NEW YORK: The Indian American Leadership Initiative (IALI) opened it’s first ever Indian American Democratic Dialogue recently in Washington, DC. The two-day path-breaking conference gathered Democratic elected officials, candidates, political appointees, policymakers, consultants and fundraisers to discuss politics and policy.
"The Indian American community has made significant contributions to American society and has now emerged as an important force in progressive politics. We hope this conference will help solidify these important gains and create a last dialogue," said Jay Chaudhuri, President of IALI.
"The success of the Democratic Dialogue speaks to the growing size and influence of the community of Indian Americans who are actively working in politics and public policy," said Nishith Acharya, the Dialogue Chair. "This conference brought together serious, well-connected political professionals fro, tm the local, state and federal level who are all interested in influencing our public policy and supporting members of their community. In five to ten years, I see this community working together to support success Indian American candidacies, influencing public policy, and most importantly, working together to make America a better place."
The conference was the first and largest of its kind and marked the growing importance of the Indian American community in American politics. Indian Americans are one of the fastest-growing, wealthiest, and best-educated immigrant groups in the United States. The community is serving a major source of funding for several presidential candidates, including Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL). During the 2006 Congressional elections, Indian American activism helped defeat former Virginia Senator George Allen, who used the epithet macaca to describe an Indian American during his campaign.
Also during the 2006 elections, two more Indian American’s were elected state representatives – Democrats Jay Goyal of Ohio and Raj Goyle of Kansas. United States Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and United States Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Nick Lampson (D-TX) addressed the conference as keynote speakers on the occasion.
"The Dialogue was a watershed moment in many respects, but mainly in bringing together for the first time Indian American Democratic activists from around the country who stand united in defeating the politics of fear by the current incumbent party," said Varun Nikore, founder of IALI.
"IALI led the way, showing even our own party that we will not wait to be led but that we will show the way through the current darkness." Over 150 Indian American political and policy professionals attended the conference over the weekend, including three Cabinet Secretaries, four elected state representatives, and representatives from four major Washington political consulting firms.
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