Vice President Kamala Harris marked her 60th birthday by visiting churches in Georgia as part of a souls to the polls campaign. This nationwide effort‚ which kicked off about a week ago aims to boost Black voter turnout for the election coming up in roughly two weeks
Harris attended services at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest where many women wore pink (to raise awareness for breast cancer). She was set to make another stop at Divine Faith Ministries International in Jonesboro‚ accompanied by singer Stevie Wonder. The vice presidents schedule also included an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton for MSNBC
The campaign push isnt limited to Harris; Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen were scheduled to attend services in Michigan and Nevada‚ respectively. This reflects the campaigns strategy to treat every voting group as crucial in a tight race
Faith is a verb. It is something we show in action and in service
The souls to the polls concept has its roots in the Civil Rights Movement. About 69 years ago Rev. George Lee a Black entrepreneur from Mississippi was killed by white supremacists after helping nearly 100 Black residents register to vote. Since then Black church congregations have been instrumental in get-out-the-vote campaigns‚ often countering voter suppression tactics
Early voting began in Georgia 5 days ago‚ with over 310‚000 people casting ballots on the first day – more than double the initial turnout 4 years ago. The state saw a record 5 million votes in the previous presidential election
Harris a Baptist with a Jewish husband‚ has expressed being inspired by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s work. She has also been influenced by her mothers Indian religious traditions and the Black Church. As a child‚ Harris sang in the choir at Twenty Third Avenue Church of God in Oakland
The vice presidents campaign efforts dont stop at church visits. She recently rallied supporters in Detroit with Lizzo‚ focused on abortion rights in Atlanta‚ and plans to campaign with former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney in suburban areas of key states