Kamala Harris will not join California's governor's race

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not be running for Governor of California.

For months speculation has been rampant about the future of Harris, the Democrats nominee for President in 2020. Would she throw her hat into an already crowded race to become governor of California?

In a social media post this morning, the  alifornia-born Indian American, answered the question.

“I love this state, its people and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,” she posted Wednesday.

“For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office,” she said in her post. “I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”

If she had chosen to throw her hat in the ring to lead the state, most political watchers said she would have won handily as the state's former Attorney General and US Senator.

In 2020, Harris was unsucessful in her race for President against eventual winner Donald Trump. Her campaign was hampered by the late late withdrawal of President Joe Biden therefore not giving her enough time to gain national support.

Her decision leaves open the possibility of another run for the Presidency in 2028. While she would become the best known of the possible Democratic candidates, she must overcome the negative memory associated with her defeat in 2024. There is also a half-dozen other strong potential candidates already jockeying for national recognition.

Below, is Kamala Harris' statement:

If Harris had entered the governor's race, she would have become the frontrunner but her decision leaves the contest wide open, especially for the Democrats. Thus far, the Democrats have a deep bench of well-known candidates, including: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis; Secretary of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; Xavier Becerra, who led the Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden; former Rep. Katie Porter; Toni Atkins, who served as both California Senate president pro tempore and California House speaker; former State Comptroller Betty Yee; and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

        RELATED: Attorney General Rob Bonta steps away from governor's race

Among Republicans, Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff and Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator and author have thrown their hats into the gubernatorial ring. 

California has an open primary. The top two finishers, regardless of party affiliation, will runoff against each other. In deep blue California, it is possible for two Democrats to wind up in an expensive campaign to lead the state.

Several of the Democrats said they would withdraw from the contest if Harris decides to run. However, with Harris no longer possibility, the race for governor can begin in earnest. Candidates can now start knocking on donors' doors who had also hedging their bets as they waited to hear from Harris. 

“It finally begins the race; it’s almost like the starting gun truly goes off now,” Democratic strategist Kevin Liao tells KQED. “Now I expect these donors are getting plenty of calls from the other candidates starting today, and it really allows these candidates to flesh out their vision for the state without this looming presence of Harris.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a developing story. Check back later for updates and reactions. For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge. Now on BlueSky.

Watching the AAPI vote in Nevada and Georgia

ANALYSIS 

Watch the AAPI voters in Nevada, Georgia and elsewhere to determine the influence of these politically engaged communities.

If the polls are to be believed (and there is plenty of reasons to doubt their methodology as it relates to the modern voter) the Presidential contest is a virtual tie.

Even though millions of voters have all ready cast their ballots, the bulk of voters will be voting Tuesday, Nov. 5. They enjoy the act of going to a polling place and marking their ballots and then dropping their ballot in the ballot box.

Unfortunately, in some states, especially in the Red states whose legislators have tried to make voting more burdensome and difficult. Expect long lines late into the night. There might even be harassment, typical of bullies, most of whom appear to be Trump supporters. Not only do they harangue or mislead people standing in line, they have also been threatening poll workers.

Regarding the AAPI electorate, from NPR:

"If Latinos are the largest-growing demographic group, Asian Americans are the fastest. And since 2008, they have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats. They could have the biggest impact in Nevada, where they are more than 9% of the eligible-voter population. They were 5% of the electorate in the state in 2020 and went for Biden by a 64%-35% margin.

"They could also be crucial in places like Georgia. The AAPI population in the state has grown by more than 50% since 2010. While only about 3% of eligible voters in Georgia, there were more than 45,000 first-time AAPI voters in the state in 2020. They voted about 58% for Democrats, a margin of more than 7,000 votes in Democrats’ favor — just from first-time AAPI voters, almost the margin that decided the state."

RELATED: Endorsing Kamala Harris

In another article, an NPR analysis reports:

University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock has a rule of thumb that for Democrats to win Georgia: they have to capture 30% of white voters and Black voters have to comprise 30% of the voters who cast ballots. But Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie says that rule may need a slight update, as Asian Americans and Latinos become a larger share of the electorate.

Judy Zhu is voting in her first presidential election, after casting her first ballot in the 2022 midterms once she became a US citizen. Like many new voters, she has been taking her vote very seriously, watching debates and researching the platforms of the candidates and political parties.

Zhu says she has friends in their community across the political spectrum, from strong Trump or Harris supporters to undecided voters and those who are just plain fed up. For Zhu, the economy, health care and democracy are driving her vote.

“I think I have definitely changed my mind a couple of times before I finally decided who to vote for,” Zhu says. While she did not want to share publicly who she landed on, she did say her and her husband did not vote for the same presidential candidate.

"Desi" is a term Indian Americans use to describe themselves.

Georgia's South Asians

Georgia’s AAPI population grew by 48% between 2012 and 2022, according to the nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta. Indian Americans, Korean Americans and Chinese Americans comprise the largest AAPI communities in Georgia.

South Asians are one of the most progressive Asian American communities. A shift  towards the Democrats dates back to 9/11 and the policies and racial animus that followed. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 68 percent of Indian registered voters identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning.

The rapidly growing AAPI population is made up by a large group of recent immigrants who identify more with their home countries and haven't wholly bought into the umbrella coaition of Asian America, therefore more open to arguments from both parties. The AAPI voter turnout rate in Georgia has lagged behind White and Black voters, but participation is increasing.

But no one can deny the excitement among South Asians over Harris' candidacy. Indian Americans saw the highest voter turnout among Asian Americans in the last two presidential elections, compared with white voters, according to research firm AAPI Data, an organisation that collects data about Asian American communities. In 2020, 71% of Indian Americans that were eligible to vote did, a 9% increase from 2016.

