Monthly Community Paper | www.austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 14 No. 02
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris, in full Kamala Devi Harris, (born October 20, 1964, Oakland, California, U.S.), 49th vice president of the United States (2021– ) in the Democratic administration of Pres. Joe Biden. She is the first woman and the first African American to hold the post. She had previously served in the U.S. Senate (2017–21) and as attorney general of California (2011–17).
Her father, who was Jamaican, taught at Stanford University, and her mother, the daughter of an Indian diplomat, was a cancer researcher. Her younger sister, Maya, later became a public policy advocate. After studying political science and economics (B.A., 1986) at Howard University, Kamala earned a law degree (1989)
from Hastings College.
She subsequently worked as a deputy district attorney (1990–98) in Oakland, earning a reputation for toughness as she prosecuted cases of gang violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse. Harris
Incoming U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
rose through the ranks, becoming
district attorney in 2004. In 2010 she was narrowly elected attorney general of California—winning by a margin of less than 1 percent— thus becoming the first female and the first African American to hold
the post. After taking office the following year, she demonstrated political independence, rejecting, for example, pressure from the administration of Pres. Barack Obama for her to settle a nationwide lawsuit against mortgage lenders for unfair practices. Instead, she pressed California’s case and in 2012 won a judgment five times higher than that originally offered. Her refusal to defend Proposition 8 (2008), which banned same-sex marriage in the state, helped lead to it being overturned in 2013. Harris’s book, Smart on Crime (2009; cowritten with Joan O’C. Hamilton), was considered a model for dealing with the problem of criminal recidivism. (Continued On Page 23)
IACT Hosts Community Conversation
get to the critical levels of vaccination that we need in this country... We’ve got to get there sooner,” the Indian American physician told CNN. CNN reported that Murthy said the Biden administration is working to address the vaccine rollout issues that jurisdictions have been grappling with. WASHINGTON – The United States needs to do more to help speed the administration of Covid-19 vaccines, Vivek Murthy, President Joe Biden’s pick for U.S. surgeon general, said Jan. 21. “We cannot take a year in order to
He said the plan includes setting up more vaccination sites, leaning on partnerships with pharmacies and finding people who can help administer vaccines. (Continued On Page 13)
By Sumaiya Malik On Sunday, January 17, the Indian American Coalition of Texas (IACT), a non-profit civic-engagement Indian organization in Central Texas, organized community conversation on Zoom called Coping with Covid-19. The event started with a moment of silence for all those who lost their lives to Covid-19.
Moderated by Pramod Patil, exCommunity Advisory Board Austin PBS and a director of IACT, and Fahd Siddiqui, a board member, the guests included immigration attorney Pooja Sethi, special education teacher Sobia Kidwai, restaurant owner Sanjay Parikh, community member Retired District Judge from India and now Austin resident Bhagirathi Rangarajan, and medical student Faiz Baqai. (Continued On Page 11)
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February 2021
Australian Open...........02 Indians Must Have.......03 Oxford University To.....04 Patients With Inactive...05 Biden Appoints.............05 Heartburn Sideline........06 Arun’s Scribblings.........06
March 2021 Health Special 512-828-6709
Keeping The Lights On.07 Home Renovation.........08 Quit Smoking For Good.09 Malik’s Page........10,12,13 Make A Difference........14 Kids Corner.........14,17,22 Picture World Book.......15 SAIVA..........................16 Boosting Your Child’s....18 Biden To Impose..........19 WHO Chief Praises.......19 Make Your Home..........20 Make A Statement........20 Fall In Love..................21 Earth Is Losing Ice.......21 Seven Rocky Planets Orbiting Red Dwarf..........23 Medicaid And CHIP.......24 Indian American Guru Nanda Donates............24 Entertainment.........25,26