Former Vice President Kamala Harris made her first television appearance since leaving office at the 56th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, where she was presented with the Chairman’s Award.
In her acceptance speech, Harris drew a straight line through history, directly from the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the NAACP in the early 20th century to now, as America attempts to weather a second Donald Trump presidency.
Harris told the audience, which included stars such as Kerry Washington, Academy Award nominees Zoe Saldaña and Cynthia Erivo, Gabrielle Union, and Marlon Wayans, “Some look at this moment and rightly feel the weight of history. Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy, and ask, ‘What do we do now?’ But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before, and we will do it again.”
She continued, “We use our power; we organize, mobilize, we educate and we advocate. Because, you see, our power has never come from having an easy path. Our strength flows from our faith: faith in God, faith in each other, and our refusal to surrender to cynicism and destruction. Not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. Not because victory is guaranteed, but because the fight is worth it.”
Before walking offstage to a standing ovation, Harris concluded her speech by saying, “While we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter of our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office, nor by the wealthiest among us. The American story will be written by you, written by us—by we the people. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States.”
The NAACP’s Chairman’s Award is given to individuals who “excel in public service and leverage their unique platforms to ignite and drive meaningful change.” Prior to her term as President Joe Biden’s Vice President—making her the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian woman to hold that office—Harris served as California’s Attorney General and as a U.S. Senator. When she was nominated by the Democratic party to run against Trump in the 2024 election, she became the first Black and South Asian woman from a major party to run for president.
Previous recipients of the Chairman’s Award include President Barack Obama, Representatives John Lewis and Maxine Waters, actors Samuel L. Jackson and Forest Whitaker, and poet Amanda Gorman.
