Exclusive: Kamala Harris’ parting message to Gen Z
The Vice President says she loves Gen Z. I think she means it.
In 2020, young people turned out in exceptionally high numbers helping secure a win for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Their historic participation gave the administration a clear mandate to – at the very least – pay attention to us, and prioritize our voices and concerns. Over the past four years, this administration has had its share of wins and challenges in connecting with this demographic, but Harris’ commitment to engaging young leaders has been a consistent theme and stands out as a defining feature of her tenure.



In the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, Vice President Kamala Harris told The Up and Up what she’s learned from her work with young people over the past four years.
“Young leaders have been at the forefront of every major fight for progress in our nation’s history. While traveling the country these past four years, I have consistently witnessed that it is young people throughout America who once again know what the solutions to our toughest challenges look like, and they are already organizing in their communities to make them a reality. This generation understands that one individual can make a real difference in the lives of so many people. I know that these leaders are critical to the urgent issues that are at stake for our future – from fighting for our freedoms to expanding access to opportunity. My message to them is clear: we not only need you, but we are counting on you in the days and years ahead,” Harris told The Up and Up exclusively.
A Genuine Advocate for Young People
As Vice President, Harris consistently worked to include and elevate the voices of young Americans. While President Biden made sure to acknowledge young leaders publicly, especially after the 2022 midterms when young voters once-again helped boost Democrats and defend against the predicted red wave. But beyond the president’s mentions of young people at the podium and high visibility moments with young leaders, I’m told by members of Harris’ team that behind the scenes, she was adamant that young voices and leaders were listened to and amplified over the past four years both at home and abroad.
Harris has said time and time again that she loves Gen Z. The people closest to her say it’s not a bit.
Her affinity for Gen Z wasn’t just political rhetoric. Time and time again, Harris showed a genuine desire to connect with young leaders, understand their priorities, and champion the issues that matter most to them. She even embraced the energy of Brat summer’s unapologetic authenticity and self-expression, showing her understanding of and connection to their cultural zeitgeist.
Encouraging Resilience
One of Harris’s most memorable moments came in her post-election speech at the University of Maryland. Speaking directly to young people, she urged them to “stay in the fight” despite the election’s outcome. It was a rallying cry, a reminder of the resilience and determination needed to drive change. While questions swirl about what Harris, who represented a new generation of leadership at least within this administration, might do next, it’s easy to imagine her continuing to work with the next generation of leaders.
Engaging and Listening
Harris’s national ‘Fight for Our Freedoms’ campus tour was a cornerstone of her efforts to connect with young Americans. Across nine stops, she met with more than 15,000 students at HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and state schools. These visits focused on issues that matter in their communities including abortion access, gun safety, climate change, voting access, and the economy. Stops along the way included: Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University, Reading Area Community College, Atlanta University Center, College of Charleston, College of Southern Nevada, and Northern Arizona University.
But beyond the shiny campus tour and speaking at high profile events popular with young Democrats like the Everytown for Gun Safety conference in 2023, Harris held closed door listening sessions with young community leaders to discuss their first-hand experience with issues like gun violence. These quieter, more intimate conversations allowed the VP to forge authentic connections and gain deeper insights when the cameras were off (until a group photo at the end).
Though not in her official capacity, while she was running for president, Harris also made sure to make time for young people. And while it didn’t lead to the results she would have liked, I can say it certainly had an impact on the young people she met along the way. When I sat down with a group of students at the Community College of Philadelphia just days before the election, they were quick to share how proud they were that Harris had visited their campus just weeks prior, on National Voter Registration Day. One young man, Dajuan, told me that he actually got to shake her hand and talk to her directly. He called it powerful.
Missed Opportunities
You may be asking – if Harris genuinely loves Gen Z and if the Gen Zers she met along the way relished the opportunity to do so, why did Democrats perform so poorly with young people in November?
Well, let’s not forget, of all voters, young voters were the most likely of any age cohort to actually vote for Harris, early data shows.
But the reality is that most young Americans didn’t have the opportunity to actually connect with Harris (or Biden while he was president) face to face. Their exposure mostly came through social media or news consumption.
Should her off the record conversations have been live-streamed? Probably not, given that they wouldn’t have felt as organic and real (which is what young people want) if the tape was rolling. But Harris could have held youth town halls or forums that were blasted out to young people in her official capacity.
We know that the economy was young voters’ top issue this cycle. Pre-election polls showed it before November 5 – and a new post-election poll of young voters from CIRCLE released yesterday confirmed that the cost of living and inflation was by far young adults’ most pressing priority in 2024.
Yet, when Harris and other top Democrats spoke to young people, they often led with issues like climate change, gun violence, and abortion access, before tackling the economy (this was true even in the Gen Z focused segment Harris added to her stump speech in the final days of her campaign).
Young people are having a hard time financially and struggling to get by. From here on out, Democrats — and really anyone trying to engage with young Americans — should focus first and foremost on economic opportunity: the cost of living, housing, and jobs.
A Path Forward
As the Biden-Harris administration comes to a close, Harris’ work with young leaders becomes more than a chapter in her tenure; it’s a roadmap for future leaders. By fostering authentic connections and demonstrating unwavering support for young voices, she has redefined what it means to engage the next generation. Her ability to meet young people where they are — whether in private conversations or public forums — offers invaluable lessons in leadership. Moving forward, leaders who respect young people, prioritize meaningful outreach with them, and create space for them to influence policy will not only earn their trust but also empower them to shape their own futures.