Kamala Harris becomes the first female, first Black and first South Asian Vice President-elect.
US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Saturday said that Americans have assured the beginning of a new dawn for the US by electing Joe Biden as their President, as she delivered a historic speech after the Democrats won the closely-fought presidential election. Now that the people of the country have given their mandate for the next four years, the real work begins, Harris said in her victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday night.
Harris took the opportunity to remember her mother Shyamala Gopalan, saying that her mother had prepared her for this day.
“And to the woman most responsible for my presence here today — my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who is always in our hearts. When she came here from India at the age of 19, maybe she didn’t quite imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible. So, I'm thinking about her and about all the previous generations of women — Black Women,” Harris, the first-ever woman vice president-elect of the United States, said. Harris further added that while she may be the first woman to occupy the vice president’s office, she would not be the last. She will also be the first-ever Indian-origin vice president, first-ever black and first-ever African-American vice president of the US.
Harris was born to immigrant parents: a Black father and an Indian mother. Her father, Donald Harris, was from Jamaica, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist was from Chennai.
“No matter who you voted for, I will strive to be the Vice President that Joe was to (former) president (Barack) Obama— loyal, honest and prepared, waking up every day thinking of you and your families. Because now is when the real work begins. You assured a new day for America,” Harris said in a powerful, emotional speech.
In her speech, she also thanked Asian, White, Latina and Native American women throughout America’s history who paved the way for this moment. Reflecting on their struggle, determination and the strength of their vision — to see what can be unburdened by what has been, Harris said that she stands by them.
“And what a testament it is to Joe’s character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his Vice President. Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before, and we will applaud you every step of the way,” Harris said.
The US VP-elect also said that the real work for Democrats begins now as they focus on beating the pandemic. “Have to put in the hard work. The necessary work. The good work. The essential work to save lives and beat this pandemic. To rebuild our economy so it works for working people. To root out systematic racism in our justice system and society. To combat the climate crisis. To unite our country and heal the soul of our nation,” she said.
However, Harris did acknowledge that the road ahead will not be easy. “But America is ready. And so are Joe and I. We have elected a president who represents the best in us. A leader the world will respect and our children can look up to. A commander in chief who will respect our troops and keep our country safe. And a President for all Americans,” she said.
Harris recollected the words of the late Congresswoman John Lewis, who said “Democracy is not a state. It is an act,” and said that the country should never take democracy for granted. “It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it and never take it for granted. And protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice. There is joy in it and there is progress. Because, ‘We The People’ have the power to build a better future,” Harris said.
“And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, with the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America,” Harris said as she thanked the American people who turning out in record numbers to cast their votes.
“I know times have been challenging, especially the last several months. The grief, sorrow and pain. The worries and the struggles. But we’ve also witnessed your courage, your resilience and the generosity of your spirit. For four years, you marched and organised for equality and justice, for our lives and for our planet,” she added.
She said that by voting, Americans delivered a clear message that they chose hope, unity, decency, science, and truth.
“You chose Joe Biden as the next President of the United States of America. Joe is a healer, uniter, tested and steady hand. A person whose own experience of loss gives him a sense of purpose that will help us, as a nation, reclaim our own sense of purpose. And a man with a big heart who loves with abandon,” Harris said.