Chicago: US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and African heritage, on Thursday night accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, becoming the second woman to do so for the Democratic Party.
At the convention, Harris remembered her mother Shyamala Gopalan and said that she misses her every day, especially when she is on the verge of breaking the highest glass ceiling of the United States.
“America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys,” Harris, 59, said.
“My mother Shyamala Harris had one of her own. I miss her every day--especially now. And I know she’s looking down tonight, and smiling,” she said.
Harris said her mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, travelling from India to California with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.
"... It was mostly my mother who raised us. Before she could finally afford to buy a home, she rented a small apartment in the East Bay. In the Bay, you either live in the hills or the flatlands. We lived in the flats -- a beautiful working-class neighbourhood of firefighters, nurses, and construction workers, all of whom tended their lawns with pride," said Harris. Shyamala Gopalan migrated to the US at the age of 19 to pursue higher studies.
Published 23 August 2024, 02:56 IST