Indian-Americans launch #MyNameIs campaign after a leader mocks Kamala’s name

Team Udayavani, Oct 19, 2020, 11:16 AM IST

Indian-Americans and several of Kamala Harris’ supporters launched #MyNameIs online campaign after Republican Senator David Perdue mocked her name.

“KAH’-mah-lah? Kah-MAH’-lah? Kamala-mala-mala? I don’t know. Whatever,” he told thousands of his supporters during an election rally of US President Donald Trump on Saturday in Macon City in Georgia, a battleground state.

The mispronunciation outraged a large number of Harris’ supporters and many Twitter users hit back with #MyNameIs  trend

#MyNameIs Shivam. It is the sanskrit singular name of Lord Shiva and means auspicious. I was raised to be proud of my name, and to never let anyone else’s convenience undercut my self worh and dignity. America is everyone, and every name is American. https://t.co/gR1uVXuVaN

— Shivam Bhatt (@elektrotal) October 17, 2020

#MyNameIs Meenakshi. I’m named after the Hindu goddess, as well as my great great grandmother. I come from a long line of strong women who taught me to be proud of my heritage and to demand respect—especially from racist white men like @sendavidperdue who are threatened by us. https://t.co/Bonzz5n3Xu

— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) October 17, 2020

#MyNameIs Preet, which means love. https://t.co/JSO0zB77aR

— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) October 17, 2020

My great grandmother’s name was Kamala. Not “Kamala-mala-mala, I don’t know, whatever.”#MyNameIs Gautam. It means bright light. The kind of bright light a Biden-Harris Administration will represent. And that is why #IWillVote.

Join me & make a plan at https://t.co/M8JYgEwDe2. https://t.co/B1JTEbaEYx

— Gautam Raghavan (@gauragDC) October 17, 2020