Ahead of Harris' DNC speech, South Asian residents say her candidacy inspires them

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

From her home in suburban West Chicago, Patel has been penning postcards to send to voters in North Carolina. And while she was trying to figure out a way to get into the United Center to hear Harris speak Thursday night, she said she would likely watch the Democratic National Convention from her home.

“Hearing Vice President Kamala Harris talk about her cultural background and how much it means to her and how much family has impacted the way that she’s grown up,” she said. “The values and traditions that have been instilled in her by her mother, and how much everything has shaped her to be the person that she is today. Seeing that makes me feel excited for future possibilities.”

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

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

“The overall enthusiasm that is coming from that shared identity and relatability,” she said. “It’s hope for future generations that you can do anything you put your mind to, these opportunities are available, and it’s important for us to see that representation.”

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

Many of her friends who she’s spoken to about Harris say the most pressing campaign issue is the growing demand for Democrats to take a stronger stance on the war in Gaza. While Patel didn’t join protesters this week, she does think Harris should listen to them.

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

Sona Shah, of Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, said she knows the issue around Gaza will be an important factor ahead of the presidential election.

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

Shah, whose parents migrated to the United States from India, said she also feels inspired and encouraged by Harris’ candidacy for presidency, and she plans to get more involved in the campaign as the election nears. It’s a level of representation she said the South Asian community has never seen before until now.

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

“Growing up that was a big thing — the balance of different cultures, American culture, Indian culture,” Shah said. “The struggles of starting from the ground up when you didn’t know anybody in this country, but that’s what America provides. We provide opportunity, and we provide the American dream. And I think with her as president, that will be more true than ever.”