That trend looks set to continue into November, according to Karthick Ramakrishnan, co-founder of AAPI Data, who told the BBC he believes Harris's candidacy could boost South Asian voter turnout to 75% among eligible voters.

“While having the first ever person of South Asian origin as vice-president of the United States was important to many South Asian voters, it’s a much bigger deal to have someone from one’s background in the highest office in the land,” he told the BBC.

As a former refugee who came to the US from Cambodia in 1980, Tha Vin says the language some Republicans, including Trump, are using to describe immigrants is shaping his vote.

Tha Vin says this election felt so important, he gathered his whole family to go to the polls together.

“I’m a gun owner, like I find I want to vote Republican,” says ThaVin, who came to the US from Cambodia in 1980.. “But the rhetoric toward immigrants has been something that has made me not want to vote Republican.”

According to AAJA, the AAPI turnout rate increased by 7% between 2018 and 2022 midterm elections.

"Pinoy" is a term Filipinos use to describe themselves.

Nevada's Filipino voters

In Nevada, the contest is so close it is difficult to conclude which way the state's voters will lean Tuesday. Asian American voters have been targeted by both parties with specific events aimed at this demographic, especially Filipino American, who represent the largest group iamong Asian American communities.

The Asian American population in the Silver State represents nearly 12% of the electorate, and over 109,000 Filipino Americans are eligible voters, solidifying their importance in a state often decided by narrow margins, writes the Asian Journal, a Filipino American publication.

Despite inroads by the Repubican Party,which belatedly began wooing the Asian electorate including a recent rally featuring Trump, a survey by AAPI Data, over two-thirds of Filipino American voters will be casting their ballots for Harris.

Both candidates promise no taxes on tips resonates with the AAPI workers, many of whom work in the hotel and service industry. 

Surveys show Harris’s focus on health care resonates with Filipino Americans in Nevada, many of whom work in healthcare roles, writes the Asian Journal. The Democrats also emphasizes preserving Social Security and enhancing senior care—issues that matter greatly to Filipino American families in multi-generational households and provide care (with no economic benefits) for their elderly relatives.

On the eve of voting day, the Harris campaign released a series of opeds for ethnic publications aimed at various Asian American communities, including the Asian Journal, whose readership is mostly Filpino.

The op-eds build on record-breaking investments by Team Harris-Walz to engage with and mobilize Asian Americans, who make up the nation’s fastest-growing voting bloc and are poised to play a pivotal role in this election.

“There is so much at stake in this election, and Americans are ready to turn the page on the chaos of the past.\," writes Harris. "You deserve a leader who not only sees you, but stands with you.”

In the final stretch of the presidential race, Team Harris-Walz launched waves of English and in-language mailers and fact sheets translated into several Asian languages; print, radio, television, and digital ads; and hosted in-person events across every battleground state aimed at these critical voters.

“In the Filipino community, you get one person, then they tell their whole family. People are filling out their voter cards, and they’re sharing it with all their cousins and their aunties on WhatsApp,” said Assemblywoman Erica Mosca, a Filipino American and senior adviser to the Harris campaign in Nevada as reported by NBC. “When we’re motivated, we will vote.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Kamala Harris polls better in foreign countries than in the US where she is under attack by the GOP

SCREEN CAPTURE /60 MINUTES

Vice President Kamala Harris is under constant attack from right-wing media.

ANALYSIS

I'm not sure what Vice President Kamala Harris has to do to overcome the negativity heaped upon her by the radical right media machine and the tendency for mainstream media to repeat those conservative talking points as if they were valid criticisms.

The demonization of Harris has had an impact, especially in the polls where she has scored low ratings. "I don't remember another time when we really focused so much on the vice president and their polling numbers," said Clifford Young, vice president of Public Affairs & Public Opinion Research at Ipsos, BBC.

Harris is not perfect, but as Vice President, she is doing what Vice Presidents are supposed to do: Support the President and tout his agenda and his administration's accomplishments. As the second-in-command, it is not Harris' job to create her own policies.

"I hear from a lot of different people a lot of different things. But let me just tell you, I'm focused on the job. I truly am. Our democracy is on the line," Harris said in a "60 Minutes" interview, Oct. 29. "And I frankly, in my head, do not have time for parlor games."

Really! Can you honestly cite the accomplishments of Mike Pence when he was Vice President. Even Joe Biden as President Barack Obama's Vice President stayed in the background and cheered on the President But neither of those recent Vice President's have received the vitriol and negative attention given to Harris.

That hasn't stopped conservative media. Every chance they get, Fox News, the NY Post, Washington Examiner and their like-minded pundits in the far-flung network of conservative news outlets try to make the first Black and Asian American vice president appear unlikeable and ineffective. In their minds, Harris has three strikes against her: 

1. She's a woman.

2. She's a woman of color, whose parents, Jamaican and Indian, were immigrants.

3. She's "pushy," an attribute that would be seen as admirable if she was a man.

However, internationally, Harris fares far better in the public view because the poll respondents were less likely to hear from the US far right's propaganda bullhorns.

Entering office in 2020, foreign affairs was seen as the area in which Harris has had the least experience. You wouldn't know that looking at a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. Since she took office, she's visited over 100 countries as the President's representative.

A median of 55% of adults in these countries have confidence in Harris to do the right thing regarding world affairs, including half or more who hold that view in 14 countries, according to Pew. Confidence in Harris is particularly high in Sweden, where 77% of adults view her positively.

