Harris urges to ‘continue to strive to do the impossible’
INDIAN AMERICAN Impact Project hosted a first of its kind ‘Dream with Ambition' summit and gala with a call by Vice President Kamala Harris to ‘continue to lead with conviction, continue to strive to do the impossible.'
The event on Wednesday (18) to engage and mobilize the South Asian community and celebrate the AAPI Heritage Month featured over 300 prominent community members, according to a press release.
Besides Harris, all four Indian American US House members Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ami Bera, alongside celebrities, politicians and philanthropists, attended.
‘As you all know, when my mother was 19, she came to the United States from India to become a breast cancer researcher,' Harris, the first Indian American and first African American vice president recalled.
‘She raised my sister and me to believe that we could be anything and do anything, if we set our minds to it. She taught us to ‘Dream with Ambition' and so many of you gathered here today have something special in common. You see what can be unburdened by what has been.'
‘Every day, in communities across our nation, you are advancing equality, opportunity and justice. You are inspiring the next generation of leaders, and in particular — the next generation of South Asian leaders,' Harris said.
‘Today my message to you is this — let us always remember, what brought us to this moment and continue to dream with ambition, continue to lead with conviction, continue to strive to do the impossible.'
‘Historically, South Asians have been overlooked, underestimated, and underrepresented politically,' said Indian American Impact executive-director Neil Makhija.
‘But after witnessing so many community members and future leaders come together this week, it is clear that is a thing of the past,' he said. ‘At Impact, it is crucial for us to empower young South Asians to mobilize their friends and families to get involved in the political process.'