Kamala Harris Honors Americans Lost To COVID-19 In Powerful Speech
Tomorrow, Kamala Harris will make history as the first Black woman to become Vice President of the United States. However, she ascends to the position understanding that the country is still suffering through the coronavirus pandemic. In a powerful speech, she honored the more than 400,000 Americans we have lost to the deadly virus.
Speaking from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Howard alum said, “For many months we grieved by ourselves. Tonight we grieve and begin healing together.”
Surrounded by 400 Lights to honor the 400,000 who have died, she continued, "Though we may be physically separated, we, the American people, are united in spirit. And my abiding hope, my abiding prayer, is that we emerge from this ordeal with a new wisdom to cherish simple moments, to imagine new possibilities, and to open our hearts just a little bit more to one another.
Watch the speech below:
Howard University’s Showtime Marching Band will escort Vice President-elect and alum Kamala Harris at the 59th presidential inauguration on Wednesday (Jan. 20).
To watch the inauguration, tune into BET NEWS Presents: Inauguration 2021 tomorrow at 11:00 am ET/10c on BET. Co-anchored by Soledad O’Brien and Marc Lamont Hill, this news special will feature exclusive commentary and analysis provided by live guests, on-site reports and special interviews.
For the latest on the coronavirus, check out BET’s blog on the virus, and contact your local health department or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.