Kuppa reflects on election of Kamala Harris
First Indian immigrant in state Legislature: ‘She is a role model for women everywhere’
When Padma Kuppa was elected state representative for Troy and Clawson two years ago, she was the first immigrant from India and the first Hindu to serve in the Michigan Legislature.
The expected election of Kamala Harris as vice president will bring even more firsts to the second- highest elected office in the United States.
Harris is the first Black elected as vice president. The first woman. The first child of immigrants. The first person of South Asian descent. Her mother was
born in India and her father was a Black man from Jamaica.
“I was happy to break a glass ceiling and I’m happy that Kamala Harris is breaking even more barriers,” Kuppa said. “She is a role model for women everywhere.”
Born in India, Kuppa came to the United States as a young child. She grew up on the East Coast but has been in Michigan for 22 years. Before her election to the state House, she worked as an engineer. The Biden-Harris campaign invited Kuppa and several other Democratic Indian-American legislators from Washington state, Virginia and elsewhere to serve on a panel that made virtual campaign appearances.
She concentrated most of her efforts over the past several months on her re-election campaign for the state
House’s 41st District.
She wanted to return for another term in Lansing to continue addressing issues that are important to her — education, the environment, protecting the Great Lakes and maintaining medical insurance for people with preexisting conditions.
A naturalized citizen, she is proud of her Indian heritage but says, “I feel more rooted here.”
She is aware that she, and perhaps Harris, may face those who think they don’t belong in decision-making positions.
“There are always those unique voices,” she said. Overall, she said, residents in her district have been welcoming.
She recalled one constituent from a gun rights organization who said she should learn English and read the Constitution.
“I didn’t know what to say. I’ve read the Constitution. I know English. My father was an English professor,” she said.