In response to Ohio Senator J D Vance’s nomination as the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, Indian American (IA) Impact, a prominent civic and political organization that supports Indian and South Asian Americans, stated “Desis say no to JD Vance. We’re more ‘Kamala ke saath’ kinda people.”
On July 15, 2024, Executive Director of IA Impact, Chintan Patel criticized former President Donald Trump’s pick of J D Vance as his running mate.
In a statement, Patel said, “We are not surprised by President Trump’s choice of extremist J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. Our nation deserves leadership that celebrates our communities’ diversity, recognizes our contributions, and ensures everyone has a seat at the table. America’s greatest strength lies in its people and their varied backgrounds and experiences.”
Pointing out that Vance has “an unwavering devotion to Trump’s agenda, including the dangerous Project 2025,” Patel added, “From restrictive abortion policies to election denialism, and harsh immigration stances, J.D. Vance’s positions are antithetical to the inclusive and progressive values that South Asian American communities and our nation stand for.”
On May 15-16, 2024, IA Impact hosted a summit in Washington DC, where Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to a gathering of over 100 people.
Harris exhorted “There is so much that we still have to do as a country. And a lot of the work that we each do which is why we are here together is born out of a belief in the promise of America. And dare I say that I am empirical evidence of the promise of America.”
While discussing about the upcoming November general elections, she posed thought provoking questions like, “What kind of world do we want to live in? And what kind of a country do we want to live in?” She emphasized that answer is “to seek office and to participate in elections, knowing that the outcome of those elections matter in fundamental ways. Elections matter.”
Deepak Raj, one of the founders of IA Impact, while introducing VP Harris, praised her efforts in defending reproductive rights, protecting voting rights, ensuring gun control, and working with President Joe Biden to advance US on the global stage.
