Introduction to Kamala Harris’ Recent Appearance

Overview of the Event

In a rare appearance after her loss in November’s presidential election, former Vice President and potential gubernatorial candidate Kamala Harris on Thursday decried the rollback of fundamental rights under President Trump, urged people to prioritize self-care and pledged to remain active in the fight to safeguard constitutional protection.

Context of the Speech

“We can’t go out there and do battle if we don’t take care of ourselves and each other,” she said at a national conference of Black women, including business owners and politicians, at an oceanfront resort in Dana Point. “I’ll see you out there. I’m not going anywhere.”

Potential Gubernatorial Run

Harris is expected to decide by the end of the summer whether to enter the 2026 race for California governor to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. If she proceeds, it would jolt a contest that already has prominent Democratic candidates.

Previous Political Engagements

While she did not address the gubernatorial race during her eight-minute remarks, Harris suggested that she planned to remain politically active in the aftermath of her loss to Trump in November. She has largely avoided political appearances since losing the 2024 election. She met with firefighters and volunteers in Altadena hours after attending Trump’s inauguration, and touched upon the Trump administration’s policies when she accepted an award from the NAACP in February.

Reaction at the Leading Women Defined Gathering

Harris’ Thursday appearance was a surprise to the roughly 100 women attending the Leading Women Defined gathering. When she entered the room, they leaped to their feet, whooped, cheered and waved napkins in the air. Among the attendees was former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has reportedly been mulling a run for governor of Georgia and had been vetted to be Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020.

Support for Other Candidates

Shorty before Harris appeared at the gathering, the group’s leader had women speak about meaningful moments during their lunchtime conversations. A woman seated next to Lance Bottoms said that the Georgian is running for governor and urged fellow attendees to hold fundraisers for her. As the crowd rose in a standing ovation, Lance Bottoms appeared overcome by emotion, placing her head in her hands.

Key Points from Harris’ Speech

Moments later, Harris noted that she first attended one of the group’s events in 2016, and that the nation is now in a far different place. Before she became vice president, Harris served as the San Francisco district attorney and California’s attorney general, and also in 2016 was elected to the U.S. Senate. “Our commitment to lifting each other up, lifting up our community, lifting up our country has not changed,” Harris said. “Now what has changed since 2016: We are in the midst of seeing progress being rolled back. Policies that we birthed being rolled back.”

Addressing Current Challenges

While Harris didn’t mention Trump by name, she was clearly referring to rollbacks of protections for minorities, women, the LGBTQ+ community among others in her remarks. She also mentioned that people and organizations are remaining silent and “capitulating” to the administration, notable language because her husband’s law firm earlier this week was the latest to strike a deal with the Trump administration and agree to conform with the president’s policies.

Conclusion

In her most pointed public remarks since the election, she alluded to such concerns being the foundation of her 2024 presidential campaign. “I’m not here to say, ‘I told you so,’” she said, smiling broadly, and the crowd roared. “I swore I wasn’t going to say that.” Harris’ speech underscored her commitment to remaining politically active and her concern over the current state of affairs in the country.

FAQs

• Q: Is Kamala Harris running for governor of California?
  A: Harris is expected to decide by the end of the summer whether to enter the 2026 race for California governor.
• Q: What was the context of Harris’ recent speech?
  A: Harris spoke at a national conference of Black women, including business owners and politicians, at an oceanfront resort in Dana Point, where she discussed the rollback of fundamental rights and the importance of self-care.
• Q: Who else was present at the Leading Women Defined gathering?
  A: Among the attendees was former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has reportedly been mulling a run for governor of Georgia.
• Q: What were the key points from Harris’ speech?
  A: Harris emphasized the importance of lifting each other up, the rollback of progress since 2016, and the need to remain active in the fight for constitutional protection.