PEORIA, Ill. — Along with Wednesday’s inauguration of Joe Biden as President of the United States came an historic numbers game, of sorts.
Biden became the 46th person and the second of Catholic faith to assume that office.
Kamala Harris became the 49th person to assume the Vice Presidency, while also becoming the first female VP, the first Black VP, as well as the first person of Indian descent to be elected to the role.
To the last point, a number of notable Peorians of Indian descent reflected on the day’s significance.
Each spoke independently, but a common word was used by each: pride.
“A sense of pride. A sense of joy,” it was described by Illinois Eighth District Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Richwoods High School graduate.
“It is recognition of our community, for sure. It is a source of pride,” said Srinivas Vuppuluri, Spokesperson for the Indo-American Society of Peoria.
“Groundbreaking,” said Monica Hendrickson, Peoria City/County Health Administrator.
Hendrickson, a first-generation American born to parents from Bombay, said it’s especially meaningful to children of immigrants.
“It’s one thing to be able to be welcomed by a country, and then another thing to also see it be reflected in its leadership,” she said.
“Having come to this country, my parents were just welcomed and supported and able to fulfill so many dreams for themselves and their children.
“But now, also seeing it reflected in our leadership just really makes you feel a sense of pride and good at home.”
Like Hendrickson, Krishnamoorthi was also born to Indian immigrants, and commented similarly.
“I think it’s always a good thing when people think other folks of different backgrounds are quote-unquote normal or mainstream or just like you and me,” he said.
“When that happens, you see America become an even better version of itself, because America has always renewed itself through waves of immigration and assimilation and people of different backgrounds becoming a fabric of society.”
A native of Bombay who moved to Peoria in his adult life, Vuppuluri said he felt a kinship with Harris because of her familial story.
“I came to the U.S., my friends came to the U.S., and we all struggled. We come penniless, we struggle, we take all the hits and all the blows, and then you work through it,” he said.
“We stick to our values. Ethics, morality, commitment to family, commitment to each other, doing the right thing always, respecting everyone all the time, not getting into fights, and through years of hard work and struggle, we eventually make it to the top of the heap.
“So, when we look at Kamala Harris, we presume she would have gotten some of those values from her mother, and we can relate to her mother, because she went through the same struggles. And we know how those struggles change one’s attitude towards decision making and looking at things.”
Speaking of mothers, Hendrickson drew from her experience as one in summing up her feelings about the day’s personal meaning to her.
“I have daughters who are half-Indian and have names that can be mispronounced, and so today is a new normal for them, and I could not be more happy for them.”
As for what Harris’s ascent means for the future, Vuppuluri said since the election he’s already seeing more Indians wanting to serve on a local level, and not just in government.
“Our own community we have in Peoria is taking steps to become more publicly involved, whether it’s philanthropy or supporting institutions, or mentoring, or what have you,” he said.
“So, we do what we can to help in any way we can to make Peoria a better place and to help those who need help.”
Krishnamoorthi estimated 300 Indian-Americans ran for various offices during the 2020 election cycle, and predicted Harris’s ascent would further open the floodgates.
“We need Congress and every level of government to reflect the beautiful diversity America represents,” he said.
“If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. No American, nor their families nor their priorities, should be on the menu.”
