'In this together.' VP Harris emphasizes her allegiance in Provincetown

PROVINCETOWN―When Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum on Saturday, she recalled her former campaign manager Jim Rivaldo, who also managed campaigns for gay rights leader Harvey Milk during the 1970s.

During her run for San Francisco District Attorney in 2003, Rivaldo often talked about Milk’s approach to politics, Harris said.

“He talked about how Harvey would say that those who oppose progress will always try to suggest that a movement for freedom is somehow subversive,” Harris said to a crowd of about 1,000 people in a tent overlooking Provincetown Harbor.

Freedom strengthens who we are as a nation "when we fight to expand rights rather than to strip them away,” Harris said as the crowd erupted into applause.

Harris arrived in Provincetown at about 2:30 p.m. for "A Reception with Vice President Kamala Harris," co-hosted by Bryan Rafanelli, and his husband Mark Walsh.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attended. In addition to Harris, Buttigieg and his husband Chasten; Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride; Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll; Healey; Rafanelli; and Walsh gave remarks during the event, according to White House staff.Actress Jennifer Coolidge of "The White Lotus" and "American Pie" also spoke during the fundraiser, and Broadway actress and singer Adrienne Warren performed two songs in Harris’ honor.According to the White House, the event raised about $2 million and will benefit the Biden Victory Fund.

Speakers encourage crowd to participate in politics

For Buttigieg, it's important for event attendees to be fully participatory in the upcoming presidential election.

“There has never been a full scale, truly representative, fully participatory, multi-racial democracy,” said Buttigieg during his speech. “But we are building one right now.”

Throughout her speech, Harris encouraged event attendees to support President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign.

“We must be intentional about building community and reminding people that they are not alone,” said Harris. “We must be committed to making our voices heard. We are all in this together.”

While the election has been challenging, said Rafanelli, Americans can save democracy.

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have the collective strength and resilience to weather this storm," said Rafanelli. "They can lead us to a better future.”

Kamala Harris talks civil rights

During her time onstage, Harris mentioned the importance of fighting for LGBTQ rights. Her parents, she said, often brought her to civil rights marches when she was a child. The experience, she said, prepared her to fight for all people.

“When it comes to the fight for LGBTQ rights, I know it’s a fundamental fight for freedom. You should be able to love and to be who you are openly and with pride," said Harris. "To be free from discrimination and bigotry and hate. The freedom to simply ... be.”

Rights of LGBTQ people are under attack, Harris said. White supremacists, she said, have been showing up to Pride festivals armed with assault weapons. Transgender people — especially transgender women of color — are facing record levels of deadly violence, she said. And in schools across the nation, students endure bullying and harassment.

"We see extremists fan the flames of hate and homophobia for political gain," said Harris. "In states like Florida and Iowa, they've passed 'don’t say gay laws,'” she said.

During his speech, Rafanelli recalled that in 2004, when Harris was district attorney in San Francisco, she officiated some of the first same-sex marriages in the country. As a senator, Rafanelli said, she also increased legislation for access to PREP, a medication that can help prevent HIV infection in people who are not already HIV positive but are at risk of exposure.

In contrast, Harris said, during former President Donald Trump's term in office, he took away protections against discrimination for LGBTQ patients under the Affordable Care Act. Trump took away protections for LGBTQ workers, banned transgender service members from the military and eliminated policies that protect LGTBQ students, she said.

“If Donald Trump wins in November, he will once again implement policies that target the LGBTQ community,” Harris said. “And now he has a new running mate who opposes marriage equality.”

Why Provincetown for Kamala?

Provincetown has been the site of several high-profile political fundraisers, many hosted by Rafanelli and his company Rafanelli Events. Jill Biden headlined a Biden-Harris fundraiser last July. Former President Bill Clinton, former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, pop icon Cher and Buttigieg have also made fundraising appearances.

Rafanelli called Provincetown a “melting pot" last month. There’s no question that people in Provincetown care about the United States, he said. It is the right time and the right place "to bring the vice president here," Rafanelli said.

Harris made other stops before arriving on Cape, including in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, she said.

"I'm in these streets," she said.

This is Harris' 15th trip to the state since taking office, according to a White House news brief.

What about Project 2025?

In her speech, Harris called Project 2025 a 900-page blueprint for Trump's second term in office should he win the election. Project 2025, she said, includes a plan to attack marriage equality, threaten in-vitro fertilization, and weaken protections against discrimination in health care, education, and in the workplace.

“Project 2025 is proof that if Donald Trump wins, he will continue to attack equality, take away freedoms, and undermine our democracy," said Harris.

"We are here today because we all understand what’s at stake in this movement," she said.

'Anything worthwhile takes grit'

During her speech, Harris said winning the election won't be easy.

"Anything worthwhile takes grit, and believing in something and going forward," she said.

Biden, she said, thinks about how every decision he makes, impacts everyday folks and working Americans.

"When you look at what we’ve already accomplished it is clear that Joe Biden is one of the most consequential presidents in American history," she said. "He always remembers who he is fighting for. He's fighting for the American people.”

For two guests

Bethany Patten, of Boston, who stood in line Saturday for the Kamala Harris event, said she was attending because she does "a lot of work in climate change policy so I want to support any administration that's going to care about climate."

Patten added she hoped Harris would "give messages of hope" at the event.

Watertown resident Jeff Burchard also was headed to the event. "I'm very excited to just see her and hear what she has to say and see the other Massachusetts and Boston leaders who are here," Burchard said.

"It's an interesting moment and I'm curious what kind of message they have," he said. "I hope we're going to hear something unifying but also optimistic."

Staff writer Mary Ann Bragg contributed to this story.

Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.

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This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Civil rights, grit, freedom: What did VP Harris say in Provincetown