Confidence in Harris is roughly comparable to international confidence in President Biden, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. A median of about six-in-ten have confidence in each of those three leaders to do the right thing regarding world affairs – slightly more than the median of 55% who have confidence in the U.S. vice president.

Harris’s ratings far outpace those of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is seen positively by a median of 18% of adults, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is seen positively by a median of just 9% across the surveyed countries.

Harris has taken on a variety of internationally focused responsibilities during her time as vice president. Those responsibilities have included a high-profile trip to Europe at the beginning of the war in Ukraine and coordination of relations with Central American leaders to stem the flow of migrants coming to the southern border of the United States.

Confidence in Harris is tied to gender in some countries, with women significantly more likely than men to express confidence in her handling of world affairs. 

For example, 68% of Canadian women have a positive view of Harris, while only about half of Canadian men (51%) say the same. Significant differences between men and women also appear in Singapore, Australia, Italy, Malaysia, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Ideology is also related to views of Harris in some places. In six countries, those who place themselves on the ideological left are significantly more likely than those on the right to have confidence in Harris. Greece is the only country where the reverse is true: 54% of Greeks on the ideological right are confident in Harris, compared with just 32% of those on the left.

“Polls are a snapshot of the time, they certainly do not define the time,” Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist, told Yahoo News. “And no poll can measure the effectiveness of Vice President Harris and how consequential she is not just to the Democratic Party, and to this administration, but to the country.”

Low ratings for vice presidents is not unique to Harris. By comparison, in October of 2019, then-Vice President Pence had a 38% negative favorability and 34% positive, according to NBC polls, and in December 2010, then-Vice President Biden had a 33% negative view and 34% positive view.

Jonathan Hanson, political scientist and lecturer at the University of Michigan, says Harris is so unique, the US has never had a Vice President who has made history in so many fronts because of her race and gender, it is perhaps unfair to compare her to past vice presidents.

“So we would need to consider the additional possibility that her numbers are being weighed down, due to either gender-related bias or race/ethnicity-related [bias],” Hanson told Yahoo News. “That's something that's kind of hard to disentangle from the broader picture. But there is research out there that suggests that, for some people, her gender and race are positive, and for other people, it might work in more of a negative direction.”

“I do think it speaks to the higher level of scrutiny that [Harris has] faced throughout her time as both a candidate and now an officeholder,” Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics, told Yahoo News.

Experts say Harris’s tenure has been filled with difficult assignments. “She was asked to focus on immigration as an issue, which is, of course, a very politically sensitive and difficult issue to work on. So one could make the argument that she wasn't given a very favorable opportunity to really carve out a set of positive, highly visible public accomplishments,” Hanson said.

In a recent NPR interview, Harris said, “I think about my role as vice president of the United States and what that means both in terms of the bully pulpit that I have, and the responsibility that comes with that, to hopefully inform folks of things I might be aware of, but also to elevate public discourse and hopefully cut through the misinformation.”

Dittmar says there is a concerted Republican effort to throw the spotlight on Harris in order to reduce her poll numbers. If you constantly continue to misrepresent, repeat lies or attack a victim often enough in the conservative megaphones compounded by unfiltered social media, people start believing the BS.

Just ask Hillary Clinton and the questioning about her emails, an issue that haunted her throughout her unsuccessful 2016 Presidential campaign.

One of the reasons there is so much vitriol against Harris is because there is the likely possibility that she might succeed Biden as President. in 2028. “A vote for President Biden, it’s actually a vote for President Harris," said Nikki Haley, who is seeking the GOP presidential nomination, told “Fox and Friends” in June. "We are running against Kamala Harris. Make no bones about it.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the blog Views From the Edge.

AANHPI respond with anger at SCOTUS ruling against affirmative action

TWITTER / MAYA WILEY

Demonstrations broke out after the Supreme Court rendered its decision on affirmative action.

In its dogged determination to send the US back to the 1950s, the US Supreme Court's ruling Thursday against affirmative action in college admissions drew sharp and angry criticism from the AANHPI leaders, from Vice President Kamala Harris and civil rights advocates to the students on campus.

"The highest court in our land just made a decision today on affirmative action and I feel compelled to speak about it," said Harris, whose mother is from India.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a denial of opportunity. It’s not about being colorblind. It’s about being blind to history, blind to empirical evidence about disparities, and blind to the strength that diversity brings to classrooms, to boardrooms,” Harris said on Twitter.

The GOP-dominated Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling Thursday on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolin, undermines the Court’s long-standing support for affirmative action in higher education.

The Republican appointees of the Court struck a deep blow to students and racial equity in education by holding that Harvard and the University of North Carolina's affirmative action programs violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 

“Affirmative action policies have helped colleges and universities across our country cultivate more diverse student bodies. These commonsense policies recognize that diversity on campuses benefits all students, and help to advance racial equity. But once again, this extreme Supreme Court has taken our country backwards," said Senator Mazie Hirono, D-HI. 

"Given our country’s long history of racial discrimination and the stark racial inequality that continues to this day, for Justices to focus on whether the benefits of diversity can be measured precisely is shortsighted and detached from reality. Diversity of every kind makes us stronger," said Hirono.

Asian American Legal Education Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice were two of many groups who filed friends of the court briefs supporting the admission policies of both schools.

“The Supreme Court has rolled back progress in the fight for racial justice by undermining affirmative action programs at Harvard and UNC. By pitting communities of color against each other, the Court’s decision discounts broad Asian American support for race-conscious admissions and the importance of ensuring diversity in our classrooms. Together with other communities of color, we will continue to ensure that the pathways to opportunity and leadership are open to all,” said Margaret Fung, executive director of AALDEF.

