{"id":6417,"date":"2024-11-07T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6417"},"modified":"2024-11-07T09:00:47","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T09:00:47","slug":"a-farewell-not-a-surrender-kamala-harris-vows-to-keep-fighting-in-concession-speech-at-howard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6417","title":{"rendered":"A Farewell, Not a Surrender: Kamala Harris Vows to Keep Fighting in Concession Speech at Howard"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>by\u00a0<span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/author\/staceybrown\/\">Stacy M. Brown<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/author\/jadaingleton\/\">Jada Ingleton<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>A diverse group of supporters, family members, and well-known allies, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, a host of other elected officials, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, waited Wednesday on Howard University\u2019s famous \u201cYard\u201d to watch Vice President Kamala Harris as she conceded the 2024 election to former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the somber nature as supporters waited for Harris to officially the conclusion of her short, historic and hard-fought campaign, Jeezy\u2019s song \u201cMy President,\u201d which features the stirring line \u201cMy president is Black,\u201d energized the crowd before her entrance, setting the scene for a moving farewell speech.<\/p>\n<p>Then Harris emerged onto the stage to the stirring strains of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u201cFreedom,\u201d which has, since she started her campaign a little more than 100 days prior, served as the vice president\u2019s rallying song.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-1 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-caf9af3267-0\">The atmosphere was charged as Harris began, looking out at a sea of American flags and expectant faces at her alma mater.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cEvery one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out, has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld,\u201d she stated, pausing as applause swelled from the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Harris made it clear that while her campaign had reached its end, the fight for justice and equity was only beginning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts, and in the public square,\u201d she affirmed, issuing a call to action that echoed her campaign\u2019s spirit.<\/p>\n<p>Harris addressed the emotions that many in the crowd were visibly grappling with. Speaking directly to the young people watching, she said: \u201cIt is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it\u2019s going to be OK\u2026 Sometimes the fight takes a while, that doesn\u2019t mean we won\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-2    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-2 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-2bd992b9b0-0\">She took a moment to express her gratitude to those who had stood by her side, including her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and her vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cI am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it,\u201d she said. Her voice cracked slightly as she added, \u201cWe owe loyalty not to a president or to a party but to the Constitution of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She acknowledged her call to President-elect Donald Trump, stating that she offered assistance to him in the upcoming transition. She urged her supporters not to give up, and to keep fighting for the Constitution and Democracy.<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on the campaign, Harris shared her pride in the coalition they had built.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been intentional about building community\u2026 bringing people together from every walk of life,\u201d she said, emphasizing the need to accept the election results but with an eye to the future.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-3    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-3 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-dc2e0e383b-0\">Xiomara Strayhorn, a Howard freshman from Atlanta by way of Baltimore, was proud to cast a ballot for Harris in her first time voting.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cAs a Bison I came in knowing of all the greats that came out of \u2018the Mecca\u2019 and always wondered what my story would be or what [my] significant moment at the Mecca would be. And it was definitely experiencing my first presidential election as a first time voter and being able to support a fellow Bison through truth and serving the community by informing and voting,\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, she shared her disappointment in seeing the discrimination Harris experienced throughout the race.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOverall, as a young, Black woman, I feel the world constantly gives us challenges that we often overcome but not easily. And I feel Kamala was our image of what a lot of us Black women go through\u2014 from having to execute last minute problems because we\u2019re \u2018best fit\u2019 but having a disadvantage, or facing a multitude of hate from people who tear you down and don\u2019t believe in you while you try and do your best,\u201d Strayhorn explained.<\/p>\n<p>Howard sophomore\u00a0 Kameryn Clark also lamented at all Harris had to overcome during the campaign, comparing and contrasting the races between the vice president and the former president turned president-elect.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-4    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-4 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-ca419f6974-0\">\u201cIt is disheartening as a young Black woman who is a political science major at VP Harris\u2019 alma mater to see that your success and outcome in life can be predetermined by your external appearance and circumstances rather than your capabilities and credentials,\u201d Clark, visibly emotional, told The Informer. \u201cWhile Donald Trump\u2019s behavior could be described as \u2018lawless,\u2019 Vice President Harris had to be \u2018flawless\u2019 in every aspect of her campaign, still to fall short in the race not because of her personal shortcomings, but the lack of progression in America.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2 id=\"h-harris-shines-light-in-darkness-issues-call-to-action\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Harris Shines Light in Darkness, Issues Call to Action<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While many of her supporters are concerned about dark times ahead, Harris offered light.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly when it is dark enough can you see the stars,\u201d a line that drew a mix of cheers and solemn nods as the crowd took in her message of resilience.<\/p>\n<p>Her words offered hope to a dejected crowd.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday I was emotional due to my initial thoughts that the fight was over, left with feels of sorrow and hopelessness, but Vice President Harris assured that that is not the case,\u201d Clark told The Informer. \u201c[Reminding us], we only lose when hope is lost.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-5    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-5 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-45854c9b0e-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The vice president urged her supporters to channel their defeated emotions into continued efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n<p>Harris, the first woman and only person of Black and Southeast Asian descent to serve as vice president of the United States, acknowledged the fight ahead, framing it not as a loss but as a turning point.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,\u201d she said firmly. \u201cThat is a fight I will never give up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many people in the crowd cheered as she encouraged them to continue in their fight to protect democracy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile this was not the outcome we fought for, this is not the first time nor will it be the last, that the American people will have to fight for democracy,\u201d Clark, who is from Tampa, Florida, explained. \u201cVice President Harris has opened the door and minds of so many American people and I cannot wait to see the influence of this election over time, specifically in American minds. The fight continues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she neared the end of her speech, Harris\u2019 words took on an unmistakable urgency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fight for our freedom will take hard work, but like I always say, we like hard work,\u201d she told the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>As a political science student, Clark was inspired by Harris\u2019 call to action.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe reminded us that our fight continues and that while the battle was lost the war continues. Now is an essential time to mobilize, centralize, and educate ourselves,\u201d the sophomore told The Informer.<\/p>\n<p>Strayhorn, a computer science major, said she respected the vice president\u2019s composure throughout the campaign and emphasized that Harris has inspired many through her historic race and efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKamala showed perseverance and that speaks volumes for a lot of Black women who constantly feel hopeless. Her loss wasn\u2019t totally a loss because, in all, I feel it brings our community together and will push more of us to run and take on roles regardless if we\u2019re wanted. I feel the support system from our community alone is defined now more than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The vice president urged the crowd to continue engaging, reminding them that meaningful change requires sustained effort.<\/p>\n<p>With a final, defiant wave, Harris walked off the stage arm in arm with Emhoff, her head held high as Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u201cFreedom\u201d filled the air once more. Her last words: \u201cOnly when it is dark enough can you see the stars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/kamala-harris-concedes-election\/\">Published without changes from Washington Informer Newspaper<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by\u00a0Stacy M. Brown\u00a0and\u00a0Jada Ingleton A diverse group of supporters, family members, and well-known allies, including D.C. Mayor Muriel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6418,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-regular-column"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6417"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6419,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6417\/revisions\/6419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}