At the 56th NAACP Image Awards, former Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a compelling speech, emphasizing the importance of unity and action in facing challenges to democracy.
Harris, honored with the Chairman’s Award for her dedication to public service, reflected on the NAACP’s influence during her upbringing, stating, “I grew up ‘inspired’ by the work of the NAACP, and the group is ‘part of the reason I chose a life of public service.’”
Addressing the current state of our union and the challenging societal issues, she remarked, “Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy, and ask, ‘What do we do now?’ But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before, and we will do it again. We use our power. We organize, we mobilize, we educate and we advocate.”
Get this: Harris emphasized the collective responsibility of citizens, asserting, “Our strength flows from our faith: Faith in God, faith in each other, and our refusal to surrender to cynicism and destruction, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. Not because victory is guaranteed, but because the fight is worth it.”
While not directly mentioning the current occupier of the White House, President Donald Trump, she did highlight the vital role of the people in shaping the nation’s future: “This chapter in our American story will be ‘written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office, nor by the wealthiest among us,’ but by ‘we the people.’”
What’s more, Leon W. Russell, chair of the NAACP board of directors, introduced Harris, stating, “She ‘will continue to be an inspiration for generations to come,’ and he praised her 2024 presidential campaign, saying, ‘Against impossible odds, she gave America a campaign that was a force of nature.’”
Harris’s important speech underscored the ongoing struggle for justice and equality, urging continued activism and engagement.