Charting a New Way Forward for South Asian Americans
This election, we have the power to turn the page on the chaos of the past and create a brighter future worthy of our families.
At 19 years old, my mother, Shyamala Harris, crossed the world alone, traveling from India to the United States. My mother had two goals in her life: to raise her two daughters, my sister Maya and me, and to cure breast cancer.
Growing up, my mother raised my sister and me to appreciate and honor our heritage. Nearly every other year, we would go to India for Diwali. We would spend time with our grandparents, our uncles, and our chitthis. And as Vice President, it has been my honor to host Diwali celebrations in my home — the Vice President’s Residence. Not only to celebrate the holiday, but to celebrate the rich history, culture, and heritage of the South Asian American diaspora, which is bound together by a shared sense of possibility and belief in the promise of America.