‘Flames on our horizons’: Kamala Harris takes veiled dig at Donald Trump

The 56th annual awards were held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in the Los Angeles area. The event was Harris’ first major public appearance after her presidential election loss to US President Donald Trump in November last year. The Democrat called the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) a support pillar for Black Americans and urged them to stay resilient.

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Harris did not refer to her election loss or the US president’s radical executive actions since assuming power on January 20.

“While we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter in our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office nor by the wealthiest among us. The American story will be written by you. Written by us. By, we the people,” Harris said.

The former US vice president echoed the theme of her first message post-election loss when she pointed out the challenges ahead.

“Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy and ask ‘What do we do now? But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before. And we will do it again. We use our power. We organize, mobilize. We educate. We advocate. Our power has never come from having an easy path,” Harris added.

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Wildfire survivors recognised

The event recognised residents who survived the wildfires in Los Angeles’ Altadena neighbourhood. Host Deon Cole played a video of the fire devastation played before actor Morris Chestnut took the stage.

“Homes were lost, stores destroyed, countless lives shattered and over two dozens souls gone forever. But what was not lost is the spirit of our community,” said Chestnut, a Los Angeles native, referring to impacted communities in Altadena, the Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

(With AP inputs)