WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Kamala Harris made a brief virtual appearance Friday at a youth-focused political summit in Washington, D.C., addressing attendees in a pre-recorded message that lasted under two minutes.
The event, organized by the group Voters of Tomorrow and aimed at empowering Gen Z activists, featured speeches from Democratic heavyweights including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). Unlike her fellow speakers, Harris did not attend the event in person.
In her short message, Harris encouraged young Americans to continue building political momentum.
“Keep building your political power, keep building community, keep building coalitions, keep challenging the status quo,” Harris said. “Born out of our love for our country, keep fighting to build a nation that works for everyone. I look forward to continuing in the fight alongside you.”
The summit drew a modest crowd and came at a challenging moment for youth political engagement. Kaya Jones, senior director of Voters of Tomorrow, opened the event by acknowledging recent setbacks for progressive causes under the current Republican-controlled White House and Congress.
“The last few months have been really rough,” Jones admitted, leading attendees in a brief moment of silence.
Harris echoed that sentiment, referencing the struggles young people have faced in recent years, from the COVID-19 pandemic and gun violence to climate change and mental health issues.
“Your generation has grown up on the front lines of so many crises,” she said, emphasizing the importance of youth-led organizations and leadership development.
Following her 2024 election loss to former President Donald Trump — in which she became the first Democratic nominee in two decades to lose the popular vote and was swept in all seven swing states — Harris vowed in her concession speech to “never give up the fight.” However, she has yet to signal whether she intends to run for governor of California in 2026 or seek the presidency again in 2028.
Reflecting on her campaign mantra, she said: “When we fight, we win. But here’s the thing: sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win.”
Pelosi, now 83, also addressed the crowd with optimism, declaring her confidence that Democrats will reclaim the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
Despite the low attendance and Harris’ limited appearance, organizers hope the summit will spark renewed activism among young voters ahead of the next election cycle.