“It makes me angry to see the Supreme Court wield the history of the Equal Protection Clause and the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education in a way that is antithetical to its purpose," said Bethany Li, legal director of AALDEF. "Brown helped desegregate our schools and give students of color a fighting chance at a good education. 

"The decision today uses the false myth of color blindness to undermine an important tool for correcting these disparities. When you purport to be color blind, you're saying you don't see race. But if you don't see race, you don't see the disparities in education, in health, in jobs, and in society at large that racial minorities including Asian Americans have historically faced and continue to face today,” 

“We are outraged that the Supreme Court has chosen to ignore long-standing legal precedent in favor of supporting racial inequity that harms all people of color, including Asian Americans,” said John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Advancing Justice – AAJC. “But we are more committed than ever to ensuring equal opportunity for our children – and for all children in this country. We will not let this court decision keep us from pushing colleges and universities, Congress, and others to keep today’s ruling from undermining the progress made toward educating future multiracial, talented leaders who deserve every opportunity to reach their highest potential on campuses that reflect the diversity of America.”

RELATED: Strongly worded dissenting opinions say race matters

““Racism and anti-Blackness are inescapable in our country, and race-conscious admissions are a crucial tool in expanding opportunities for students of color that reckons with those realities," said Aarti Kohli, Executive Director of Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus.

"For Asian Americans, this ruling will particularly harm Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, and Southeast Asian communities who continue to face significant barriers to higher education. At a moment when our country is increasingly segregated and there are significant gaps in resources for majority minority schools, we call on Congress, our local elected leaders, and universities to do everything in their power to implement solutions we really need for economic equity and racial justice in our nation.”

“For Asian American students and all others, racially diverse student bodies both enhance their learning and foster understanding of each student’s lived experience,” said Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California. “In our ever-changing global economy and platform, we must continue to give all students the opportunity to fulfill their potential and shape a future built strong on our biggest asset – our diversity.”

“We unequivocally condemn the ruling by the Supreme Court to reverse these affirmative action policies, thus ensuring that systemic racism continues to be embedded in higher education,” said Grace Pai, Executive Director of Advancing Justice – Chicago. “As Asian Americans, we will not allow our communities to be used as a prop by the conservative movement to advance a white supremacist agenda.”

“Declaring these race conscious policies unconstitutional is a barely disguised tool to once again remove students of color from our nation’s campuses and perpetuate the historical legacy of institutionalized racism in education that continues, especially in the south,” said Phi Nguyen, Executive Director of Advancing Justice – Atlanta. “We will continue to fight for racial justice and ensure that everyone has access to a quality education.”

“Affirmative action is not only beneficial for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), but for all students and society as a whole” said OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates President Linda Ng. “By preventing holistic affirmative action policies from being implemented, the Supreme Court has ignored the reality of persistent institutional bias, racial discrimination, and inequality in our country - undermining the efforts of educators and advocates to create more equitable and diverse learning environments.”

“Today’s decision is an absolute gut punch to our country’s efforts in creating a more inclusive society for all. Affirmative action policies have been the victim of years of a well-funded intentionally dishonest misinformation campaign. Because of today’s ruling, we will see less diverse student bodies, a less prepared workforce, and ultimately a less competitive economy,” said OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates VP of Public Affairs Kendall Kosai. “Our nation’s future depends on racial equity and diversity in higher education to achieve a thriving, multiracial democracy. We must all continue to work together to achieve that goal, no matter the decision of the Supreme Court.”

Some responses, including members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) hinted what might happen in order to make up for the absence of affirmative action.

CAPAC Whip Rep. Ted Lieu, D-CA urged that colleges use other strategies to maintain campus diversity.

“I strongly oppose the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College," said Lieu. "The majority opinion, however, contains a critical exception that I urge all colleges and universities to utilize: ‘nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.’ Many colleges and universities already employ this type of holistic admissions policy to achieve diversity on their student body mix and I urge them to continue to do so. When colleges reflect the diversity of America, all our communities are strengthened.”

Some members of Congress want to expand the Supreme Court's decision to include other traditional school admission practices that give preferences to White applicants.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to end the consideration of race as a factor in college admissions is a significant setback in our effort to eliminate disparities in access to higher education and ensure diverse learning environments for all students," said Rep. Bobby Scott, D-VA, who is the ranking member f the House Education and Workforce Committee.

"It is now imperative that we review other facets in college admissions that research shows are racially discriminatory and have a disparate impact and determine if they too need to be eliminated, given today’s ruling," said Scott, whose ancestors include Filipino immigrants. 

"Race-conscious admissions policies provided a counterbalance to these discriminatory factors—such as inequitable K-12 schools, racially biased admissions tests, and developmental and legacy admissions—that all marginalize students of color. Now that the Court has invalidated that balance, I call on the Attorney General to start filing cases now against any current school practices that violate the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act because they have discriminatory impact.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

Vice President Kamala Harris on gun control and abortion

WHITE HOUSE

Vice President Kamala Harris was interviewed at the White House AANHIPI Forum.

In a recent interview Vice President Kamala Harris outlined what she and President Biden's positions ARE on two key issues high on the list of concerns of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders: reproductive rights and gun control.

Pollsters and Republicans like to point out that AANHPI voters are "turning right" based on recent elections driven about concerns for equity in justice and education, which translates to crime and affirmative action.

A survey by APIA Vote found that the AANHPI communities are much more complicated than those generalizations suggesting that nationally, when push comes to shove, voters from those communities will align themselves with Democrats.

