SAKI, South Asians for Kerry in 2004 is a pioneering effort by South Asians to have an organization formally recognized by a presidential campaign. With the twin mission of uniting the South Asian Community as a powerful political constituency and helping Senator John Kerry become the next President of the United States, SAKI is uniquely positioned to make the South Asian vote influence the up coming Presidential Elections.

Founders, Maya Nambisan and Mekhail Anwar spoke to Lokvani about the initiative and why they feel John Kerry is the right choice for South Asians and America. Maya Nambisan has a degree in Public Health and works as a Study Coordinator at the AED Pregnancy Registry. Mekhail Anwar is a MD/PhD student at MIT.

Lokvani: How did SAKI evolve?

Maya Nambisan: I was very interested in politics and felt very strongly about the need for political activism in the South Asian community. Early on I met a few people from the Kerry Campaign and I felt convinced that Senator Kerry was the best person to be the next President of the United States. I decided to do all I could to help his campaign. I felt the need for an organization to formalize the South Asian support for Kerry’s candidacy. While I have organizational skills and I have founded organizations during my college days, I felt establishing an organization of this kind needed someone with an interest in policy. Mekhail Anwar, whom I have known since my undergraduate days at the University of California at Berkley, has a great interest in policy. We teamed up and established SAKI.

Lokvani: Is SAKI a local organization?

Maya Nambisan: No. SAKI 2004 was founded in Massachusetts in February 2003 and became a national effort in August of 2003. During the past year, SAKI has grown rapidly, accruing over 200 members and chapters nationwide, including: Northern California, Massachusetts, New York and the Tri State area, and Washington D.C. SAKI is headed by six co-chairs –myself , Mekhail Anwar, Reshma Saujani, Vijay Sankaran, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan and Rushabh Doshi.

Lokvani:What kinds of activities has SAKI engaged in?

Maya Nambisan: SAKI’s activities began as grass roots outreach efforts. But they have now expanded to include every aspect of the campaign process. SAKI has organized phone-banks, canvasses, visibilities, informational forums and fundraising events.

Lokvani: Why should South Asians support John Kerry?

Maya Nambisan: John Kerry will be a “thinking” president, one who will use the advantages of his varied experiences to make important decisions about the direction of the country. Moreover, Senator Kerry’s long record of championing causes of import to South Asians - his criticism of the Rumsfield Commission report, support of the DREAM act for young South Asians, goal of speeding up the naturalization process and allowing permanent resident visas to be processed in the U.S – make him the right choice for South Asians working to empower their community.

The campaign slogan as you know is “John Kerry is the Real Deal”. As a decorated Vietnam War veteran, he led the fight against what the country came to believe was an unjust war. He has served as the Massachusetts State Attorney General, as Lieutenant Governor, and is currently in his fourth-term as senator, having run several successful PAC-free races. During this time, John Kerry has sponsored legislation in support of public education, small businesses and progressive foreign policy

Ability to win is an important criterion. John Kerry has proven he is a winner: he resurrected his all-but-dead campaign in barely three months, winning an unprecedented 28 out of 31 primaries, and becoming the first Democratic nominee in years to win primaries throughout the process, from New Hampshire to New York. Now, national polls show that he is leading the president 49-43 %, as the candidate most likely to secure the White House.

Mekhail Anwar: We should support John Kerry's because his policies represent what is good and right in America, and benefit all who live here. John Kerry recognizes that America's strength lies with its people, whether they were born here or abroad, and he will lead the country with that thought in mind.

Lokvani: Immigration is of great concern to Southa Asians. What are Kerry's policies on Immigration?

Mekhail Anwar: John Kerry's policies reflect an understanding that it is the people in this country that make it strong. John Kerry's immigration policies support family reunification, the DREAM act (providing immigration relief to undocumented immigrants who have spent their formative years here and graduated high school), restoring full benefits to legal immigrants, and speeding up immigration procedures.

Lokvani:Some of Kerry’s comments on outsourcing have raised concerns in the minds of South Asians. Is he a protectionist?

Mekhail Anwar: John Kerry is not a protectionist. He does not believe that America should be isolated from some of the largest countries in the world, such as India, and to this end has supported free trade agreements. Many South Asians might be concerned about outsourcing, and what this means for jobs in India. John Kerry's policy is not going to ban outsourcing, but he will allow the American consumer to know where the company, product, or service is made or provided.

Lokvani:How does Kerry plan to address the health care needs of Americans?

Mekhail Anwar: John Kerry’s health care plan will take already existing institutions and subsidize them to expand and make them more affordable. He will subsidize catastrophic health care costs to small businesses, as long as they pass on the savings in premiums to their workers; he will subsidize and expand the congressional health care plan so that all Americans can buy in; provide a 75% tax credit to cover health care costs when people are between jobs; and he will cover 99% of all children in this country.

Lokvani:What about taxes? Will he repeal the Bush tax cuts?

Mekhail Anwar: He will repeal the Bush tax cuts for those who make more than $200,000 dollars per year but he has every intention of keeping the middle class tax cuts. His policies will allow for investment in America. He has an interesting idea to allow all students to earn their in-state college tuition if they participate in community service.

Lokvani: Why do you think SAKI has been successful?

Maya Nambisan: The organization’s efforts have succeeded in large part because each of the regional co-chairs work closely with Kerry staff members, and because the organization is officially recognized by the campaign.

Lokvani: What are the future plans for SAKI?

Maya Nambisan: In the coming year, to prepare for the general election, SAKI plans to form a national south asian policy group, and a national steering committee. SAKI is also organizing a South Asian gala in New York City in April, which the Senator will attend, to raise funds for the upcoming election.

Lokvani: How can people get involved in this effort?

Maya Nambisan: For more information, please visit our website at http://www.saki2004.com or send us email at saki2004@mit.edu

Lokvani: We congratulate you on your efforts thus far and wish our local Senator, the very best of luck in the upcoming elections. Lokvani is dedicated to the New England community and it would give us great pleasure to see a New Englander as the next President of the United States.

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