Kamala Harris Inspires Empowerment in Memphis
Inside Kamala Harris’ Memphis ‘107 Days’ Stop And The Magic Of Black Women In The Room
- Harris addressed the administration's 'callous, corrupt and incompetent' approach, offering a message of hope and solidarity.
- Harris emphasized the importance of community, self-care, and intentionally embracing joy during times of personal and public grief.
- Harris empowered the audience to leverage their collective power and vote to hold elected officials accountable.
From the moment the lights dimmed at the Orpheum Theatre, in Memphis, it was clear this was more than a book tour. It was a love letter to Black women leading, laughing, and showing up for one another. Furthermore, the air in Memphis thrummed with a collective, palpable energy. This energy was centered on the powerful presence of former Madam Vice President Kamala Harris. It was also centered on the women who filled the room to celebrate her. Notably, the date of this tour stop coincided with both Martin Luther King’s birthday and the founder’s day for the MVP’s founder’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. In fact, Kamala Harris made a memorable impression on all present.
The conversation, hosted by interior designer and entrepreneur Carmeon Hamilton, felt less like an interview and more like a real-talk session among sisters. The topics were weighty—grief, loss, civic responsibility, and the exhaustion of the millennial generation. But the mood remained one of defiant hope and deep community. The mood felt deeply supportive. Harris was direct in addressing the current administration’s lack of support for the American people. While she never mentioned that man’s name, we all understood her reference when she described the administration as “callous, corrupt and incompetent.” It was a refreshing moment.
Joy as Resistance, Grief as Truth
Addressing the pain of loss, particularly with the parents of Tyre Nichols in the audience, Harris offered a message that resonated deeply. She said, “Time does have a way of relieving the sting of the pain,” but stressed the importance of being “intentional about surrounding yourself with community.” It was a moment of vulnerability and solidarity, made all the more powerful as she and Hamilton spoke personally about their mothers. Both of whom battled cancer. Hamilton introduced the segment with a personal note, acknowledging their mothers: “I know that they both are integral parts in who we have become.”
When the conversation turned to self-care amid public and personal grief, Harris kept it real. She explained, “Grief is a physical and emotional and spiritual experience,” and added that “it comes in waves… I do believe there’s no proper way to grieve.” She then offered a powerful reframing of how to live with the world’s burdens. Next, Harris shared advice on avoiding the “guilty for experiencing joy” trap. For Harris, joy and struggle are not mutually exclusive.
“It has always been part of the struggle that we also find time to sing and dance and experience joy and laughter and love,” she explained. Beautifully drawing a line from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day. In addition, she said, “We don’t overcome the pain if we don’t have the ability to see the light in ourselves and each other. These things coexist.”
The audience cheered in recognition when Hamilton spoke for an entire generation, acknowledging the millennial burden. “We are out here tired, obliviously trying to find joy anytime we can get it. But we are also aggressively conscious of what is happening in the world and that we’re responsible for it.” Harris responded by touching on the struggles of parents of young children. Additionally, she addressed the need for affordable childcare, connecting personal struggles to political action. Best of all, she empowered the audience to lean into transactional voting so our elected officials are held accountable.
Why Community Will Always Be the Answer
The Vice President’s message on power and engagement was a rallying cry to the women in the room. In response to Hamilton’s belief that “community is the only way we resist chaos,” Harris declared: “It starts with each of us knowing our power… Nobody should be made to fight alone. We’re all in it together.” She was clear that individual power must not be surrendered. Harris stressed that the true measure of strength “is not based on who we beat down but who we lift up.” Clearly, Kamala Harris aims to motivate and uplift those who listen to her words.
The energy of the evening culminated in a charge to remain both realistic and optimistic. Harris urged the crowd to “always try to be intentional about also seeing the light and seeing the moments and experiencing them in fullness.” She left the Black women of Memphis with a clear directive. The directive is to use the knowledge of that shared light and joy as the fuel to “get out there in the fight to make things better, to take care of each other and to express our love of our country.”
It was a night where the personal was deeply political. The collective strength of Black womanhood was celebrated as the indispensable engine of progress.
Snag your copy of 107 Days ASAP! Events like this remind us why Kamala Harris remains a significant figure in American politics.
