Before answering any questions at a recent summit about gun violence prevention in Atlanta, Vice President Kamala Harris thanked her host, Quavious Keyate Marshall, or “Quavo.”
Marshall is one-third of the Grammy-Award-winning trap trio Migos.
In 2022, one of the group’s members and Quavo’s nephew Kirsnick Khari Ball, or “Takeoff, was shot and killed.
Quavo said that experience made him start the Rocket Foundation, a nonprofit that supports community gun violence intervention.
“When I saw him laying there, I feel like I saw me laying there,” Quavo reflected. “So I feel like I wanna uplift his legacy and keep his name alive.”
Harris joined the summit on what would have been Takeoff’s 30th birthday.
She used the platform to outline how her administration has worked to prevent gun violence, like making gun trafficking a federal offense, investing in mental health for youth and expanding background check requirements.
“You just might want to know—before someone can buy a lethal weapon—if they’ve been found to be a danger to themselves or others,” she said. “You just might want to know.”
This was Harris’ second trip to Atlanta in five days.
Last week, she attended 100 Black Men of America’s annual conference as part of a nationwide Economic Opportunities Tour.
VP Kamala Harris at 100 Black Men of America
She joined Steve Harvey in conversation.
“This is an alley-oop for a dunk,” the comedian framed their discussion. “Because this administration needs to get the word out of what they’re actually doing and what they’re actually accomplishing.’”
Harris repeated a similar sentiment over and again.
“So I’ll start with student loan debt… anybody who has received student loan debt forgiveness, please testify,” Harris chuckled. “Everywhere!”
She went on to frame that sentiment as a two-part appeal. First, not enough Americans understand the impact and scale of that relief. Second, not enough Americans of color understand how they could benefit from similar programs – Black folks especially.
The Biden-Harris administration has cleared about $170 billion dollars in student loan debt.
Harris also used her platform to flex other wins, like the fact that medical debt no longer affects credit scores.
She also talked about a program to help first-time home buyers, and efforts to make small business ownership more accessible, including those returning from incarceration.
That resonated for 19-year-old Jabari Mackey, who has two brothers in prison.
“With incarcerated people being able to start small businesses, it made me feel joy because it’s like my brothers can also make a difference,” he said. “Even though they took that bad path, they can rebuild and get on a good path now.”
Mackey says it felt like Harris was speaking to him personally, which makes him more excited to vote.
Harris encouraged the young folks at both of her Atlanta events to do exactly that.
The Rocket Foundation summit took place the day before Juneteenth.
“I was proud when I was in the United States Senate to be one of the sponsors to make Juneteenth a federal holiday,” she said. “Among the many ways that you celebrate Juneteenth, think about how you can ask just your neighbor, or your cousin, or somebody to make sure they’re registered to vote.”
