With Roe v. Wade in the spotlight, Kamala Harris welcomes TSU grads into 'an unsettled world'
Vice President Kamala Harris told the Tennessee State University class of 2022 that the world they are graduating into is "unsettled," citing the war in Ukraine, long-time racial and class inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to women's rights among the biggest challenges the graduates will face.
“It is a world where long-established principles now rest on shaky ground," Harris said at TSU's Hale Stadium in Nashville on Saturday. "You graduate into an unsettled world both abroad and here at home."
After commending the more than 500 undergraduates of Nashville's own public historically Black university on their accomplishment, and even laughingly referencing $10 Tuesdays at local pizza joint Slim and Husky's founded by three TSU graduates, her tone turned somber.
"Here in the United States, we are once again forced to defend fundamental principles that we hoped were long settled; principles like the freedom to vote, the rights of women to make decisions about their own body, what constitutes the truth," she said as the sea of blue caps before her roared.
"Graduates, I look at this unsettled world and yes, I can see the challenges, but I'm here to tell you that I see the opportunities. The opportunities for your leadership. The future of our country and our world will be shaped by you."
Harris' appearance in Nashville came just days after news broke that the U.S. Supreme Court is on the verge of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion across the nation. The draft, obtained by Politico and published Monday, set off a renewed round of fierce controversy around one of the nation's most divisive issues.
The address was at least the second time the vice president had commented on the court's potential action, though her tone was lighter and more reflective of a number of the challenges of today's world.
Related: What happens in Tennessee if Roe v Wade is overturned? Here's a guide
On Tuesday, Harris spoke at a Washington gala, where she sharply criticized Republicans and conservative justices on the Supreme Court and said access to abortion would be severely limited in almost half the country if Roe v. Wade gets overturned.
“We say, how dare they? How dare they tell a woman what she can do and cannot do with her own body?” Harris said Tuesday. “When we look at the big picture, those who attack Roe have been clear: they want to ban abortion in every state. They want to bully anyone who seeks or provides reproductive health care.”
But Harris also celebrated the trials and challenges many graduates, who left their classrooms to call for racial justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd or were sent home to learn remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, had already overcome, echoing TSU President Glenda Glover, who told the grads earlier in the ceremony "it does not matter how long it took you, whether six semesters or six years, you made it."
As both a graduate of and a champion for HBCUs, the vice president also praised the education and experience students receive at TSU.
"You see, HBCUs like this, well they are a cathedral of education, and the value of this education is that it teaches you something very special, that you can be anything and do anything," Harris said.
Saturday's speech marked Harris' second commencement address as vice president, but her first at an HBCU. In 2021, she delivered a commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Leaked SCOTUS opinion: How Tennesseans are reacting to the US Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v Wade
More from TSU: TSU President Glenda Glover on state funding challenges and getting back to in-person homecoming
Harris, a graduate of Howard University, and President Joe Biden have prioritized investing in the nation's historically Black colleges and universities, despite some criticism that recent budget packages — especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic — don't do enough for these historic institutions.
Harris and Biden initially pledged $70 billion to HBCUs, and now supporters and Harris' election have boosted the profile of HBCUs. Since the election, the administration has invested more than $5.8 billion in resources and through the White House Initiative on HBCUs.
In December, Biden appointed Glover to serve on the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
After her keynote address and before shaking the hands of hundreds of TSU graduates, Glover awarded Harris an honorary doctorate degree in humane letters.
"I'm now a Tiger!" she cheered.
Meghan Mangrum covers education for the USA TODAY Network — Tennessee. Contact her at mmangrum@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Kamala Harris told Tennessee State grads with Roe v. Wade hovering
