Harris pens op-ed in AAPI diaspora newspapers urging voters to 'fight for our freedoms”

In the final sprint to Election Day, Vice President Harris wrote a series of columns across five Asian American newspapers calling on members of the 15 million-voter-strong constituency to join her in the “fight for our freedoms.”

“There is so much at stake in this election, and Americans are ready to turn the page on the chaos of the past. You deserve a leader who not only sees you, but stands with you,” Harris wrote in each column.

The columns ran in five news outlets: the World Journal, which serves Chinese Americans; the Asian Journal, which serves Filipino Americans; Yonhap News Agency, which serves Korean Americans; The Juggernaut, which serves South Asians; and Việt Báo Daily News, which serves Vietnamese Americans. They were published between Thursday and Sunday.

Harris tailored each of the five columns to the specific ethnicity that the papers catered to in an effort to speak to each community specifically.

With Vietnamese Americans, Harris invoked the stories of many in the community who fled to the U.S. as South Vietnam fell to the Viet Cong in 1975.

“As we approach the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, we reflect on the extraordinary journey of the Vietnamese American diaspora, now more than two million strong,” Harris wrote. “Your resilience shines through the thriving communities you have built. Your story is America’s story: a powerful reminder that freedom—tự do—is something we must all cherish and protect.”

In the Filipino-specific column, Harris paid tribute to the centuries of Filipino immigration to the U.S. and the “integral” role Filipinos play in America’s economic health care system, saying they are at its "heart."

“My plan will also strengthen Medicare to cover home care for seniors, easing the financial and emotional burden many Filipino Americans face when caring for their elders," she wrote. "I took care of my mother when she was sick with cancer—I know that caregiving is about dignity.”

With South Asians, Harris tied her call for support to the story of her mother, Shamyala Gopalan, who immigrated to the U.S. from India. Harris regularly visited India as a child and spent time with her grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, a freedom fighter in India.

“I recall my grandfather teaching me lessons about not just what it means to have a democracy but to keep a democracy,” Harris wrote. “Those lessons first inspired my interest in public service. And they continue to guide me today — as Vice President and as a candidate for President of the United States.”

With Chinese Americans, Harris wrote about the violence and xenophobia the community faced during the pandemic under Trump’s administration, vowing to protect the community and stand with them.

“Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious. He incited hate against Chinese Americans and vilified immigrants to deflect from his failures,” Harris wrote.

With Korean Americans, Harris wrote about how her mother’s story of immigrating to the U.S. and working to build a better life for her and her sister was similar to that of “so many Korean mothers.”

“I deeply respect the Korean American story of courage and resilience,” Harris wrote. “Countless Korean immigrants have worked long hours—many in their family-owned grocery stores, dry cleaners and restaurants—to build a brighter future for their children.”

“I represent a new, optimistic generation of leadership and will chart a New Way Forward—one that protects the aspirations of the Korean American community and ensures you can not just get by, but get ahead.

In each column, Harris also spoke of her own middle-class roots and campaign promises to build an “opportunity economy” that would cut taxes for millions of Americans, increase the startup expense deduction by tenfold, and provide up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for new homebuyers.

Harris also wrote about making health care more affordable, invoking the tradition in each of the five communities for children to care for elderly parents, and how her Medicare plans would alleviate some of that burden.

The Harris campaign has invested considerably in reaching out to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) voters during the 2024 election cycle. It became the first campaign to hire dedicated AANHPI staffers in each of the seven critical battleground states and produce ads specifically targeting AANHPI communities.

Alongside many other identity groups that have sprung up in support of Harris, the campaign has worked with AANHPI for Harris groups, like Chinese Men for Harris, South Asians for Harris, Vietnamese Americans for Harris and Hmong Americans for Harris to mobilize voters in the fastest-growing voting bloc in the U.S.

There are millions of AANHPI swing voters in swing states. For example, the demographic makes up 12 percent of all eligible voters in Nevada.