Vice President Kamala Harris and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph are joining forces once again, this time for an official campaign stop in Pennsylvania. The event, scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, aims to rally voters around the critical issues facing women’s freedoms today.
The duo’s collaboration is not new; they first met at a Philadelphia mobilization event during Harris’ 2020 vice presidential campaign and later traveled to Ghana together in the spring of 2023.
Following Ralph’s significant Emmys win in 2022 for her supporting role in Abbott Elementary — a milestone that made her only the second Black woman to win in her category, and the first since 1987 — Harris personally congratulated her.
Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vice President Kamala Harris Championing Causes Close to Home
“She called and I had to say, ‘We did it Kamala. We did it,’” Ralph told The Hollywood Reporter. “It was great.”
Ralph, who is married to Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes, has been a vocal advocate for various causes. She has spoken up about abortion rights and reproductive freedom.
At a “Bans Off Our Bodies” rally in Harrisburg, Pa., Ralph defended a woman’s right to make decisions about her own health.
“No matter what you believe, I believe this is my body. It is my choice,” Ralph asserted. “No one else should have the right to tell me what to do with my own body.”
Ralph’s advocacy aligns with Harris’ ongoing efforts to prioritize women’s rights in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
Their joint appearance in Montgomery County, Pa., on Wednesday is part of Harris’ nationwide tour to address the persistent threats to women’s health.
On May 1, the day Florida’s six-week abortion ban took effect, Harris spoke in Jacksonville, condemning such extreme state bans for undermining Roe v. Wade and targeting medical professionals.
“Under Donald Trump, it would be fair game for women to be monitored and punished by the government,” Harris remarked. “Joe Biden and I have a different view. We believe the government should never come between a woman and her doctor.”