“Political parties need to cease their views that Asian Americans only care about crime, or only care about education-related issues, as this is clearly not the case,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

Another survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found about three-quarters of Asian respondents said abortion should be legal, the most of any racial group.

After the mass shootings in Atlanta, Monterey Park and Allen, Texas, targeting AANHPI, gun violence concerns have moved up among the top concerns of AANHPI communities.

During the an indepth interview at the White House AANHPI Forum held earlier this month at George Washington University, Harris talked about her Indian heritage and also discussed gun violence and reproductive rights. 

Following is the part of the interview on gun violence and reproductive rights as conducted by Poorna Jagannathan from Never Have I Ever, and Jerry Won, the Founder & CEO of Just Like Media. It has been edited for length:


MS. JAGANNATHAN: And with the, you know, Roe vs. Wade being overturned, we’re seeing unprecedented attack on the reproductive healthcare system. I was delighted to know from your team that 74 percent of Asian Americans surveyed said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. And I would love to know what is the administration doing to address those needs.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So, first of all, thank you for being so courageous to tell your story. This is an issue that I think is some — is something that demands and requires all leaders to speak up. And we all need to build on the movement that started before and led to Roe v. Wade being decided. And we must pick up to move forward and get a United States Congress who has the courage and the willingness to pass legislation that would put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law at a national level. (Applause.)

And, again, I come at this being raised by a mother who — who fought for women’s health rights and fought for the dignity that women should have and deserve to have in the healthcare system, and fought against the inequities that were present there.

And so, this issue of fighting for women’s reproductive care — for me, it’s just something that is very personal in terms of just a lifelong acknowledgement and understanding about the disparities and the unfairness and the indignities that women can face in the healthcare system.

And, you know, if you compound race, if you compound language barriers, profound impacts result. And so, on this issue, let’s look at where we are.

The United States Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, just took a constitutional right, that had been recognized, from the people of America, from the women of America.

And what we then saw is: In states around our country, extremist so-called leaders started proposing and passing laws that would criminalize healthcare providers — literally laws that provide for jail time for doctors and nurses and healthcare providers; passing laws that make no exception for rape or incest.

And many of you know: A majority of my career was as a prosecutor. And as a prosecutor, I specialized in crimes of violence against women and children.

The idea that you would say to an individual who has survived an act of violence and violation to their body — to say to that person that, after that, you will also be deprived and we will take away your ability to make the next decision about what happens to your body — that’s immoral. That’s immoral.

And that’s what’s happening in our country with these people who puff and huff, and they’re so big and bad, and they beat their chests. They’re supposed to be strong; we’re supposed to just be in awe of their intelligence. And what they’re doing is absolutely unconscionable.

And, on this point, let’s also recognize that for women of color, women with immigrant background, women who may have language barriers, the impact on them is even more severe in terms of where can they go, where will they have the ability to be in a safe place to address one of the most personal issues that a person can face?

And the concern I have — and we have so many leaders here that I would ask us to all be also thoughtful about on this issue — is: There is also underlying this a centuries-old issue of judging women based on their sexuality. And so, an environment that on this issue is also intended, and certainly has the effect, of making these individuals feel embarrassed, ashamed — as though they’ve done something wrong.

And what that means in terms of compounding their sense of isolation and, in that way, suggesting to them that they are alone and that they’re not seen and that we don’t care about supporting them and their voice and their autonomy and their independence.

So there’s a lot at play on this issue. And, ultimately, I think that the way that this is going to be resolved is we have to keep voting, and we have to vote people in office who have the courage to stand up and agree that this is about foundational principles that are about freedom and liberty.

And I want to say this point also. Let us also agree and speak loudly: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body. (Applause.)

You know, but talk about going backwards. Right?

So you look at this moment we’re in where, you know, a lot of the work that we’ve been doing as an administration — I think today demonstrated that — has been to address what we must do in terms of empowerment of communities, but also to fight against injustice. Right?

And when we think about where are we’ve been in the last few years in terms of everything from anti-Asian hate crime, to what we are looking at in terms of attacks on fundamental freedoms like those that — of a woman to make decisions and a person to make decisions about their body, to the attacks we’re seeing on voting rights, to the attacks we’re seeing on — on LGBTQ and trans folks, the attacks we’re seeing where there are literally — can you imagine, in this year of our Lord 2023, book bans? I mean, really, likes — like, what? Book bans.

And what we’re seeing in terms of — in places like Florida, where, literally, teachers who have a — who are in a same-sex relationship and have a spouse and a family are afraid to have photographs of their family in their classroom for fear that it will then evoke a conversation with a student that is basically — this — these so-called leaders are saying “should not be happening in that classroom.”

Talk about these — there are attempts that are happening right before our eyes to roll back all of the hard-won freedoms that we have collectively fought for.

And this is a time for everyone to stand and to speak out and be very active. You know, there’s an old poem about, “They’ll go for, they’ll go for, they’ll go for, and then they’ll come for you. And who will be left?” That’s the moment we’re at right now, and that’s why it’s so important that we renew, always, our commitment to the coalition and to standing together and saying no one should be made to fight alone. (Applause.)

MR. WON: Thank you so much. You know, speaking of coalition’s and allyship, our community have felt that very strongly over the last three or four years as attacks, racist attacks, hate crimes, and even murder against people who look like us in this room have risen. And gun violence is something that we continue to deal with. Can you address what you and President Biden and the rest of the administration are doing to address the continued attacks on our community, particularly with gun violence?


