Kamala Harris said that her mother, a Tamil Indian-American, would take her and sister to India because she wanted her daughters to understand where she had come from. Kamala Harris also recalled her mother's attempts to instil the love for “idlis” in her and sister.
Kamala Harris is Joe Biden's US vice presidential pick (Photo: AP)
Kamala Harris made her first appearance as Joe Biden's vice-presidential pick in an event, ''South Asians for Biden'', organised by the Indian-American community on August 15 where she spoke about her mother, a Tamil Indian-American, and the "long walks" with her grandfather in Chennai. Kamala Harris also extended wishes to India and the Indian-Americans on the 74th Independence Day of the country.
Kamala Harris said, "To the people of India and Indian-Americans all across the United States, I want to wish you a happy India Independence Day. On August 15, 1947, men and women all over India rejoiced in the declaration of the independence of the country of India. On August 15, 2020, I stand before you as the first candidate for vice-president of the United States, of South Asian descent."
The event focused on the Biden-Harris campaign and the importance of the huge Indian-American vote-bank that would be critical in many critical states of the United States.
Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made their opening remarks at the event where the former introduced the latter to the forum and also spoke of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan's influence on Harris.
"Our dear friend will be the first Indian-American Vice-President in the history of the United States, Kamala Harris. We all know she is smart, she is tested, she is prepared but another thing that makes Kamala so inspiring is her mother's immigrant story to America, which started in India with the pure courage that brought her daughters to this moment. I know, I know the pride you feel, it's your story too for your sacrifices and your family's courage. You've become pillars in our communities and country," Joe Biden said.
Kamala Harris also spoke of the people who have been her real inspiration and how that has kept her connected to her roots.
The biggest influence being her mother, Kamala Harris said, "When my mother Shymala stepped off the plane in California as a 19-year-old, she didn't have much in the way of belongings but she carried with her the lessons from back home, including ones she had learned from her parents, my grandmother Rajam and my grandfather PV Gopalan. They taught her when you see injustice in the world, you have an obligation to do something about it which is what inspired my mother to march and shout on the streets of Oakland at the height of the civil rights movement."
Striking the right cord by invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Kamala Harris added, "A movement whose leaders, including Dr Martin Luther King Jr, were themselves inspired by the nonviolent activism of Mahatama Gandhi; it was during those protests that my mother met my father."
Human rights, pluralism, democracy, and fight for equality are going to be pillars of Kamala Harris' social policies.
Joe Biden said like he was for Barack Obama, Kamala Harris would have to be the "conscience keeper" and tell him the truth, even if they were inconvenient ones.
"And as Barack Obama asked of me, I am asking Kamala Harris to be the last person in the room to ask the tough questions of me, provide counsel and most of all represent the belief in possibilities. On this day that celebrates that very idea, let's continue to deepen the bond that endures between our nations and our people," Joe Biden said in his address to the Indian-American community.
Kamala Harris spoke of the advice she got from her grandparents, especially her grandfather, PV Gopalan, who would tell Harris about "heroes" who were involved in the freedom struggle in India, during their visits to erstwhile Madras (Chennai).
Taking a trip down memory lane, Kamala Harris recalled her mother's attempts to "instil a love of good idli" in her and sister Maya.
"In Madras, I would go on long walks with my grandfather, who, at that point, was retired and we would take morning walks where I would hold his hand and he would tell me about the heroes who were responsible for the birth of the world's biggest democracy. And he would explain that it's on us to pick up where they left off," she said.
She asserted that the South Asian community is a closely-knit family because of the value system they share and promise to take those values forward and make it part of her governance tool should she become the VP.
"The reason that there is kinship amongst all those from the South Asian diaspora, no matter how diverse our backgrounds maybe is because we also share a set of values. Values forged by overcoming colonial past not only in one nation but two. Values of tolerance, pluralism, and diversity," she said, adding, "And reflecting on the past 73 years, it's remarkable how much progress people have made in the fight for justice and we should be proud; but we wouldn't be if we didn't commit ourselves to build a better future."
Source : IndiaToday
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