GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is bringing her ‘Fight For Our Freedoms’ college tour to a Triad HBCU on Friday.
NC A&T is one of several HBCUs that the vice president will be visiting over the course of this tour, which is about mobilizing young people to fight for fundamental rights and freedoms. This is Harris’s first visit to A&T and her second stop on the tour.
She first visited Hampton University in Virginia. On Friday, she was in Greensboro, encouraging students to vote and use their voices.
“You must have freedom to live your best life. That means the freedom to make decisions based on having freedom to access the ballot when you want to vote, the freedom to make decisions about your own body, the freedom to love who you want to love, freedom from violence, freedom to opportunity and freedom to have access to opportunity,” Harris said. “All of that I want for you, and I am here to emphasize that you are going to be a part of making that real.”
She discussed gun safety, voting and reproductive rights, climate change and LGBTQ+ issues.
There was also a moderated discussion with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, himself an Aggie, and television host Terrence J.
The event was only open to students and started at 2:30 p.m.
When the mic was handed over to the students, the first question, was, ‘How do we reduce gun violence in the community?”
Harris responded by asking students in the room to raise their hand if they grew up doing drills at school for active shooters, and just about every student did.
“I don’t think a lot of people understand what you just showed us and what your life experience has been,” Harris said.
The second question was about reproductive rights.
“You all will know fewer rights than your mother and grandmother,” Harris said. “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.”
Harris said fighting all these issues means getting to the polls and voting.
“When you vote, you have the ability to determine the future of our country in a way that might challenge a lot of people’s notions about what is possible and who could possibly do it,” Harris said.
Throughout the discussion, which was moderated by two NC A&T University graduates, a sticking point was recognizing the disparities.
She left the students in the room with the reminder that no matter where life takes them, they have her support.
“When you walk in those rooms, we all walk in that room with you, cheering you on and expecting that you will carry the voice of all those who are not in that room but are counting on your leadership,” Harris said.
