Kamala Harris speaks of immigrant parents at first campaign appearance, tweets picture with mother

Democratic candidate for the US Vice President, Kamala Harris on Thursday tweeted a picture of herself as a toddler with her mother. The California Senator said she wished her mother to be with her this week as Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden chose her to be his running mate. 

"My mother always use to say, “Don’t just sit around and complain about things. Do something.” I dearly wish she were here with us this week," the Senator from California said in a tweet. 

Kamala Harris' mother, Shyamala Gopalan was an Indian-American cancer researcher and civil rights activist who passed away in 2009. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Harris spoke of her parents, Jamaican and Indian immigrants in her opening remarks during first campaign appearance as Joe Biden`s choice for vice president. 

Harris has often spoken of her Indian and Jamaican roots and how her Indian grandparents had been a huge influence on her life. 

"I have had a lot of titles over my career and certainly vice president will be great. But `Momala` will always be the one that means the most," CNN quoted Harris as saying.

Harris talked about how her parents, Jamaican and Indian immigrants, met while protesting for civil rights in Oakland in the 1960s.

"My mother and father, they came from opposite sides of the world to arrive in America. One from India and the other from Jamaica in search of a world-class education. But what brought them together was the civil rights movement of the 1960s. And that is how they met as students in the streets of Oakland marching and shouting for this thing called justice in a struggle that continues today," she said.

Harris accused US President Donald Trump of the mishandling of coronavirus. The US leads the world with more than 5 million coronavirus cases "because of Trump`s failure to take it seriously from the start," Harris said.

"His refusal to get testing up to and running, his flip-flopping on social distancing and wearing masks. His delusional belief that he knows better than the experts. All of that is a reason and the reason that an American dies of Covid-19 every 80 seconds," Harris said regarding Trump.

Harris also honoured the women who helped pave the way for her and acknowledged the work needed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

"After the most competitive primary in history, the country received a resounding message that Joe was the person to lead us forward and, Joe, I am so proud to stand with you. And I do so mindful of all the heroic and ambitious women before me whose sacrifice, determination and resilience make my presence here today even possible," Harris said.

The California Democrat said she was "incredibly honoured by this responsibility" and that she was "ready to get to work." "I am ready to get to work," she said

(With inputs from ANI)