, and that this work can complement the work of activists. This approach offers a nuanced perspective on reform, suggesting that progress often comes not from wholesale rejection of existing systems, but from dedicated efforts to improve them from the inside.