WASHINGTON, DC — Speaking to a crowd festively clad in colorful sarees and sherwanis, President Joe Biden celebrated South Asian American immigrants at the annual White House Diwali event.
“Many of you were the first of your families to get a formal education. Your families gathered their life savings for the first flight ever, which was across the world to America,” said the President, who called upon Rep. Ro Khanna’s young daughter and son to join him onstage. “Far from family, far from home with just a single suitcase and a few dollars in their pockets, they taught themselves English by watching television, and listening to the radio.”
“They planted seeds of a new life in big cities, and small towns, all across America that have grown into something remarkable. The South Asian American community enriched every part of American life, and that’s the truth,” said Biden. “You are among the fastest growing, most engaged community in the country.”
He noted that previous generations of Indian Americans had to celebrate Diwali under “the shadow of suspicion.”
Triumph of Goodness Over Evil
“Now, Diwali is celebrated openly and proudly here in the White House,” said Biden, who noted his own Irish Catholic faith.
“I’m proud that I kept my commitment to have an administration that looks like America, including a record number of South Asian Americans at every level across our entire government,” he said.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is traditionally held on the darkest night of the year, symbolizing the victory of goodness over evil and knowledge over ignorance. This year, astrologers determined the date as Oct. 31. The occasion is celebrated over 5 days.
Shout Out to Kamala Harris
Ethnic Media Services joined in the festivities at the White House Oct. 28. A crowd of more than 500 people squeezed into the East Room to hear Biden, astronaut Sunita Williams, who spoke via video from the International Space Station, and US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. Absent from the festivities was Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of the late Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a breast cancer researcher. The following day, Harris gave a rousing speech for her Presidential bid at the Ellipse on the grounds of the White House. More than 75,000 people attanded, as reported by her campaign.
Biden gave Harris a shout-out during his remarks onstage. “You know, I selected Kamala to be my running mate for many reasons. She’s smart. She’s tough. She’s trusted.”
“But most importantly, and I mean this sincerely from the bottom of my heart, she has character. One of the things we bond over is the role of each of our mothers played in our lives. They come from different places, different generations, different lives. But they share the basic belief about America. Only in America is anything possible,” said Biden.
The President was introduced to the stage by Shrusti Amula, a Georgetown University freshman and the founder of Rise N Shine Foundation, which works to reduce food waste through composting and food recovery programs.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
Murthy, who also served as Surgeon General during the Obama Administration, spoke of his family’s trajectory in the US. His grandparents scraped together everything they had to send his family abroad, said Murthy. Arriving in Miami, Florida, Murthy’s father, Lakshminarasimha Murthy, often worked overnight shifts to make ends meet.
“On many of those nights, my mother would gather us up and light the diya in the small closet that doubled as a prayer room in our house. By doing that, she reminded us that we were never alone, that an unwavering source of light was always around us and within us,” said Murthy. His parents eventually built a medical practice.
Choking back tears, Murthy recalled his swearing-in ceremony with Biden. The President held his grandmother’s hand and said: “Look what you did.”
A Nation of Light
“Years later, I told President Biden how much it meant to me that he understood my family’s sacrifices and their journey. But he told me that I had forgotten what he said to my grandmother next. He said: ‘Thank you for choosing us, the United States of America, to be your home.’”
“That is the opportunity that we are faced with today: to look at people of different backgrounds and see them as neighbors with shared hopes and dreams, to see the imperfections in our country but still work hard to build a community where everyone cares for one another, a nation whose light draws and inspires millions.”
Reaching for the Stars
“As we celebrate Diwali, the triumph of light over darkness, let us remember that choosing this light starts with each of us,” said Murthy.
Speaking from the Space Station, which has been her home for the past 5 months, Astronaut Williams said she was proud to grow up in a household in which her parents encouraged her to “reach for the stars.”
After the formal remarks, celebrants nibbled on ladoos — traditional Indian sweets — as they strolled around portions of the White House. The White House Military orchestra performed several Indian classics.
