Excitement was in the air at the TCF Center in downtown Detroit as Vice President Kamala Harris visited Michigan on Monday, July 12 to urge residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The event was jam-packed and Michigan’s political all-stars from the governor to several notable congresswomen were in attendance.
The event kicked off with a dynamic performance from the Detroit Youth Choir singing a powerful rendition of the Grammy- and Oscar Award winning song Glory, by rapper Common and singer John Legend. The choir then followed up with a beautiful melodic version of the Star Spangled Banner as they helped to energize the crowd ahead of the politician-based welcome committee, who each made special remarks ahead of Harris’ appearance. The welcome-committee speakers included Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, and Detroit mayor Mike Duggan.
The Vice President is currently on a nationwide campaign to promote vaccines and is targeting cities like Detroit who have low vaccination rates. Approximately only 38% of Detroit residents 12+ have received at least one vaccine dose per Detroitmi.gov’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard. This percentage is significantly lower than those of neighboring and surrounding cities.
Harris took the stage to roaring applause in a standing-room only hall. She warmly welcomed the attendees as she opened up her speech about Detroit’s resilience.
“Detroit really is the definition of resilience,” she said. “Time and again, this city has been rebuilt. This city has been reborn. Time and again, this city has helped lead our nation through war, through recession, and most recently through this pandemic.
“At the very start of the pandemic, companies in Detroit from small-batch manufacturers to Big Three automakers converted their factories and produced protective gear and ventilators for our nation’s hospitals. You did that not only for the folks locally, but nationally,” she said.
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