Indian Americans are celebrating the historic win of Kamala Harris as the first female, first Black and first vice president of South Asian descent after major news outlets called the winners on Saturday.
thinking about Shyamala and all the Indian moms out there feeling the emotions my mom is feeling right now; to vote for, and elect, someone who was raised around the same food, the same discipline, the same culture. pic.twitter.com/g7wp0D3Qs1
— vibhor mathur (@vibhormathur_) November 8, 2020
Thrilled for this early Deepavali present (festival is next weeknd). Throwback to the Deepavali party hosted by @JoeBiden @DrBiden at their home 4 years ago now. Excited to finally have a woman of color – of Black and South-Asian heritage – as Veep – many congrats @KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/fNJQfADLL0
— Priyamvada Natarajan (@SheerPriya) November 7, 2020
Celebrities of Indian descent, including Mindy Kaling, Kal Penn, Lilly Singh and Tiya Sircar, among others, were ecstatic about the historic moment.
Crying and holding my daughter, “look baby, she looks like us.” pic.twitter.com/Gy4MAPoNjy
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) November 7, 2020
Joe Biden & Kamala Harris. The week of Diwali, no less. 🇺🇸🪔🇺🇸❤️ pic.twitter.com/5WkqApxyTL
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) November 7, 2020
BALLE BALLE AUNTY JI!!! @KamalaHarris congratulations on a historic win!!
Time to drop that secret celebratory video I’ve been holding onto!
— Lilly Singh #SketchyTimes streaming NOW! (@Lilly) November 7, 2020
Nothing but respect for my President (-Elect), Joseph R. Biden. Proud of America for choosing hope and decency and integrity. pic.twitter.com/nT0V6PP7rv
— Tiya Sircar (She/Her) (@tiyasircar) November 7, 2020
How amazing is it that we have a Black Desi woman as VP? To all the Black and South Asian girls out there: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!!
— Amina Akhtar (@Drrramina) November 7, 2020
Thinking about all the brown & black girls who will see themselves in @KamalaHarris and will grow up knowing that they can be anything. #MadamVicePresident pic.twitter.com/QPO9gBHZKy
— Opal Vadhan (@OpalVadhan) November 7, 2020
RIP Indian family WhatsApps
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) November 7, 2020
I’ve been telling my daughters they can be whatever they want when they grow up. Today I believe it! #KamalaHarris #SouthAsiansForBiden https://t.co/4q8RYy4VY8
— Rizwan Manji (@Riz_Manji) November 7, 2020
Woke up to this text from my mom. 😭
And then she told me to run through the streets waving my Kamala shirt around so I’m gonna go do that.
MADAM VICE PRESIDENT @KamalaHarris!!! PRESIDENT @JoeBiden!!!
History made. A qualified president elect. The. Exhale.
😭💙😭💙😭💙 pic.twitter.com/3CD12cVSuA
— Sarayu Blue (@sarayublue) November 7, 2020
Kamala is by no means perfect. But I did not grow up in a country where it ever seemed possible to be a women of color and a Vice President much less a Black and Indian woman VP. It is hard to put into words what it means to know that the future generations of my family will.
— Johana Bhuiyan (@JMBooyah) November 7, 2020
First female VP.
First Black VP.
First South Asian VP.
A daughter of immigrants.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Vice President Kamala Harris.
BOOM.
— Wajahat “Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic” Ali (@WajahatAli) November 7, 2020
Meanwhile, people from Harris’ ancestral village of Thulasendrapuram in the town of Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu in India also celebrated her win out on the streets by dancing, cheering and lighting firecrackers.
Thousands of miles away from Washington DC, the Indian village where Kamala Harris’ maternal grandfather was born is celebrating the new US vice-president-elect #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/vi6UwPZx8K
— BBC World Service (@bbcworldservice) November 8, 2020
Biden, 77, secured two key states — Nevada and Pennsylvania — to give him 290 total electoral votes, CBS News reported.
It’s a privilege in this nation to see a reflection of yourself in exchange. Thanking #JoeBiden for selecting #KamalaHarris as his #VicePresident, and thanking all the Americans & #BlackVoters for voting for #BidenHarris2020. #FirstFemaleVP #AboutTIME #FirstFemaleVicePresident pic.twitter.com/4FbvxJQiHC
— I Am Neecha 🌷🎀💖🌹💞👠💐 #BidenHarris2020 (@AuthorJoeNBrown) November 9, 2020
Illinois Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi described Harris’ win as “a transformative, meaningful moment for our country” in a statement via National Public Radio.
Here’s my statement on the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/bJWKVKd0Xi
— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) November 7, 2020
“As an Indian American, I’m very grateful that my children will see Kamala Harris, along with Joe Biden, as a role model when she enters office,” Krishnamoorthi, who was born in India, said. “I know she’ll work to further progress the United States has made in representation and equality, and countless people will be inspired by her example.”
The U.S.-India Business Council and U.S. India Political Action Committee also congratulated Harris and Biden for winning the election on Sunday.
Before the election, 65% of Indian Americans chose to vote for Biden, while 28% said they would vote for Trump in the election, according to a survey conducted by AAPI Data.
Feature Image via Getty
