2024 Kamala Harris “DesiPresident” Campaign

In the summer of 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first South Asian major party presidential nominee in American history. The Indian American Impact Fund set out to mobilize the South Asian American electorate in the wake of this monumental nomination, specifically in the battleground states of North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. South Asian voters in these states had the potential to be the margin of victory for races up and down the ballot.

By the Numbers

In just 107 days, Indian American Impact engaged a total of 182,000 Desi voters across these four pivotal states. With the help of thousands of volunteers, Impact made 86,000+ phone calls, knocked 31,000+ doors, and delivered 26,000+ hand-written postcards to South Asian voters. This represented an unprecedented surge in energy and enthusiasm from the politically ascendant South Asian community – we are a movement on the rise.

United by the goal of electing the first South Asian and Black woman president, Impact launched the DesiPresident Whatsapp Community to organize hundreds of new and experienced volunteers, activists, and community members. This space gave birth to grassroots fundraisers and volunteer events across the country, to firsthand blog posts and culturally conscious digital content, to a new chapter of South Asian political engagement. This community put its money where its mouth was as well, with Indian American Impact investing $3.5 million in TV, digital, and radio ad communications: the largest independent expenditure ever reaching AAPI voters for a presidential candidate.

Powered by this historic show of force, Indian American Impact is ready to continue the fight. The re-election of Donald Trump is a setback, but the 2024 elections demonstrated the rising political salience of the South Asian community: South Asian candidates and values won at different levels of the ballot. With these victories in mind and new ones on the horizon, Impact’s commitment to its mission has never been stronger. Together, we’re working for a future America that celebrates our full diversity and champions us all: we are not going back.