Janice R. Andrews
As you travel through Atlanta’s vast suburbs, you’ll see a mosaic of educational institutions, places of worship, and cultural hubs that have grown to become the sixth-largest metro region in the country. Shops and billboards advertising in Hindi, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish put diversity on full display. Even longtime locals have seen a significant change in this area.
Hemant Ramachandran, an attorney from Gwinnett County, which is just a short drive from Atlanta and is currently the center of Georgia’s developing Asian American population, remarked, “There were a handful of Indians around when I was growing up.” Asian Americans currently make up the majority population in several census tracts and schools in places like Gwinnett, Forsyth, and Fulton counties, which reflects the region’s fast demographic transformation.
It has expanded greatly since I was a child. Where I grew up and anywhere else in metro Atlanta, it was most definitely not like this “said Ramachandran.
Tuesday marks Vice President Kamala Harris’s return to Georgia, where she will attend what her aides describe as her largest campaign event since she was announced as the likely Democratic nominee. Harris is trying to win over votes in an area where Asian American voters—especially those from Indian American communities—are expected to be very important in the next election. Harris is the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India.
In many Asian American and immigrant families in metropolitan Atlanta, Harris’ status as a woman of Indian origin has ignited conversations, galvanizing local advocates. The Indian American community in Atlanta finds great resonance in Harris’ experience.
As a viable contender for a state senate seat in Atlanta’s wealthy northeastern suburbs, Ashwin Ramaswami, a 24-year-old technology entrepreneur, stated, “The South Asian community here is fairly excited because this is really unprecedented.”
Politics Among Indian Americans
Harris’s ascent occurs at a time when Indian Americans are becoming more visible and influential in politics. Five Indian Americans are now members of Congress. Usha Vance, the spouse of Ohio senator and GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, is of Indian American descent, as are Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, two notable contenders in the 2024 Republican primary.
One of the first politicians Harris contacted for support after President Joe Biden announced his decision not to run was Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, who also serves as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
A recent US Census poll indicates that among Asian Americans, Indian Americans currently make up the biggest group. With sizable populations of Indian Americans, states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Michigan may be crucial in a hotly contested presidential battle.
There are seven Asian American politicians from both parties in the Georgia legislature. Classical Indian dance recitals are frequently held in high school auditoriums in north Fulton and Gwinnett counties, and regional gatherings like the Johns Creek International Festival draw large crowds of people.
Encouraged by Passion
The Democratic base is fired up about Harris’s possible nomination, which is why her team is holding more events in Georgia. 300 Harris supporters joined the campaign on Saturday in Forsyth County, a typically Republican territory that has grown more competitive as it becomes more diverse.
Votes are not assured for Harris simply because she is the first Asian American and Black American vice president. Asian and Indian Americans differ greatly from one another in a number of ways. Many Indian American voters claimed to be unaware of Harris’s record and thought her past was fascinating but not very pertinent to the campaign.
“As of right now, I don’t have much perspective on Kamala Harris,” stated Ashish Sahu, a software engineer from Alpharetta, a roughly 65,000-person community in the Atlanta region. “I anticipate hearing more about her in a few debates or during her campaign,” stated Sahu. “Pretty educated and independent and wait to see who’s the best candidate,” he said, describing the majority of people in his neighborhood.
“The more representation we have, the more I kind of feel like representation doesn’t matter as much,” said Ramachandran, echoing similar feelings. He noted that well-known Indian American leaders frequently hold radically diverse political views and do not prioritize their ancestry. Still, he recognized a feeling of pride among the diaspora of Indians.
“The same beach that she used to walk on when she was a kid, I used to walk on when I was a kid when I used to visit my grandparents,” said Ramachandran.
Community Engagement and Grassroots Initiatives
More than 4,000 women joined a teleconference that South Asian Women for Harris recently arranged, and in only two hours, more than $250,000 was raised. Rep. Jayapal and Mindy Kaling, two well-known figures, were among the panelists who talked about working with Harris on legislation and her support of women’s rights.
others from all around the nation indicated how excited they were to help Harris by donating money and encouraging others to cast ballots. The organizers emphasized the value of being active and honored programs like Win with Black Women, which have also received a lot of support.
“A great deal of people are thrilled. Right now, Kamala Harris content from all over the place is putting a burden on my picture book,” stated Tanbir Chowdhury, president of They See Blue New York, a Democratic organization that mobilizes South Asian voters.
A May study by AAPI Data/AP-NORC found that around 25% of AAPI Americans identify as Republicans and approximately 50% identify as Democrats. Approximately 25% of people do not identify with any political party or are independents. Among AAPI adults of South Asian heritage, the results were similar, with over half having a favorable opinion of Harris.
Democrats “have a lot of work to do on messaging about border security” with South Asian voters, Chowdhury said, adding that the cost of living and other pressing economic concerns should take precedence.
A Prospective View
The vice presidential campaign had personal significance for Ramaswami, whose mother grew up in the same area in Chennai, India, known as Besant Nagar, where Harris was born and raised. He believes that as Indian Americans become more visible, their political and cultural impact will grow.
“It’s nice to know that regardless of where you come from, or what your background is, or where your parents came from, this is a country where anything is possible if you want to serve the people and do the right thing,” he stated.
