Pearls have long been favored by women in politics. Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris wore pearls for her first public appearance with running mate Joe Biden, speaking at a podium at a high school gymnasium in Delaware. She favors pearls but for different reasons. She wore a single-strand pearl necklace and drop earrings in her 1986 graduation picture from Howard University, where she was part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. AKA---the first Black Greek-letter sorority---has a legendary story in which they refer to their founding members and incorporators as the Twenty Pearls. Each new member is given a special badge decorated with 20 pearls upon initiation. It's not unusual for a sorority to have its own symbolic elements---Kappa Alpha Theta has the kite, Delta Gamma the anchor----but the pearl may be the most wearable of them all.
Useful links:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/08/kamala-harris-pearl-necklace-symbolism-beyond-politics
https://ireneneuwirth.com
