Diaspora News of Monday, 19 August 2024

Source: Ghana Diaspora

African immigrant and diaspora community PACs endorse Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris, Vice President of United States Kamala Harris, Vice President of United States

In a groundbreaking move, major Political Action Committees (PACs) representing the African immigrant community have come together to endorse U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as President of the United States.

This unprecedented collaboration signifies a unified stance and a shared vision for a more inclusive and equitable America.

The Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee (GHPAC), the Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC), and the African Diaspora for Good Governance Political Action Committee (ADGG) proudly announce their collective support for Harris in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Vice President Harris has consistently emphasized the importance of strong U.S.-Africa relations. In March and April 2023, she embarked on a historic trip to Africa, with a focus on investing in African innovation, and successfully worked with African partners to galvanize over $8 billion in U.S., African, and global private sector investments for the continent.

Harris' positions on U.S.-Africa relations reflect a comprehensive approach that includes economic cooperation, support for democracy, climate action, and security partnerships. Her positions demonstrate a commitment to fostering strong, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationships between the United States and African nations.

Comprehensive immigration reform has yet to be achieved by any American president. However, Vice President Harris has consistently taken a firm stance on protecting the rights of immigrants throughout her career.

This track record extends from her advocacy as a California Attorney General to her advocacy as vice president supporting the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which aims to modernize the immigration system.

Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee [GHPAC] President and CEO, Adjoa Kyerematen, said, "We are thrilled to join forces with our fellow African heritage PACs in endorsing Kamala Harris. Collectively, we are driven by the concerns of our communities, which understand that this upcoming presidential election is not an ordinary one. The United States cannot have a president who believes Africans who contribute to the U.S. economy, work in American hospitals, and enforce U.S. law are unworthy of being Americans."

"Harris's story as a daughter of immigrants and her commitment to protecting democratic rights resonate deeply with our community. Further, GHPAC believes Kamala Harris's visit to Ghana is the beginning of a reimagined foreign policy approach that prioritizes U.S.-Africa relations. We look forward to unprecedented positive change under the Harris-Walz administration."

Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee [NAPAC] Maryland Chairperson Dr. Toyin Opesanmi also said, “We unanimously join forces with our fellow African PACs to endorse Kamala Harris as our next president. When embarking on the historic trip Kamala made to three African countries as the first black woman U.S. Vice President in 2023, she said, and I quote, 'I’m going to Africa mainly to talk with African leaders about what we as the United States are prepared to do to have our role in investing in the future of that continent.' We applaud Kamala and look forward to better and stronger US-Africa relations under her presidency.”

“We announce our endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States of America in the upcoming 2024 elections. This endorsement reflects our commitment to supporting a leader who embodies the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion that are essential to our community,” Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee [NAPAC] Chairman Edafe Sodje said.

Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee, Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee, and African Diaspora for Good Governance Political Action Committee, with significant chapters in battleground states such as Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Minnesota, urge all members of the African immigrant and African heritage communities to come together, support Kamala Harris, and vote in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

About PACs:

Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee (GHPAC): The Ghana Diaspora Political Action Committee is the political arm of the Ghana Diaspora Public Affairs Collective, established to increase the number of Ghanaian Americans elected to political office, support candidates that champion the interests of the Ghanaian American community, and promote Ghanaian American participation in the political process.

Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC): NAPAC-MD taps into the innate power of the Nigerian-American community to campaign for social change and establish systems of support for community members. We provide a platform for the voices of the next generation and lend support to political initiatives that help the members of our community find equal footing in society. We support the growing number of Nigerian leaders and individuals in Maryland and the USA who have political aspirations. We also support non-Nigerian candidates whose platform and core values align with those of our diaspora community and deliberate on supporting them. In and out of the campaign season, we continuously advocate for the political empowerment of our people in the United States.

African Diaspora for Good Governance Political Action Committee (ADGG): ADGG PAC ensures that Africans in the diaspora are educated and organized to participate in political activities, both as voters and as candidates for elected offices, and to promote good governance in the diaspora and on the continent of Africa. We educate legislators, governments, and political candidates about important issues affecting the African diaspora community. We also educate the African diaspora community on the vital need to participate and vote in all elections!