Vice President Kamala Harris addressed young leaders Tuesday and encouraged them to “stay in the fight” as President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term.
In a speech in Prince George’s County, Maryland aimed at students and other young community leaders, Harris shared that she’s received tens of thousands of letters from people across the country in recent weeks who have expressed how they feel about the election.
“These letters share a common theme. Yes, there is disappointment, but there is also resolve for the future,” she said, saying that young people are “impatient for change” and will “not let anyone or any circumstance” defeat their spirit or purpose.
The vice president didn’t mention Trump during her remarks, which garnered strong applause and cheers from the young audience.
Several Maryland Democrats attended the event, including Gov. Wes Moore, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks. Harris won their state by more than 28 percentage points and Prince George’s County by more than 74 percentage points.
Following Trump’s win, “many people have come up to me, telling me they feel tired, maybe even resigned, folks who said to me that they’re not sure whether they have the strength, much less the desire, to stay in the fight,” Harris said.
“We must stay in the fight,” she said. “Every one of us.”
Harris encouraged people to get rest over the holidays and to return “ready to march into the future” and fight for opportunity and freedom.
The vice president has largely remained out of the public eye since losing the general election to Trump in November.
While Harris performed better among young voters overall, Trump made gains among voters under 30, particularly young men.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
