hello Chicago in 1958 a 19-year-old from India left the only country she'd ever known to chart her own path in America she came here to pursue an education but she stayed here to build a life her name was Dr shamala gopalan Harris but we called her mommy mommy was so many things to so many people a civil rights activist a scientist a devoted mother to her two little girls but most of all mommy was a Trailblazer who defied the odds and defined herself and when it came to KLA and me mommy had great expectations for us but she had even greater expectations of us she she raised us to believe that we could be and do anything and we believed her you see mommy understood the power and the possibility that come with knowing and showing who you truly are she she knew we could be the authors of our own stories just as she'd been the author of her own mommy's journey and the opportunity that she wanted for kamla and me that's a distinctly American story we may all have different histories different struggles or different perspectives but what binds us together is the fervent desire to be free to fulfill our god-given potential kamla's entire life has been about fighting for each of us to have that freedom and like so many Americans kamla knows what it's like to be underestimated and be counted out she knows what it's like to be the underdog and yet still beat the odds and now she has created so much electricity so much optimism so much joy throughout the nation and it is why we need her leadership in this historic moment