Former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make a rare public appearance this week in California, delivering the keynote address at the 20th anniversary gala for Emerge, one of the nation’s largest networks dedicated to training and electing Democratic women to public office.
Her speech, scheduled for Wednesday evening in San Francisco, will come just one day after President Donald Trump marks his first 100 days in office following his 2024 reelection. Harris, who lost to Trump in November, is expected to use the occasion to issue a sharp critique of the Trump administration while honoring the organization that helped launch her own political career.
Emerge was born out of Harris’ 2003 campaign for San Francisco district attorney, when her team recognized the need for a structured program to support women seeking public office. Today, the group boasts more than 1,200 alumnae serving at all levels of government across the country. Its president and CEO, A’shanti F. Gholar, called Harris “the original Emerge woman” in a statement and praised her as a longtime champion for elevating women in politics.
The gala will also feature other Emerge alumnae, including Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor of Virginia, and Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Senate candidate. Emerge reports a major surge in interest since Trump’s return to the White House, with nearly 1,000 women inquiring about running for office.
Harris’ keynote is expected to be her most extensive public remarks since leaving office. According to sources familiar with her plans, she will use her platform to highlight what she sees as the reckless economic policies of the Trump administration and the ongoing erosion of American democratic institutions. Her speech will echo a theme she touched on earlier this month at the Leading Women Defined Summit, where she said, “There were many things we knew would happen,” before wryly adding, “I’m not here to say I told you so.”
Harris will frame her address as a call to action, urging women and Democratic activists to stay engaged and emphasizing that “courage is contagious.” She is expected to lean heavily into the need for grassroots organizing, female leadership, and collective action in the face of political headwinds.
Her appearance also comes at a pivotal time for her personally. Harris is weighing her political future, considering whether to run for governor of California in 2026 or to mount another presidential campaign in 2028. Advisers and Democratic insiders acknowledge she likely cannot pursue both paths, as a gubernatorial campaign and a subsequent presidential bid would leave little time for building national momentum.
As she steps back into the spotlight this week, Harris is signaling that her voice remains a powerful force within the Democratic Party — and that she has no intention of fading quietly from the political stage.
