Black women in New York begin organizing for Kamala Harris

Within hours of President Joe Biden’s bombshell news Sunday that he would not run for reelection, tens of thousands of Black women across the country — including many in New York — launched an ambitious organizing effort for Vice President Kamala Harris.

State Attorney General Tish James and New York-based consultants Lupe Todd-Medina, Amelia Adams, Tyquana Henderson-Rivers and Rachel Noerdlinger were among the Empire State women on Sunday evening’s “Win With Black Women” virtual call, according to a list of names provided to POLITICO. The organization formed in 2020 to support Black female candidates for elected office.

Other New Yorkers on the Zoom included NAACP New York President Hazel Dukes, Brooklyn state Sen. Roxanne Persaud, Long Island Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, Higher Heights for America PAC president Glynda Carr and Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill Johnson.

Tens of thousands of participants joined the call, raising $1.5 million, according to a social media post and a participant granted anonymity to share details about what was meant to be an off-record gathering. And they provided strategy memos and talking points as they coalesce behind a candidate who could be the nation’s first female president.

“We need to defend our sister everywhere,” read the meeting notes obtained by POLITICO. “It is a ‘thing’ to have MAGA world chasing you.”

The strategy memo directed attendees to defend against Project 2025 — an expansive policy document written with input from Donald Trump's former advisers — urged them to persuade Democratic Party delegates to sign a pledge endorsing Harris and highlighted Harris' best attributes. One of her advantages, per the memo, is the face time she got with foreign leaders as VP.

“She can make age and vigor an issue,” it read, drawing an implicit contrast to the 81-year-old Biden — and 78-year-old Trump.

But Harris will not have an easy road.

Republicans immediately piled on Sunday, citing her connection to the White House’s handling of the ongoing border crisis and questioning her commitment to Israel — an issue with deep resonance in New York. Some progressives also previously voiced concern about her history as a prosecutor. And polling shows Trump with an advantage in the critical battlegrounds of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. (Though polling with Harris at the top of the ticket is limited since she hasn’t become the nominee yet.)

But those on the virtual call were ready to get organized.

“It was just really the excitement of Black women and our allies not wanting to miss this historic moment,” said Jotaka Eaddy, who founded Win With Black Women and set up the call.

And James, New York's attorney general who was on the call, has also been gathering the support of Black attorneys general for Harris, a former attorney general herself. James announced Sunday that she and the five other Black state attorneys general from Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada will be part of a coalition working to back Harris.