THE VICE PRESIDENT: So we are seeing a rise in hate crimes, period. Right? I mean, my husband — the first Second Gentleman of the United States of America — (applause) — has been doing a lot of work fighting against antisemitism. And so we are seeing, you know, a rise of that. A horrendous rise in in Asian hate crime, where grandmothers are afraid to go to the store, and — and their families are afraid for them to go to the store, which is part of their routine and their social — right? — traditions.

We’re seeing the marginalization. We’re seeing the bullying. We’re seeing a tenor where — where one should be praised for their so-called strength, but they evidence their strength and it’s measured based on who they beat down when, in fact, I think we all agree you measure strength based on who you lift up. Right?

And so there’s a lot of work that we have to do against this moment of this tone and this approach to what does strength look like, what does leadership look like?

And in that regard, on the issue of gun violence then, there are a number of specific things that have to happen.

In terms of to your question — what our administration has done under President Joe Biden — we have passed smart gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years that moves the ball forward. (Applause.)

But we’ve got more to do. We have more to do. We should have a national ban on assault weapons. These are designed — (applause) — these are weapons of war. There are weapons of war that have no place in the streets of a civil society.

We should have red-flag laws. We should have background checks.

Why should we have background checks? Well, because you might want to know if someone has been found to be a danger to themselves or others before you let them buy a gun. (Applause.) It’s just reasonable.

And we have — and we cannot be seduced into — into perpetuating this false choice that suggests that you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want reasonable gun safety laws. It’s a false choice.

I support the Second Amendment. I also want to see an assault weapons ban. I also want to see universal background checks. I want to see red-flag laws. I want to see that our babies are not sitting in a classroom where they should be able to learn how to read and write and explore their ideas about what the future of the country can hold, but instead they’re sitting there also being taught how to hide in the closet and be quiet if there’s an active shooter in their classroom. That’s what’s happening.

I grew up in California where — you know, I’m going to date myself, but when I grew up, you know, the only thing we had to learn was, you know, ducking under a table if there’s an earthquake. Right?

Now our children are literally afraid.

I have talked to kids who say, “I like this class and I like this, but I don’t like going to fifth period.” “Why don’t you like when a fifth period?” “Because in that classroom there’s no closet.”

So there is so much about this issue that is about saving lives in — on every level. And we need people to have the courage to act, and that is the one thing that is lacking in this United States Congress and in legislatures around the country. And again, we have to step up and we have to demand action. Lives are at stake. (Applause.)

FYI: For the entire interview at the White House AANHPI Forum, click here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

AANHPI Heritage Month: VP Kamala Harris does a deep dive into her Indian family

Vice President Kamala Harris talked freely about her Indian roots during a recent forum.

In a recent survey of Americans, a quarter of the respondents couldn't name a single living Asian American celebrity. Vice President Kamala Harris as Asian American finished fourth among the people named by those polled, less than Jackie Chan, who is not even American.

Throughout her political career the media have emphasized the Vice President's Black heritage. Even though she proudly proclaims that her mother is from India, Harris' Asian heritage has been secondary.

Even as San Francisco's District Attorney and later, California's Attorney General and representing the state in the US Senate, her Indian heritage was often overlooked.

As she campaigned for President in 2020, it took awhile for some of the South Asian communities to warm up to Harris before they could proudly claim her as one of their own. Last week, Harris was able to speak in more depth about her Indian American roots in more depth than in previous interviews when she was asked about her complex racial heritage during the White House Asian American & Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander Forum held at George Washington University last week.

During the interview conducted by Poorna Jagannathan from Never Have I Ever, and Jerry Won, the Founder & CEO of Just Like Media, Harris also discussed the views of the Biden-Harris administration on abortion access, gun control, small businesses.

FYI: Read the transcript of the entire interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Following is an edited version of her remarks about her family:

MS. JAGANNATHAN: I just want to ask you about your heritage.  You’ve talked so much about where you come from and your complex heritage.  I want to know, however, that and also how has it influenced how you have led in these last few years.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I too was raised by a mother — well, I think for so many of us, if — if your parents’ first language was something other than English, the — you know, the — when people are feeling pure emotions, either of love or extreme frustration, they — they go back to the mother language. (Laughter.)

So I did not learn a lot of the language because my mother just didn’t have a lot of people to speak to in Tamil. But I did learn all the words of affection and frustration. (Laughs.) And I could recite some of them, but I’m going to spare you and myself from that.

But, you know, I think that one of the great gifts that so many of us have when you have been exposed to different cultures is that you understand in a very profound and sincere way that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what separates us. You really do. You learn that, culturally, the love of a mother, the love of a grandparent, it’s — crossing cultures and languages is so common in terms of the experience that so many of us have. And I think that’s a real gift, especially in moments like this moment, where in our country in particular we are seeing these powerful forces that are trying to sow hate and division among us.

Those of us who have been raised with a lived experience, then, of understanding commonality I think have a particular commitment and conviction to make sure that those that would try and separate (us) actually don’t win, in terms of that approach.

So there is that.

You know, my mother came to the United States by herself at the age of 19. And she was part of one of the first waves of India — Indians to come to the US She came in, I think, ‘59.

And let’s talk about my grandfather. My mother was the eldest, and so we all know culturally what it means to be the eldest, to the chagrin of our younger siblings. (Laughs.)

And — and she actually applied — because she wanted to be a scientist, and she wanted to study in what was considered to be one of the best schools. And so she kind of secretly applied to UC Berkeley.

AUDIENCE: Go Bears!

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Go Bears.

And she got accepted, and she told my grandfather. And she said, “I want to go.” And my grandfather was a very progressive dude. He looked at his eldest child, who was also his daughter, and said, “Okay, you go.”

