INDIANAPOLIS — Vice President Kamala Harris is ramping up her campaign stops, with plans to give remarks to the one of the country’s largest historically Black sororities in Indianapolis on Wednesday — an event that could shore up her support among Black voters.
Harris will deliver a keynote speech at Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.’s Grand Boulé on Wednesday.
Zeta Phi Beta, like Harris’s own sorority of Alpha Kappa Alpha, is a part of the “Divine Nine” — a collection of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. Both the Zetas and the AKAs were founded at the vice president’s alma mater of Howard University, a historically Black university.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arrives to board Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, July 24, 2024.
Brendan Smialowski/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The significance of this moment for these women is profound. A last-minute organizing fundraising Zoom call Sunday night saw some 44,000 Black women donating nearly $1.6 million, which contributed to a record-breaking $126 million raised since President Joe Biden’s endorsement of Harris for the job, according to a memo the campaign sent outlining its path forward.
“Vice President Harris has well-documented support from the Biden-Harris coalition of voters that delivered victory in 2020,” said campaign chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon. “She has significant advantages with key parts of the Democratic base: Black voters, Latino voters, AANHPI voters, women, and young voters.”
Black voters are a key group of voters that both Harris and former President Donald Trump will work to connect with as the November election approaches.
People raise signs in support of Vice President Kamala Harris as she speaks at a campaign event at West Allis High School in West Allis, Wisconsin, July 23, 2024.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Trump — as well as then-candidate Biden — have worked to court Black and Hispanic voters on the issues of the economy, education, immigration and more.
Trump has recently attended events at Black Conservative Federation Gala in South Carolina, 180 Church in Michigan and New York City’s South Bronx to court Black voters and announce his “Black Americans for Trump” coalition.
Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks at West Allis Central High School during her first campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 23, 2024.
Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images
Trump has centered his appeal to Black voters by equating his criminal prosecutions to the historic discrimination Black Americans have faced.
The Harris campaign’s push comes at a time when it’s trying to shore up continued interest from a constituency that has historically voted for Democrats.
The event, which the White House announced in early July — before Biden’s decisions to leave the 2024 race, couldn’t come at a more controversial time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting Washington this week and will be addressing Congress on Wednesday — yet Harris won’t be there. It marks the first time Harris will miss a world leader visit since she has become vice president.
Harris, who in her secondary role to the president, has created some distance from Biden on the war in Gaza. Some pro-Palestinian groups tell ABC News that if she is able to strike the right tone in the coming weeks, she could win back the support Biden had lost.
The vice president is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday.
Vice President Kamala Harris is set to address members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in Indianapolis this weekend, as she continues her efforts to mobilize key constituencies in support of the Biden administration’s agenda.
The event, which will take place at the Indiana Convention Center on Saturday, is expected to draw hundreds of members of the historically Black sorority, which Harris herself is a member of. The Vice President’s speech is likely to focus on issues important to the Black community, such as voting rights, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity.
Harris has made it a priority to engage with Black organizations and communities since taking office, recognizing the importance of their support in advancing the administration’s goals. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the oldest Black Greek-letter organization in the United States, has a long history of social and political activism, making its members a key constituency for Harris and the Biden administration.
In addition to her speech at the sorority event, Harris is also expected to meet with local leaders and community members in Indianapolis to discuss ways to address the needs of the city’s Black residents. This hands-on approach to engagement is a hallmark of Harris’s leadership style, as she seeks to build relationships and trust with communities across the country.
The Vice President’s visit to Indianapolis comes at a critical time, as the nation continues to grapple with issues of racial injustice and inequality. By addressing the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and other key constituencies, Harris is demonstrating her commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for all Americans.
As Harris continues to mobilize support for the administration’s agenda, her speech in Indianapolis will serve as a rallying cry for members of the Black community to stand together in pursuit of a more just and equitable society. With her leadership and advocacy, Vice President Harris is working to build a better future for all Americans.
