After President Joe Biden stepped away from his reelection race and named Kamala Harris his choice for the nomination, the Harris campaign not only secured enough delegate votes but shot an infusion of hope to the Democratic presidential ticket.
And many would say the most pivotal move of placing Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket was securing one vital group of voters—Black women.
An influx of cash to the tune of $300 million rushed in to the Harris campaign and more than 360,00 volunteers from around the nation began signing up for everything from door knocking, canvassing and making phone calls and sending texts.
Northeast Valley News spoke with several women outside the City of Phoenix offices downtown to find out their thoughts on Kamala Harris as the Democratic top ticket presidential choice.
“Can I tell you something?” said Kayenta Robson, an enthusiastic Harris supporter and Tempe resident, “I’m a proud Black woman and a mother and this is my dream imagined, Harris all the way—and it’s about time.”
The once “lean Republican ranking” of the state of Georgia for example reportedly moved the state to “toss-up” after Harris replaced President Joe Biden. Former president Donald Trump had held a 2.5 percentage point lead over Biden but once Harris entered the race, Trump’s lead went to 1 percentage point.
Looking back to 2020 Black women in Georgia were credited with voter turnout and helping turn the state blue for Biden.
On a Sunday evening broadcast, Rep. Joyce Beatty reportedly made a prediction on national television. While discussing the news that President Joe Biden was ending his campaign, Beatty an Ohio Democrat, dropped a casual note that there was going to be a scheduled call later.
“As a Black woman, I’m going to join later tonight with so many Black women,” Beatty said. “It will probably be some 20,000 or 30,000 women trying to get on this call because it’s personal for us and we stand with Vice President Harris.
That call, set up from organizers of #WinWithBlackWomen— a nationwide Zoom call—actually drew in 90,000 attendees and raised more than 1.3 million to support Harris’ bid.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first Black sorority, established in 1908 at Howard University, has thrown their full support behind Harris. The first Black sorority established in 1908 and known as the “Divine Nine” is made up of four sororities and five fraternities.
LaTosha Brown of Black Voters Matter reportedly said that she was at her family reunion when she learned that Biden had endorsed Harris.
“I felt like when [Barack] Obama got the nomination all over again,” Brown said. “I actually felt more excited, to be honest. My first response was, ‘OK, he’s out; now we’ve got to fight for this sister.’”
Brown, who was also on the Sunday call and reportedly sang a rousing rendition of the gospel staple “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired,” described it as “the quintessential example of how Black women are fully supporting, organizing and investing” in Harris’ campaign in a show of what she summarized as strategy, strength and spirit.
“What you saw last night was clarity,” Brown said. “Black women are all in.”
Brown said her goal is to educate voters on Harris’ record and promises and to prepare Black communities “for the attacks that we know are coming.”
Harris, at her first rally in Nevada on Aug. 10 told the crowd, “Across our nation, we have been witnessing a full-on assault on hard-won, hard-fought freedoms and fundamental rights and we are not going back.”
