South Asian Group Targets Perdue for Mispronouncing Kamala Harris' Name

A group of prominent South Asian Americans has partnered to revive the #MyNameIs campaign ahead of January’s Georgia Senate runoff after Sen. David Perdue willfully mispronounced his Senate colleague Kamala Harris’ name in October.

Harris is the first Black American and the first South Asian American elected vice president in U.S. history.

Perdue, who serves on the Senate Budget Committee with Harris, was speaking ahead of President Trump’s arrival in Macon when he referred to the vice president-elect as "Ka-MAL-a, Ka-MAL-a or Kamala, Kamala, Ka-mala, -mala, -mala, I don't know, whatever," to laughter from the crowd.

Former "Funny or Die" executive producer Brad Jenkins, Harris’ niece Maya Harris and the Indian American Impact Fund (IMPACT) have partnered to make a video to share the origins of their name in solidarity with Harris.

"It started from that viral internet campaign, and we're just bringing it to life," Jenkins told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's great that we got Trump out, but as Asian Americans, as Americans, we have to sort of finish the job and ensure we have a Senate that can work with Joe Biden.''

Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani opens the video by saying: "South Asian Americans helped build this country, even though at times we've been pushed aside and put down or made into a punchline. In 2020, when our leaders insulted and disrespected us, they know exactly what they're doing, and so do we."

"Back in the day, I started going by Kal Penn to help get a job. And I'm happy to give Senator David Perdue some tips on finding a new one of his own," Kal Penn says in another moment.

Perdue Communication Director John Burke defended the senator, saying he ''simply mispronounced'' Harris’ name.

Nanjiani in the video responds: "Well, senator, while you simply mispronounced our names, we simply voted Donald Trump out of office. We simply registered millions of voters. We simply turned out in record numbers. But don't worry, senator, we don't mean anything by it.''

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