Minita Sanghvi has been paying attention to the 2024 Republican presidential primaries like many others in the United States and around the world. Sanghvi has been following politicians that look like her on the national stage — former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (who recently lost the New Hampshire primaries) or tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has dropped out from the Republican race and endorsed Donald Trump.
Minita Sanghvi (Courtesy HarperCollins)
“I think honestly, you know, it doesn't matter what side of the aisle they’re on. You're seeing someone who looks like you, had similar experiences as you. It’s empowering for a lot of people. It makes you feel seen. Politics is not just for white men. There’s space for Nikki Haley, it's a space for (Vice President) Kamala Harris, for Vivek Ramaswamy, and people must learn to pronounce his name as well,” said Sanghvi.
The 46-year-old tenured professor of business at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, upstate New York, wants to be seen, too, on a larger stage, reflecting the diversity within the Indian-American community. Sanghvi is the city council’s Finance Commissioner since 2021. And this November, she aims to become the first openly gay woman to enter the State Senate, as she will attempt to win the 44th district NY Senate seat. She’s already a step closer: earlier this week, Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee endorsed her.
“We are a diverse community. I take pride in being a Gujju and I take pride in being a lesbian,” she said in a telephonic interview.
Indian-Americans have emerged in recent years on the national stage, from former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to Haley, Harris, and members of the House of Representatives, but being gay still carries a stigma within the community and many remain closeted. Having come out years ago, Sanghvi hopes her win will help her be a role model to not just members of the community in America but even back home, in India.
“I have helped mentor other South Asian LGBTQ folks who are thinking of entering politics. And in some ways, having someone like me out there has been really good for them to see,” she said.
She may also be setting an example of an Indian-American seeking office in a constituency which is mainstream isn't majority-minority, or with a large Asian population. “You know, I truly believe in American democracy and that American elected representatives should look like America, and even if Asians are just seven per cent of the population here, that doesn't mean that we may not be the best person for the job.”
Mumbai-born Sanghvi is almost certain to clinch the nomination of the Democratic Party to contest the November elections since there are no other candidates in the fray for the primaries. The challenge will be in overcoming other barriers in an electoral district that is MAGA (Make America Great Again) territory. If former President Donald Trump does garner the Republican nomination, they may help Sanghvi’s cause as that will incentivise Democrats to vote in greater numbers and increase their turnout. “I'm hoping that that will help. I'm honestly shocked at how much support he seems to be gathering everywhere. And so that's sort of more terrifying to me,” she said.
Sanghvi has borne the brunt of blatant bias. In August 2021, while campaigning for the city council run, a constituent called the police as he deemed her a “suspicious person” in his neighbourhood, though she lived just a street away. In an emotional video posted at the time, she said, “That’s just the reality of Saratoga Springs and life as a brown person in the United States of America in 2021.” Amid tears, she added, “And that’s why I’m running.” She won, doubled down, and won the reelection to the city council last year.
Sanghvi met her spouse, Megan Di Maio, in North Carolina when she lived there — the Bible Belt is known for being homophobic. In Saratoga, she said, racism was rampant. Her pitch at the city council focused on her credentials — an accounting degree, an MBA and a PhD. She’s hoping this will level the playing field for her on the ballot for the state senate: “I have found that people don't care about these things as much if they believe in your platform. Do they think that you will do a good job? Do they believe that you are an honest person who has integrity? And do they believe that you can make it happen?”
Sanghvi lives a life of intersecting identities: As Megan’s spouse, mother to nine-year-old Jamie, an Indian-American immigrant, a Gujarati Hindu, author of Happy Endings, a lesbian romance novel, published in November 2022. If this were baseball, those would count as multiple strikes against her aspirations in a conservative region. But as America’s other pastime, politics, evolves with its country’s demographics, she may soon add another descriptor, State Senator, the highest position captured by a gay Indian-American yet.
Anirudh Bhattacharya is a Toronto-based commentator on North American issues, and an author. He has also worked as a journalist in New Delhi and New York spanning print, television and digital media. He tweets as @anirudhb.Read More
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