‘You’re my best friend and I love you’
5-year-old’s meeting with VP made a lasting impression
WEST HAVEN — Days after meeting Vice President Kamala Harris at the West Haven Child Development Center, 5-year-old Galya Nkwenti said she wants to tell Harris, “You’re my best friend and I love you.”
“Her hair is beautiful,” Galya also said of Harris, who told Galya and her pre-K classmates that they can be anything they want to be.
Mercy Ambe Mbu said her daughter was still talking about the visit days later.
Galya had a precocious and heartwarming exchange with Harris when the vice president made a stop at the pre-K program Friday during a visit to Connecticut.
Harris told the children, “You can be anything you want to be,” to which Galya replied, “I want to be everything.”
Although Galya said she wants to be nurse, she told
her mother that if she were to go into government work she wants to be president.
“I want to be the president (if going into government). I remember the vice president told me I can be anything I want,” she told her mom.
Inspiring exchanges between Galya and Harris were caught on video – Galya is watching it over and over on YouTube —
and her mom, a registered nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital, wasn’t surprised her independent and outgoing daughter engaged Harris in such a compelling conversation.
“I’m always proud of Galya,” said Mbu. “I’m happy for this event that it will leave a positive mark on my daughter’s life … a memory that will be motivation for her to pursue her dreams.”
The visit was a surprise to parents at the pre-K program who were told only that the children would be staying late for a special activity, Mbu said. When Mbu dropped off Galya that Friday, the girl had to undo her coat and show nothing was hidden. That’s when parents were told about the special visit.
At the program, Harris spoke to 14 three- to fiveyear-olds, accompanied by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, and federal Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, who originally is from Connecticut.
When Harris walked in, the children were seated on a floor mat and Galya scooted to the front and said, “I’ve been waiting for you. I wanted to talk to you.”
In response to that, Harris said to the group of children squealing with delight, “This is like the best part of my day to see you guys.”
Then Galya, dressed in a yellow shirt and gray mask, said above the noise – politely – “Do you know what’s my name? It’s Galya – G-a-l-y-a.” A couple of other children said their name, as well, and Cardona, seemingly touched by the interest in Harris’ visit, said in a warm voice, “Oh, wow.”
Harris then sat crosslegged on the carpet and the children sat around her, Galya right by her side. Galya introduced all the children to the vice president, naming them one by one.
“You can’t do this on Zoom,” Cardona remarked.
Galya asked Harris how she liked being vice president and Harris replied, “I kind of like it.”
Harris asked the children: “What did you guys do today?” Galya quickly offered that she had breakfast, lunch and snack.
Harris told the children, “I love meeting our young leaders and that’s why I am here to meet with you.”
Cardona said of the visit, “I think this was like fuel for our hearts.”
Mbu, who came to the United States from the
African country of Cameroon in 2013, said Galya wasn’t necessarily tuned into Harris prior to the visit, but the family talks in general terms about the president and vice president.
When Mbu told Galya she would be talking to a reporter, her daughter instructed her: “Make sure you tell them I still love the vice president because she loves all the kids and she is kind.”
Mbu said that after she dropped off Galya at school Friday and told Galya’s aunt the vice president was coming, the aunt immediately said, “I know Galya will stand up and talk to the vice president.”
She was right and Galya is still talking about the meeting.
Mbu said Galya has always had an independent streak — at 2 if she couldn’t get her pants on correctly, she would cry, but refuse help and say, “I can do it by myself.”
Galya came home Friday “screaming at the top of her voice, “‘Mommy, I met the vice president,’” Mbu said.
Galya said she also likes that people are telling her she is “famous” on YouTube.