So at the age of 19 — you know, this is a transcontinental flight; she had never been to the United States — she went.

And — and, in many ways, when I think of my mother’s story, I think of the — culturally that she was so comfortable and clear about where she came from and who she was. And she had a unique ability to, I think, really infuse in us a sense of pride and — and a sense of — of understanding that we should not let anyone define our identity.

My mother would often say, “You don’t let people tell you who you are. You tell them who you are.” (Applause.)

And, you know, I mean, this is an experience that I had growing up as the eldest child also, watching my mother who, if you ever met her, you would have thought she was seven feet tall, but she really wasn’t exactly five feet tall. (Laughs.) And, you know, she was this brown woman with an accent. And I also was acutely aware as the eldest child of how she would be treated and, at a very young age, understood also how people — how people would make certain assumptions about the character and the intelligence of someone else, based on those attributes.

And so, early in my life, I also understood how these — how these disparities and these stereotypes could attempt to define and marginalize people and what we must all always do to fight against that.

My grandfather was one of the favorite people in my life.
And I was the eldest grandchild, so he convinced me I was the special, favorite one, but I think he told all the grandchildren the same thing.

And — and my grandfather would take me — by the time we would — we would go to India every other year. And my grandfather had a tradition of every morning taking a walk with his buddies, who are all retired. And then they — this was, you know — they were part of, you know, the — the independence of India.

And — and my grandfather would talk with his friends about the importance of fighting for democracy and independence; the importance of fighting against corruption; the importance of fighting for equality, regardless of where someone was born or what so-called, you know, status — because, of course, India has a very troubled history with that.

And — and so my — my story is also a story of being raised in a family and in a community where there was a real fight to always uphold the importance of independence and identity.

And, in fact, I just recently got back from the continent of Africa, and it was a trip that I intentionally curated in a way that we would talk about the continent in a way that was about recognizing the — the innovation and ingenuity that is happening on that continent. Again, fighting against stereotypes, right?

And, in fact, I’m sure everybody here knows, but the median age on the continent of Africa is 19. Oh, yes. And there is some incredible work happening among young leaders there.

But — so three — of three countries I visited, started in Ghana, then Tanzania, and then I went to Zambia. Well, the Zambia trip was to highlight, as I did in the first two countries, what’s happening in terms of democracy and innovation.

But it was also because, you see, my grandfather and my grandparents and my grandmother lived in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia — my Indian grandfather. Because when many of the African countries — and I’ll speak about Zambia, in particular — when they gained independence and fought against colonialism and gained independence, the Indian government, which had just fought for independence, would send support.

So my grandfather moved to Lusaka with my grandmother, and we went to visit him there. And it was also nice to highlight something that we all know — who have learned about the history of the world also — to highlight these relationships that are about, you know, commonality based also on struggle, including the struggle and the fight for independence. And that was a special treat for me.

And I actually went to the place where they lived. It was since rebuilt. But my aunt who was there, who went on to head up the O- — she was a OBGYN. She went on to head up the
the OB section of PGI in Chandigarh, which is a teaching hospital in Chandigarh in India in the north.

She was a young postdoc there and worked with — had a friend who was a young African doctor down the street, and they would walk to hospital — you know this is “the hospital.” They used to walk to hospital every day. And it turned out that that young man ended up being the Minister of Health years later for Zambia and instituted what I’m told was similar to what we did here under President, then, Obama and Vice President Biden around the Affordable Care Act.

And so, it was just nice to also make these connections between all of these countries and commonality around a fight for independence, as an example.

MR. WON: Talk to us about the importance of representation in leadership, particularly within the government.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: So I’ll connect this previous conversation with your point. Because I think that there are people who know, as part of my origin story, that my parents were active in the Civil Rights Movements. That’s where they met, at Berkeley.

Go Bears. Okay. (Laughter.)

But some people, I think, couldn’t wrap their head around, “How did your mother, who’s a young Indian woman, get involved in the Civil Rights Movement?” And then there was a bit of clarity when people thought about the fact that, “Oh, right, the movement for independence, for freedom.” Right?

And so I think that there is also, as part of the origin story of a lot of immigrants, a really deep knowledge and understanding of the power of government and — and — and the importance of democracy and what happens when democracies don’t exist or are not intact, when there are oppressive regimes, when there is corruption.

And so it is not as though the immigrant story is that one comes here and has no knowledge and awareness of it. Right? And I think that’s a really important point to — to acknowledge. It is a matter of then whether one, you know, decides that, you know, do I want my son or doctor [daughter] to become a doctor — (laughs) — or, okay, law school is okay. (Laughter.)

And — but representation matters, right? And so what we are seeing with more recent generations of the kids who come from immigrant families is a recognition that if we are to be fully a part of — if we are to be fully actualized, we should not be excluded from any system and we should not self-select to exclude.
And I think that’s part of it. I think, also, part of it, frankly, is, you know, I saw a lot more activism, in terms of social justice and civil rights activism after we’ve had awful incidents like the — the hate crime that happened against people who appeared to be South Asian or Muslim or — or were profiled — right? — because they were wearing a turban after 9/11.

And what ended up happening around just understanding you can’t expect other peoples to fight for your rights. We build community, and we’ll build coalition. But one has to also step up and make sure that we are all in the room when these fights occur so that each person can offer their voice based on their lived experience. And I think we have seen that happen more and more. (Applause.)

But we still have so much more work to do. And it is also about political activism, in terms of just voter participation. But, for example, I’m going to be in Georgia later this month. (Applause.) And — and the AAPI turnout for not only us — for Joe Biden and me — but for Warnock and Ossoff really helped determine, if not was determinative, in terms of the outcome of those elections.

