Mindy Kaling’s Daughter Thought Kamala Harris Was Her Mom. This is Why Representation Matters

The new Vice President broke multiple barriers on Inauguration Day.

Now millions of boys and girls can finally see a VP who looks like them.

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When Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2021, she made history. Not only is she the first woman to hold the role, she’s also the first Black American and first person of South Asian descent to become VP.

For millions of Americans who watched Vice President Harris take her oath, it was the first time they saw someone who looked like them elevated to such a significant title in our government. Mindy Kaling’s daughter was among them.

The hard-working actress, writer, and director, whose parents immigrated to the US from India, shared a photo of 3-year-old Katherine watching Vice President Harris’s swearing in with the caption, “I was at work, but apparently she said: ‘Is that mommy? It looks like mommy.’ Best compliment I ever got! It matters. Happy Inauguration everyone.”

It’s hard to overstate how much representation matters, particularly to kids who are learning their place in this world and what they can achieve.

At the end of last year, when I told my children that the next vice president’s mother immigrated from the area their paternal grandparents grew up, my 6-year-old son’s eyes lit up. “You mean she’s part Indian like me?” he asked excitedly. “Yes, she’s like you.” He beamed.

After we watched the inauguration, my son asked to see pictures of all of the previous vice presidents of the US. We pulled them up on the computer to look at their pictures and read each of their names. He looked over the list and declared, “Kamala Harris is the only woman.” “Yes,” I replied. “Well, now a girl can be president too," he said.

And that is why representation matters—so our children can see themselves in the people they admire, but also so they learn to advocate for and support the people who aren’t exactly like them.

Mindy articulated the importance of Harris’ journey in posts throughout the election season. After President Joe Biden chose Harris as his running mate, Mindy wrote, “Was there ever more of an exciting day? For our entire country of course, but especially for my Black and Indian sisters, many of us who have gone our entire lives thinking that someone who looks like us may never hold high office. We work so hard to contribute to the fabric of America, and now to see someone as talented as @kamalaharris rise to the top like this? It’s thrilling!”

The day after the election, Mindy shared photos of Harris with the caption, “Crying and holding my daughter, ‘look baby, she looks like us.’”

And for millions of Americans, she looks like them, too.