America’s Democratic Party presidential hopeful, the current California senator Kamala Harris, invoked her Indian roots at the intra-party debate held on October 15 in Ohio. Answering one of the questions, Harris talked about her mother and how she encouraged Harris to accomplish great things.

“My mother was 19 when she left India, alone. She wanted to travel to learn science because her mission in life was to cure cancer,” Harris said. “When I was five, my parents’ marriage ended, but my mother taught me and my sister that we can do anything, so I became the first woman attorney general of California, and the second black woman elected to the US senate.”

Answering why is she running for president, Harris replied that if Donald Trump had his way, her story would not have been possible. “I am running to ensure that the American dream, the American values will always hold true, that’s what is at stake in this election.”