Ahead of Harris’ speech to Democratic National Committee, South Asian residents say her candidacy inspires them

Dimple Patel has always been interested in politics, but it wasn’t until Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president earlier this summer that she took action, joining virtual calls, organizing groups and attending her first political event.

From her home in Chicago’s western suburbs, Patel wrote postcards to send to voters in North Carolina. And as she tried to figure out how to get to the United Center to hear Harris speak Thursday night, she said she’ll likely watch the Democratic National Convention from home.

“Hearing Vice President Kamala Harris talk about her cultural background and how important that is to her, and how her family impacted the way she grew up,” she said. “The values ​​and traditions that her mother instilled in her, and how that shaped her into the person she is today. Seeing that makes me excited about what the future holds.”

If Harris is elected president in November, she will become the first Black and South Asian woman to hold the nation’s highest office. Speakers at the Democratic National Convention this week referenced Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, and her personal story of coming to the United States from India.

The possibility of Harris becoming president filled Patel — who emigrated to the United States from India as a child — with a sense of inspiration and hope she hasn’t felt in a long time. This week, Patel attended an event for South Asian leaders hosted by Indian American Impact, a national group that mobilizes political power within the South Asian community.

“The general excitement that comes from this shared identity and this closeness,” she said. “It’s a hope for future generations to be able to do whatever you want, these opportunities are available and it’s important for us to see that representation.”

She would like to see a Harris presidency bring more awareness to issues facing the South Asian community, such as immigration policies, diversity initiatives, more affordable education and accessibility to health care and mental health support.

Many of the friends she has spoken to about Harris say the most pressing issue in the campaign is the growing demand for Democrats to take a tougher stance on the Gaza war. Even though Patel hasn’t joined the protesters this week, she thinks Harris should listen to them.

“It is important that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign address the situation unfolding in Gaza,” Patel said.

Sona Shah, of Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, said she knew the Gaza issue would be a major factor ahead of the presidential election.

“We are much better off with Kamala as president than any other alternative,” she said. “I don’t necessarily agree with every policy, but that’s true of every administration.”

Shah, whose parents immigrated to the United States from India, said she also feels inspired and encouraged by Harris’ presidential bid, and plans to get more involved in the campaign as the election approaches. It’s a level of representation she said the South Asian community has never seen before.

She would like Harris to include in her speech Thursday night how her cultural background will bring a different perspective to the policies her administration might implement.

“That was something that was really important to me growing up — the balance between different cultures, American culture and Indian culture,” Shah said. “It was a struggle to start from scratch when I didn’t know anyone in this country, but that’s what America offers. We offer opportunity and we offer the American dream. And I think with her as president, that’s going to be more true than ever.”