Featured photo: VP Kamala Harris decends from Airforce 1 at Detroit Metro Airport. Photo by L.M. Land.
Written by Tanya Terry
On Thursday, September 19, Vice President Kamala Harris arrived to the Detroit area for a Unite for America livestream event with Oprah Winfrey.
In addition to the 400 people in the audience live in Farmington Hills, thousands of people joined on screen.
Celebrity supporters who took part in the event included Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Meryl Streep and Tracee Ellis Ross, as well as several others.
Winfrey explained a call from Black Women for Harris inspired many other groups to be present for the livestream event. Some of these groups included Cat Ladies for Kamala, Rural Americans for Harris, Caregivers for Harris, Train Loves for Harris-Walz, Chefs for Kamala, Republicans for Harris and Swifties for Kamala.
Winfrey told Harris she believed the majority of Americans agree with her- that they don’t want assault weapons in the hands of children and the other people who have no business with those types of weapons.
Harris stated she has seen homicide cases, as well as autopsies.
She added: “I’ve seen what these weapons do, and we’ve got to agree that particularly talking about something like an assault weapon- It’s literally just designed to be a tool of war. It has no place in the street.”
One couple who talked on screen told Harris they were hoping to save money to have a second child, So, they had lived with their parents for a year until they could afford a house of their own. Unfortunately, they found the mortgage was much higher than expected when they moved.
“Now my sister and brother-in-law are living with us so they can hopefully do the same,” a woman named Rachael explained.
When asked what her plan was to lower costs for American families, Harris responded by saying she would hold companies accountable for price gouging.
She also said part of her plan to help those trying to buy their first house included a $25,000 down payment assistance.
Harris talked about how at an early point in her life, her mother, sister and herself lived in an apartment on top of a child care center that was owned by a woman Harris called her second mother, who helped raise her.
“Part of my plan is what we need to do to support small business owners – because my second mother was a small business owner, and I love small business owners,” said Harris. “They are not only businesses,; they are community leaders. They’re mentors. They hire locally, and we have so many entrepreneurs in our country who have great ideas, incredible work ethic…But, not everybody – like my opponent was handed 4 million dollars on a silver plate that he filed bankruptcy six times on. And so, part of my plan is to give start ups, small businesses a $50,000 tax deductible to start a small business. Right now it’s $5,000. Nobody can start a small business with $5,000.”
Harris said she wanted to help middle class families by extending and expanding the Child Tax Credit to $6,000. She said that would allow parents to buy cribs, clothes and car seats in the first year of their child’s life.
“All of this and more is what I plan to build in what I call an opportunity economy,” stated Harris.
Winfrey has said she is an independent. She called on other independents, as well as those who were undecided. She added values and character matter most.
Michigan is a critical state that will help determine who will win the presidential race.
To watch the full “Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey livestream campaign event in Michigan” from ABC WFAA Channel 8, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIaRQPsgOzI&list=RDNScIaRQPsgOzI&start_radio=1
