Blog

US Vice-President Kamala Harris made headlines recently during a conversation with actor and comedian Jimmy O Yang, where she dropped the ‘F’ bomb as she urged Asian Americans to break down barriers in America. The conversation was live-streamed on the White House website.

Addressing an event organised by the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership Summit, Harris, who has broken several glass ceilings, in her journey to becoming the vice-president of the US — the first Indian-American, the first African-American and the first woman to do so — on Monday used the F-word during a conversation with actor and comedian Jimmy O Yang, reported PTI.

During the event, 59-year-old Yang asked Harris what it was like to be the first vice-president of Asian descent and how her heritage influenced her perspective and leadership role.

Harris’s mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was from Chennai, India, and her father, Donald Harris, was from Jamaica.

“My mother would say to me, ‘Don’t you ever let anybody tell you who you are. You tell them who you are.’ And I learnt from her that breaking barriers is worth it every time,” said Harris, reflecting on her mother’s advice and her own journey.

“We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open. Sometimes they won’t. And then you need to kick that f****** door down. Excuse my language,” she said amid laughter and applause from the audience, reported PTI.

“We got to make T-shirts with that saying, ‘Kick the f****** door down’,” Yang said amid laughter.

Harris recounted her mother’s determination to pursue her dreams, including her secret application and acceptance to UC Berkeley to study cancer research. She also highlighted her grandfather’s influence, who passionately debated democracy and equality during their morning walks in India.

“My mother, when she arrived in the United States, she automatically took to the streets to march for civil rights in her saree. That’s how she met my father. And all of that has had a profound influence,” shared Harris.

In her message to Asian Americans facing obstacles, Harris emphasised resilience and the importance of mentorship and community support.

“Breaking barriers does not mean you start on one side and end up on the other side. There’s breaking involved. And it is worth it every time. Every time,” she asserted.

According to the White House website, Harris always fights for the people – from her barrier-breaking time as District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California to proudly serving as a United States Senator and Vice President.