Who Are Cole And Ella Emhoff? All About Kamala Harris' Stepchildren

To us, she's Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States. To Ella and Cole Emhoff she is 'Momala', their stepmother who according to them is an "endless source of love and pure joy." They are the children of Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, from his previous marriage to Kerstin Mackin. Despite the complexities that come with blended families, the duo has embraced a strong, loving bond with the 59-year-old politician. 

Ella Emhoff: Gen Z Fashion Icon

Ella Emhoff is an artist and model who pursued fine arts at Parsons School of Design, New York. The 25-year-old is signed on by the IMG modelling agency, an enterprise that has represented the likes of iconic supermodels Kate Moss, Gisele Bündchen, Tyra Banks, and more. She turned heads at the US Presidential swearing-in ceremony when she turned up in a luxurious Miu Miu coat.

Reportedly named after the 'Queen of Jazz' Ella Fitzgerald, Emhoff has come to be known for her offbeat trendiness, evidenced by the title - The First Daughter of Bushwick - she has been unanimously awarded. Bushwick is a part of Brooklyn that, according to BBC, is "a cool area" matching the tone of Emhoff's "hipster penchant for DIY knitting and sticker tattoos."  Ella has also founded a knitting and crocheting community called Soft Hands Knit Club.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ella emhoff (@ellaemhoff)

In an old interview with Vogue, Emhoff was quoted saying, "I love New York for its fashion community, especially the parts that are created through Instagram." She, herself, is active on the social media platform, exhibiting self-made crochet designs, knitwear, and neon accessories. Her Instagram pictures show her proudly flaunting body hair and unfiltered face with confidence.

Emhoff is understood to represent the pulse of this generation's youth, which disregards convention, is unafraid of judgment, and above all, strives to be comfortable in their own skin. "Ella communicates this moment in time. There's a cheekiness and a joy she exudes," the IMG agency president told The New York Times upon signing her.

Harris, too, has previously given Emhoff a shoutout from the Democratic National Convention stage, when in 2019, during a speech she said, "Family is my husband Doug. Family is our beautiful children, Cole and Ella, who as you just heard, call me Momala." Both Emhoff children reportedly share a great relationship with their stepmother, Harris. 

Cole Emhoff: Film Buff

Cole Emhoff is a filmmaker just like his mother Kerstin, according to IMDb. The 30-year-old has reportedly worked as an assistant on several popular films including the 2020 hit Korean-American drama Minari and the 2022 remake of Father of the Bride. In October 2023, Kamala Harris officiated Cole's wedding to Greenley Littlejohn.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @coleemhoff

In a 2021 interview with NYT, Cole shared what it is like having the US VP as a stepmom, "It’s weird to turn on CNN and see my dad. I’m like, “Wait, you don’t belong there! But I guess you do?” It feels completely unprecedented for us because we haven’t really been around politics our entire life. We’re still kind of getting used to it."

Cole was named after celebrated American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, according to an essay in Elle Magazine written by Harris. She described in the piece how the family spends time together around the table for Sunday dinners and that it's Cole who "sets the table and picks the music."