Days after anxiously awaiting the 2020 election results, communities of color celebrated a historical win as news broke of Joe Biden as president-elect and Kamala Harris as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian American vice president-elect. During her victory speech Saturday, Harris paid tribute to her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, an Indian woman who immigrated to California as a teenager.
Not only did Desi (South Asian) Twitter take this opportunity to celebrate Biden and Harris’ win as a proud moment for Indian mothers and women of color who have daughters, but as an “early Diwali present.” The presidential 2020 election results came days before the Indian festival of lights.
Indian Americans not only celebrated seeing someone who “looked like them” as vice president and a role model for future generations, they celebrated other electoral victories as well, including four Indian American Democrats being reelected into Congress. Together with Harris, these four Democratic Indian American lawmakers, including Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, and Pramila Jaypal, have been dubbed the “Samosa Caucus.” (In case you don’t know, samosas are a delicious South Asian snack.)
But the celebrations and cutesy nicknames don’t end there. Desi Twitter was at it with shoutouts to Kamala Aunty and her historical win throughout this weekend, from sharing the importance of representation to inside jokes.
Not sure if Harris knows how to bhangra, but if she doesn’t, I’m open to giving lessons.
Of course, someone had to bring up the competitive nature of success many South Asians have grown up hearing about.
Let’s not forget that badass sweatshirt that quickly sold out: It read “Vote For Aunty” with Harris depicted in Indian clothing.
Who said South Asian women can only be doctors, lawyers, and engineers? Screw that stereotype. We can be and do anything.
The amount of WhatsApp messages South Asian family members sent have been breaking records. #IYKYK
And how could I not include this clip of Rep. Jayapal? I mean, look at her—she’s just so cute.
But while it is to be celebrated that Harris is of Indian descent, it is also essential for South Asians to remember her Black roots. With an Indian mother and Jamaican father, Harris is equally as Black as she is Indian. The South Asian community cannot erase half of her identity and celebrate only one. Confronting anti-black racism as a South Asian is of utmost importance. Anti-blackness lives in the roots of South Asian culture. It manifests itself in our ideologies of beauty and other traditions, often subconsciously.
Without even realizing it, we as South Asians often continue a culture of anti-blackness through traditions like applying haldi to our faces, purchasing products with bleaching characteristics, and habits like staying away from the sun. The fear of becoming dark-skinned is rooted in a culture of anti-Blackness we too often fail to acknowledge.
While accepting our color, race, and culture for what it is, we should not look down on others because there are oppressive forces impacting them in ways that do not impact us. South Asians often embody the model minority myth that is built on the pillars of anti-blackness and thus benefit from anti-blackness because it allows us to not be the target. We participate in it by condemning dark skin, and by allowing anti-blackness to continue internally within our communities. We are not succeeding by conforming to this way of thinking but instead failing ourselves by strengthening and empowering white supremacy. Unlearning these ideologies is essential to growth as a community, and while it cannot happen overnight, it’s possible.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, the world has increased its attention to racism, and brands too have taken to rebranding and eliminating products that perpetuate anti-blackness. But this is not enough—we need to address these issues at their roots and dismantle the racist ideology that “Black is lesser.” South Asians—specifically South Asian Americans—have a lot to thank Black movements for. The civil rights movement allowed Desi Americans to immigrate to the U.S. Without it, racially motivated policies would still be in place. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Hart-Celler Act), a part of civil rights legislation, allowed for immigration to be open for all Asian countries. We are here because of Black folks, and we must stop considering ourselves better.
Let’s celebrate Harris, not just for being Indian American but for being an American who identifies as both Black and Indian.