Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a crowd of Indian-Americans this week, stressing the importance of South Asians running for office and saying they are underrepresented compared to the size of the group in the United States. Stated.
Indian Americans are now the most populous “single Asian” group in the country, surpassing Chinese Americans in September. This means that 4.4 million people identified themselves as “single Indian,” or 100% Indian, in the 2020 U.S. Census, an increase of 55% in 10 years.
Despite this, only five of the 535 members of Congress are Indian-American. Harris called for a change in his remarks Wednesday at the nonprofit organization Indian American Impact's annual summit “Decis Decid” in Washington, D.C.
“Over the years, we have seen a tremendous increase in Indian American participation in election campaigns,” Harris said. “However, the numbers still do not reflect the scale of population growth.”
She encouraged the group to get involved in every way possible and to consider the upcoming election as crucial to their lives. Sixty-eight percent of Indian Americans support the Democratic Party, making them one of the most progressive Asian American groups.
Experts say Indian-Americans are a demographic that politicians cannot ignore this election season, as they could be a decisive vote in some areas with high concentrations of Indian-Americans. It states that there is. But despite the vice president's appeal to South Asians at the event, the community views both her and President Joe Biden with a critical eye. Many people have mixed feelings.
Karthik Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data, told NBC News last month that President Biden's approval ratings among the AAPI community are declining. Biden's approval rating among Indian American voters is 43%.
Harris' approval rating among Indian voters has fallen from 62% in 2022 to 56% in 2023.
The progressive group Hindus for Human Rights staged a walkout during Harris' speech at the Decis Summit, protesting the Biden administration's response to Israel's war in Gaza.
“Our tradition of speaking out against injustice is part of a long and proud political movement inspired by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” the group said in a news release. made their faith the basis of their social and political activities.” . “Just as they fought for the rights and dignity of all people, we too are fighting against the ongoing genocide in Gaza and elsewhere.”
This is an important issue for young South Asian voters this season, some of whom are wondering whether to vote Democratic for the first time in their lives.
“Our strike was a direct expression of our beliefs and pain on these issues. We believe it is our moral obligation to hold government officials accountable, regardless of platform. ” said the Hindu human rights group.
In her speech at the summit, Harris emphasized the importance of expressing a desire for change at the voting booth.
“I think this election, which is six months away, is asking a question for each of us,” she said. “What kind of world do we want to live in? What kind of country do we want to live in? One way to answer that question is to hold public office and participate in elections, knowing that the outcome of elections is fundamentally important.” That's what I do.''
Although Indian Americans still don't see themselves as prominently represented in government, Harris is confident that change is coming for them. She used herself as proof of that.
“You end up finding yourself in a room where you're the only person who looks like you, the only person who has your life experiences,” she says. “You have to know that you are not alone. There is still a lot of work to do as a country. And much of the work that each of us is doing is because that is why we are gathered here. I am born of a belief in the promise of America. And I dare say I am the empirical proof of the promise of America.”
