In a concerted effort to engage young voters, the Harris-Walz campaign has launched a targeted initiative focusing on HBCUs. This includes expanding youth organizing staff, digital ads, and a campus tour across 11 battleground states.

A key element of this initiative is a letter from Vice President Kamala Harris, addressed directly to HBCU students. In the letter, Harris, an alumna of Howard University, emphasizes the transformative experience of attending an HBCU and the importance of political engagement. “At an HBCU, you’re empowered to be anything and do everything without excuse,” Harris wrote. She calls on students to vote in the upcoming election, reminding them, “Your vote has never mattered more.”

The campaign has also launched an HBCU-specific landing page, which features Harris’s letter and provides resources for voter registration. Jasmine Harris, Black Media Director for the Harris-Walz campaign, highlighted the significance of HBCUs, telling Watch The Yard, “Historically Black Colleges and Universities remain some of our nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education, and are responsible for educating dynamic and influential leaders across all industries.”

Jasmine Harris further noted, “Our campaign will continue working to earn every single vote and ensure HBCU students understand that from student loan forgiveness to job creation and protecting a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions—Vice President Harris is the only candidate in this election who has delivered for them, and will continue fighting for their future.”

As the campaign prepares for further engagement, particularly during homecoming season, it is building on the momentum generated by student-led voter turnout in the last election. This initiative aims to mobilize Black college students as a crucial voting bloc in the upcoming election.