Actor Priyanka Chopra took to social media to express her happiness as Indian origin US Senator Kamala Harris was chosen as the running mate for Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden. She called it a historical and a transformational moment.
She wrote on Instagram: “This is a historical, transformational, and proud moment for all women. All women of colour, all Black women, and all South Asian women. Congratulations @kamalaharris on becoming the first Black woman and FIRST PERSON of Indian descent to compete on a major U.S. party’s presidential ticket.#representationmatters PS: To my younger self – look how far we have come!”
Kamala’s selection is historic on many fronts – she is the first Asian-American on a major presidential ticket. Kamala is now the first American of Indian and Asian descent to run for vice-president. She is also the first African American of a major party and only the third woman yet to run for that office, after Democrat Geraldine Ferraro and Republican Sarah Palin.
Kamala comes from an impressive academic background – herself a graduate from Howard University, her mother is Chennai-born Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher, while her father Donald Harris, a Jamaican, taught at Stanford University.
Priyanka, on her part, has always spoken out against prejudice. At the time of George Floyd’s shocking death, she had written on Instagram “please, let me breathe”, repeat his last words. “There is so much work to be done and it needs to starts at an individual level on a global scale. We all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and end this hate. End this race war here in the US, and around the world. Wherever you live, whatever your circumstances, NO ONE deserves to die, especially at the hands of another because of their skin color.”
