The presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris is making its latest appeal to Asian American voters by releasing an ad featuring her mother Shyamala Gopalan.
The 60-second advertisement, entitled “My Mother,” features Harris speaking about her mother at the Democratic National Convention in July, along with pictures and videos of Gopalan who died in 2009.
Harris, who spoke at the convention, said that her mother was an intelligent 5-foot-tall woman of color with an accent. “She taught to never complain but to take action against injustice.”
She claims that her mother’s words motivated her to become an attorney and later to run for public office. Gopalan was a breast cancer researcher who emigrated to the United States from India at 19 years old.
Gopalan was born and raised in Chennai, a city in South India. Her family is composed of civil servants. Her father was an advocate of India’s fight for independence against the British. Gopalan got involved in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement at Berkeley. This is how she met Donald Harris, Harris’ father.
“As her eldest, I witnessed how the world treated her at times.” Harris stated in her DNC address that her mother “never lost her cool”.
The advertisement features images of Asians at work, playing cards, on their porch, and shopping in ethnic grocery stores.
The ad ends with: “On behalf of myself, my mother, and all Americans who are like those I grew up around — people who strive to achieve their goals, care for others, and work hard — I accept your nomination as president of the United States of America.”
