I am fighting for every family’s right to opportunity in Silicon Valley, says Indian-American Tara Sreekrishnan running for California assembly

TOI correspondent from US: She is the quintessential daughter of Indian immigrants in Silicon Valley. But Tara Sreekrishnan is also an elected member of the Santa Clara county board of education. And now as a Democratic Party candidate running for the California state assembly to represent District 26, she is highlighting the need to ensure that every child has access to high-quality learning, in her campaign.
Like many Indian immigrants, her parents arrived in Santa Clara with limited resources and worked hard to build their lives. “My parents began building a life here from scratch. They worked incredibly hard—my mother as a local school librarian in Cupertino Union School District and my father as an engineer—to build a stable life for me and my brother. But like so many immigrant families, they ran into barriers that made accessing quality healthcare challenging, and finding affordable housing in Silicon Valley was almost impossible,” Sreekrishnan told the Times of India in an interview.
“For most of my childhood, they had to go into debt just to cover basic needs, stretching their resources thin to make sure we had a roof over our heads and medical care when we needed it. People see that I truly understand their struggles and am fighting for every family’s right to opportunity, just like my own,” she added.
The fact that she is running to be Silicon Valley’s first Asian American state assembly woman, alongside the Presidential campaign of Vice-President Kamala Harris energises her. “Vice President Harris’s journey shows how diverse voices make politics stronger. It is inspiring, and her campaign’s momentum proves voters want change. That energy definitely resonates with supporters who see the power in representation,” Sreekrishnan, who is on the ballot in the US election on November 5, said.
Though she doesn’t yet see Indian-Americans having a strong voice in politics in Silicon Valley, she feels that it is growing. “Our community is stepping up and making strides in public service. I’m here to amplify that voice further so it’s heard at every decision-making table,” Sreekrishnan said.
Public life is not new to her and she has served as a legislative advisor at the city level, policy and outreach director and chief of staff at the county level, and as legislative director, communications director, and deputy chief of staff, at the state level.
“I’ve taken on the big fights that matter to our families and have always stood up to powerful special interests, including during this campaign. I bring professional experience at the school district, city, county, and state level. As a state legislative director, I fought to protect our kids from the fentanyl crisis, for more affordable housing, and to improve healthcare access for everyone,” Sreekrishnan, who is completing a master’s degree from U.C. Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, said. On the Santa Clara county school board, she has helped raise teacher pay and close the digital divide, and championed student wellness.
She is also co-founder of nonprofit organisation Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action to drive environmental sustainability, climate restoration, and 100% renewable energy. “In early 2019, I co-founded our nonprofit. It brings together high school and college students, creating action teams across San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, and beyond—even into San Mateo county. We have organised strikes, lobbied schools to ditch plastic utensils, circulated petitions, shared student-created curriculum, and held summits and workshops. Our San Jose climate strike brought thousands to City Hall, demanding change,” she said.
The message of pushing sustainable practices has been taken to the doors of tech giants like Microsoft, Cisco, and Facebook, through the Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action with its grassroots youth leadership driving impactful change in the Bay Area.
Sreekrishnan survived cancer in her 20s and is now a fierce advocate for women’s health and reproductive rights. “I faced misdiagnosis and saw first-hand how our healthcare system often fails to meet women’s needs. That experience reshaped me—I know the vital importance of quality, accessible healthcare, and I learned that women can be their own strongest advocates. I’m committed to ensuring affordable and equitable care for all,” she said.
She is proud of her Indian heritage and her family provides her a strong foundation. “My family’s journey drives me to work hard, serve others, and fight for equity. I’m honoured to bring that perspective to my campaign and my work for California,” she said.