LARGO, Md. — Vice President Kamala Harris put out a clarion call to the nation’s youth, challenging them not to walk away from the fight for the country’s future on Tuesday, weeks after losing the 2024 election to now President-elect Donald Trump.
“Folks who have said to me that they're not sure whether they have the strength, much less the desire to stay in the fight,” Harris said. “But let me be very clear: No one can walk away.”
Harris delivered the message at Prince George’s Community College in Maryland on Tuesday in front of a group of young leaders, which included high school and college students, recent graduates and apprentices who are all active in their communities. The vice president used her remarks to reflect on the “promise of America,” telling those gathered that they are the “heirs” to carry it on and ensure it “burns bright.”
“The promise of America itself is a powerful yet fragile idea,” the vice president said. “Powerful because it has inspired billions of people and made it possible for us to become the strongest, most prosperous nation in the world. Yet fragile because that idea is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.”
While she did not mention Trump by name, the vice president spoke about fighting in the face of disappointment and the importance of never giving up, invoking movements for civil rights, workers' rights and women’s rights in U.S. history.
“The United States of America itself would never have come to be if people had given up their cause after a court case or a battle or an election did not go their way,” she said.
The vice president noted that she has received tens of thousands of letters since her Nov. 5 election loss to Trump from “Americans from every walk of life.”
“These letters share a common theme,” she said. “Yes, there is disappointment, but there is also resolve for the future.”
Harris has kept a low profile since last month’s election, delivering public remarks just a handful of times. On the campaign trail, Harris often spoke about her admiration for younger Americans and how they are “impatient” for change. She also placed somewhat of an emphasis on fostering young leaders during her time in office, setting off, for instance, on a nationwide “Fight For Our Freedoms” college tour.
Last week, Harris put her attention on even younger Americans, hosting a group of 56 elementary school students, ages 8 to 10, for a holiday party at the vice president's residence, according to a White House official. The tradition, which the White House told Spectrum News has happened annually since she and President Joe Biden took office, brings together students from local public schools in the nation’s capital that receive federal funding to support low-income families.