Harris urges Black women to vote in the ‘most existential, consequential’ election in speech to AKA convention

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday will deliver the keynote speech at the Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.,  sorority’s ball in Dallas - a significant appearance that comes amid the most crucial week of the Biden-Harris reelection campaign.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday delivered the keynote speech at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s biennial convention, issuing a call to action for Black women voters as she seeks to mobilize the key demographic amid a crucial week for the Biden-Harris reelection campaign. “I do believe this is the most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetimes, sorors. Sorors, this is a serious matter,” Harris said to thousands of her sorority sisters at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. “And so, in this moment, once again, our nation is counting on the leaders in this room to guide us forward, to energize, organize and mobilize, to register folks to vote and to get them to the polls in November, because we know when we organize, mountains move. When we mobilize, nations change, and when we vote, we make history,” she added. The ties between Harris and AKA, the oldest historically Black sorority in the country, run deep. Harris was a member of the sorority during her time at Howard University, and her sorority sisters have been among some of her most ardent and vocal supporters throughout her political career, especially when she was campaigning for president four years ago before Biden chose her to run alongside him when he clinched the nomination. Black women have been credited with helping propel Biden to the presidency in 2020, and they have been the most consistently supportive bloc for Biden since his time as Barack Obama’s vice president. But the timing of this year’s address at AKA’s 71st Boule is especially crucial, as Biden has seen lagging support due to his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza, persistent concerns about the 81-year-old president’s age and mental acuity and continued worries about the shape of the economy. Harris’ appearance comes as she’s traveling to several states this week, including Nevada and North Carolina, following Biden’s poor debate performance and hoping to rally key constituencies including Black, female and young voters.