On Thursday (Sept. 8), Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the 142nd Annual Session of The National Baptist Convention (NBC) in Houston, Texas.
According to their website, the NBC is the “nation’s oldest and largest African American religious convention” and consists of over 7.5 million members.
During the Vice President’s speech, which fell just short of 30 minutes, Harris shared that she learned about the importance of faith while growing up in 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, California.
“Through the darkness, faith and our faith reminds us that we are not alone. Faith teaches us that a brighter future is always ahead and we must keep moving forward to realize that future. And to move forward, simply put, I also learned and we all know: Faith requires action,” Harris said.
Harris then shared that she was raised to live out her faith, citing examples of her parents pushing her in a stroller while marching for civil rights, as well as her own political endeavors.
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Harris explained that faith is what guides her and President Joe Biden’s work every day, telling the NBC that they “know deeply, that when people of faith come together anything is possible—everything is possible—that is the power of faith.”
The 57-year-old vice president expressed her concern for the United States, saying that we currently live in “unsettled times,” referencing that “here in our own country, the powerful transfer of power in a way that is peaceful; the freedom of voters—voters—to decide elections; the freedom of women to make decisions about their future; even what constitutes the truth.”
Harris said, “These ideals now hang in the balance,” and called on faith leaders to help lead the country forward. “As we see gun violence threatening the safety of our communities and the sanctity of our houses of worship, our faith leaders have been among the leaders who demand a ban on assault weapons so that our children do not have to fear their lives as they sit at their desk or kneel in the pew.”
Harris then used words from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth as a charge for NBC attenders to fight for abortion access: “Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).”
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The crowd applauded Harris after she said, “As extremists work to take away the freedom of women to make decisions about their own bodies, faith leaders are taking a stand, knowing one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held religious beliefs to agree that a woman should have the ability to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.”
