How 44,000 Black Women Raised $1.5M for Kamala Harris in 3 Hours
Tens of thousands of women opted out of dinner dates and social gatherings Sunday to join a Zoom meeting that lasted into the wee Monday morning hours. All for one reason: Vice President Kamala Harris.
Earlier that day, President Joe Biden dropped out of his reelection bid, endorsed Harris, and made way for her to seek the Democratic nomination for president.
Quickly, women flexed their political power and got organized. Sometime after the announcement, Win with Black Women, a coalition of Black women leaders nationwide, planned an off-the-record conference call. The virtual gathering reached 44,000 participants — mostly Black women — who raised over $1.5 million during the meeting. Prominent leaders such as U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters, Jasmine Crockett, and Joyce Beatty shared remarks to the attendees, who included journalists, civil rights and nonprofit leaders, and regular citizens.
Many attendees left unified, motivated, and ready to organize, according to multiple posts on X.
“That Zoom call was truly inspiring. What a historic moment. Sleeping with a smile on my face,” one attendee noted.
Another participant wrote, “Thank you to Win With Black Women for hosting such a historic Zoom meeting last night. The discussions led by the incredible women leaders emphasized the importance of this election & next steps we can take to support. The call was truly inspiring.”
Read More: Biden Steps Aside, Makes Way for Harris
This comes as many of Harris’ detractors question whether she’s the right fit to become the next president. If she does, Harris, who is Black and of South Asian descent, will be the second Black person, and first woman, to serve in such a capacity.
It also underscores how Black women historically have been the backbone of the Democratic Party, and their support can shape election outcomes, just as it did when they elected Biden as president in 2020. Prior to Biden’s announcement, more than 1,400 Black women still affirmed their support for Biden-Harris when some Democrats called on the president to step down. A recent survey from The Cut, which focused solely on Black women ages 18 to 55, found that 64% of Black women said they’d vote for Biden whereas only 18% say they’d vote for former President Donald Trump, who is the confirmed nominee for the Republican Party.
Since Sunday, Harris has garnered endorsements from key Democratic leaders, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, placing Harris as front-runner in the Democratic Party. Her campaign also raised over $100 million since Biden backed out of the race.
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The outpour of support continues as a network of Black men, through Win With Black Men, plans to host a similar meeting called Black Men for Harris on July 22, hoping to mobilize men ahead of the November election.
“Win With Black Men started 4 months ago and we just started planning the barbershop tour, fast forward to now through Win With Black Women we’re about to co lead one of the biggest minority grassroots movements in history to elect our first Woman Black President,” one member tweeted.
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