“My life as a Gujarati-Indian motel child”

Monali Bhakta

Asian Indian | Shakopee, MN | she/her/hers| Non-Profit

I grew up with parents who immigrated from Gujarat, India 20 years ago. They became independent motel owners, so the majority of my childhood was spent helping them maintain their small business. This motel was the constant reminder of their courageous sacrifice to settle in an unfamiliar country so that my siblings and I could have abundant opportunities in our lives. Because of our situation, I developed a heightened sense of maturity and appreciation for housekeeping responsibilities at a young age. I had to do them, even during the scorching, hot summers when our motel was the busiest. 

One of my most vivid memories is working with my mother, witnessing how the back-breaking labor worsened her physicality from her worn-out face all the way down to her sore legs. Being an oblivious daughter, I asked why she had not seen a doctor. In an exhausted tone, she revealed that their citizenship status prevented them from receiving state-funded healthcare, like Medicaid. I was too naïve to understand this reality, that this country viewed my mother as “unworthy” of receiving a basic human right. 

Now, as their 21-year old daughter, I have a moral obligation to be her advocate.  In every predominantly white space that I am in, I want to fight for undocumented families whose narratives are silenced. Living in this pandemic has made me reflect deeply on how to be a passionate political advocate to elevate these lived experiences. It has fueled my desire to fight for the people like my parents, because they have fought so hard to exist here. This unprecedented year has driven me to cultivate spaces for social change. I feel energized by our Indian-American families, many of whom are small business owners like my parents, who have the resilience and optimism to make a living here. That’s why I want our state to be a place where immigrants do not have to worry about financial barriers to receiving access to healthcare. I’ve wanted this for my family for a long time, and it’s what keeps me pushing to cultivate a space for us in politics.

Monali Bhakta (she/her) has worked with historically underrepresented communities to advocate for social justice causes and engage in the political process. She holds a B.A. Political Science and English from Gustavus Adolphus College. During her senior year, Monali served as the Co-President of the student body, making diversity, equity, and inclusion an institutional priority. She also served as a Congressional Intern for the Office of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, where provided assistance to 200+ constituents from the Somali and Latinx communities navigating the complicated immigration process. Besides working as an Advocacy Associate for the Minnesota Private College Council, Monali is also a proud member of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, serving as a Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute Fellow. She is leading a campaign for federal lawmakers to pass the HEAL Immigrant Women and Families Act to help AAPI women/girls receive equal, and accessible access to healthcare in the United States.