So we — there’s work that we have been doing also to get people more actively involved. And people are seeing themselves in the system because of the people on the stage and in this room. And I think that we are seeing more activism as a result of that. And it’s sorely needed. It’s sorely needed.

MR. WON: Thank you so much for spending your time with us today. The theme of today is “visible together.” For many of us to see you get elected was such a big deal because it was a first. And for my kids and for all of our kids, I don’t want that to be a big deal anymore. I just want it to be, “Oh, another one.” You know? And you get to be the first, but I want you to share with us sort of your parting thoughts to the future leaders of our country. 

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I’ll — I’ll offer two.

One, my mother would say often to me, “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things. Make sure you’re not the last.” So, that is part of the responsibility we each have. (Applause.)

But the other piece of advice, in particular to maybe some of the younger leaders here that I — but, actually, it doesn’t matter the age. You will often find that when you walk into that boardroom or that meeting room, a conference room, you will often find that you will be the only one there who looks like you or who has had your life experience.

So here’s what I’ve got to say: You walk in that room with your chin up and your shoulders back, knowing that when you walk in that room, you are representing the voice of so many people who are so darn — I was going to say it differently — proud — (laughter) — proud that you are in that room.

And that we — and just remember when the lights were on; they’ll probably come on again — and that we — you remember this — we are all in that room with you. You are not walking in that room alone. (Applause.) And that is critically important to remember.

You know, sometimes I think — I know it is intended mostly to be a compliment. But you know when people say, “Oh, you’re special.” (Laughter.) Oh, but —

MS. JAGANNATHAN: Do grandfathers count?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: But my grandfather — it’s different. Okay? If grandpa said it, it’s a different thing altogether.

But sometimes when you’re told that, it can also be about saying, “Oh, you’re the only one like you,” which is another way of saying you’re alone. You’re not alone. Don’t ever walk into those rooms being made to feel or think that you are alone. We are all in that room with you, and that is critically important, because we have so much work to do.

And we should do it always with pride and with a sense of knowledge that we come with people. You come with people. (Applause.)

MS. JAGANNATHAN: Thank you.

MR. WON: The Vice President, everybody. (Applause.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

Filipino Black American legislator regains his seat after being expelled

Rep. Justin Bautista-Jones (center, white suit) took his oath of office on Tennessee's Capitol steps.

Nashville's Metropolitan City Council voted unanimously, 36-0, to reinstate Filipino American Justin Bautista-Jones to the State House of Representatives three days after he was expelled from that legislative body.

The unanimous City Council decision was a slap in the face of the state legislature that voted to expel jones and Memphis Rep. Justin Pearson, 27, for taking part in a demonstration calling for the legislature to enact gun-control measures after a mass shooting at a Nashville's private Covenant School that killed six people, three were 9-year old students.

After he was reinstated, Jones walked the few blocks to the Capitol, accompanied by thousands of his supporters. 

“Today we are sending a resounding message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence,” Jones told a crowd on the Capitol steps on Monday after he took his oath of office. “Today we send a clear message to Speaker Cameron Sexton that the people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge.”

“No expulsion, no attempt to silence us will stop us; it will only galvanize and strengthen our movement,” Jones told the huge crowd. “Power to the people!” he concluded.

Jones, who grew up in Oakland, Calif., is of Filipino and Black descent. In an interview published in Positively Filipino, an online magazine, he said he was inspired by his lola's stories about the People Power protests that ousted Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. 

Jones' fellow legislator, Pearson will likely be reinstated as Memphis' state representative Wednesday (April 12).

A third legislator who supported the demonstrators, Rep. Gloria Johnson, was also supposed to be expelled but not enough her peers voted for her expulsion. When asked why she was not expelled, the White legislator said, "It may have something to do with the color of my skin."

All three legislators, dubbed the Tennessee Three by the media, were present on the  weekend talk shows.

Jones’ return “just felt right,” Johnson told “CNN This Morning” today. She stressed the need for “young, passionate voices” like Jones’ and Pearson’s who are willing to fight for their constituents.

“It was so good to have him back in the body,” she said, “overwhelmingly supported by not only his district but every district in Davidson County.”

“This is one of the greatest tactics of voter disenfranchisement and voter oppression that I’ve ever witnessed,” Pearson said on ABC’s This Week. “The reality is we have a super-majority Republican legislature that doesn’t want to see progress, that prefers to listen to the NRA rather than the constituents.”

Jones, Pearson and Johnson said they would continue to introduce gun control measures to the GOP-dominated House of Representatives.

INSTAGRAM / KAMALA HARRIS

Vice President Kamala Harris, left, met  left ,to right: Rep. Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

The events in Tennessee and the subsequent expulsions brought national attention to the state, including a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris, who spoke Sunday at Nashville's Fisk University, an historically Black university.

“We are here because (Jones, Pearson and Johnson) and their colleagues in the Democratic caucus chose to show courage in the face of extreme tragedy,” Harris said, 

“They chose to lead and show courage and say that a democracy allows for places where the people’s voice will be heard and honored and respected.”

“We have to be honest and transparent that race plays a huge part in a lot of the decision-making that happens not only in this state, but in other states,” Harris said said in her fiery address. “To cut off somebody else’s belief and ability to fight for their people is wrong. We live in a country that is built on democracy, and I would hope that we will one day get back to that place.”

“No expulsion, no attempt to silence us will stop us; it will only galvanize and strengthen our movement,” Jones told his supporters after taking his oath of office in Nashville Monday. “Power to the people!” he exhorted prompting a roar of approval.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.