Vice President Kamala Harris used profanity during a speech at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership summit, urging young Americans to overcome barriers and strive for political representation.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a spirited speech at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies Legislative Leadership summit on Monday, calling on young Americans to break barriers and "kick that f---ing door down" in the pursuit of political representation.
Speaking to a large audience, Harris emphasized the importance of perseverance in the face of obstacles. "Breaking barriers does not mean you start on one side of the barrier, and you end up on the other side. There's breaking involved, and when you break things, you get cut, and you may bleed, and it is worth it every time," she said.
Harris specifically addressed young people, encouraging them to be bold and confident in their abilities. "To especially the young people here, I say to you, when you walk in those rooms, being the only one that looks like you, the only one with your background, you walk in those rooms, chin up, shoulders back, be it a meeting room, a boardroom, a courtroom, a hearing room, you walk in those rooms, knowing that we are all in that room with you, applauding you on and expecting certain things from you, including that you will not be silent in those rooms," she said.
Harris emphasized the importance of internalizing the support of those around them. "And that we expect that from you because we also expect that you will internalize and know we're there with you," she added. "And so your voice can be strong."
The Vice President's use of profanity sparked cheers from the audience. Moderator and actor Jimmy O. Yang joked, "We gotta make T-shirts with that saying, ‘Kick that f---ing door down!"
Harris' speech focused on the need for increased Asian-American representation in politics. "Here's the thing about breaking barriers," she said earlier in the speech. "Breaking barriers does not mean you start on one side of the barrier, and you end up on the other side. There's breaking involved, and when you break things, you get cut, and you may bleed, and it is worth it every time."
Harris, who is of partial Indian heritage, shared her mother's advice about proving oneself rather than being limited by others' expectations. "This is part of what's involved, is that we have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open, sometimes they won't. And then you need to kick that f---ing door down."
Vice President Harris has often been criticized for her rhetoric at public appearances throughout Biden's presidency. However, her speech at the summit was met with positive reactions from attendees.
In addition to her call for increased representation, Harris also emphasized the importance of education and community involvement. "Education is the great equalizer. Education is the great empowerer. Education is the great unifier," she said. "And so we must continue to invest in our children, we must continue to invest in our communities, and we must continue to invest in each other."
Harris concluded her speech by urging young people to be the change they wish to see in the world. "We need you to dream big," she said. "We need you to be bold. We need you to be fearless. We need you to be unapologetically you. And we need you to be you every single day, in every single way."
