From Oprah livestream to house parties, Black women marshal unprecedented outreach for Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris’ historic candidacy has unleashed a surge of activism among Black women, who have long been a key part of the Democratic coalition.

Waves of emotion washed over DeJuana Thompson as she stood in the convention hall in Chicago last month watching Vice President Kamala Harris become the first Black woman nominated for the presidency by a major political party. “I absolutely was overwhelmed with what can only be described as ancestral pride,” said Thompson, who lives in Birmingham, Alabama. But “literally two seconds” later, reality hit her, she said. “I was like, ‘Lord, we have work to do.’” Around the country, Harris’ historic candidacy has unleashed a surge of activism among Black women like Thompson, who have long been a key part of the Democratic coalition but are now working overtime to advance the nomination of a woman who also shares their ancestry. On Thursday night, Oprah Winfrey – in collaboration with a group known as Win With Black Women – will hold a massive, virtual rally, aimed at uniting groups of Harris supporters to turn out the vote. Harris is slated to participate. Tens of thousands of people already have expressed interest in the “Unite for America” livestream – which will take place across several platforms, ranging from YouTube to Twitch, organizers said. The event, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, is an outgrowth of a Zoom meeting that Win With Black Women hosted within hours of President Joe Biden ending his reelection bid on July 21. That event quickly ballooned to more than 90,000 participants – between those on the Zoom and those tuning in through other means – delivering an early and powerful sign of Black female support for Harris’ historic bid.