Photo: Alamy
Turning Point CEO and Chair Erika Kirk, the wife of the late Charlie Kirk, delivered an emotional and deeply moving speech to a packed arena of college students at Ole Miss on Wednesday night, honoring her husband’s legacy and encouraging Gen Z to fight for truth.
“It’s a tremendous honor and blessing to be on the stage today – this is what Turning Point USA’s all about,” she said.
Mrs. Kirk frequently dabbed at her eyes with a tissue as she spoke, recalling her husband’s mission to revitalize and energize the American youth. She also noted that Wednesday marked just seven weeks since her husband’s assassination.
“I really prayed about it,” she said, regarding whether she should speak at Ole Miss. “…I could just hear Charlie in my heart, I could just hear him say, ‘Go reclaim that territory, babe…the battle’s already won, God’s love conquers.’”
She highlighted the critical cultural hour Gen Z is living in. “This moment,” she said, “it can either be your breaking point or your wakeup call. Essentially, the turning point, if you will.”
Mrs. Kirk told students at Ole Miss that they would need to choose whether they would stand for freedom or fall for everything the world had to offer.
“You are the courageous generation,” she said. “…Hear me when I say that. My husband believed that to his core, that’s why he went on campuses, that’s why he was trying to reach you…OWN it, make him proud.”
She reflected fondly on her husband’s work ethic, “Charlie loved the word EARN,” she noted. “…This is about YOUR legacy, each one of you in this room, everyone watching – when you earn your voice and you stand up for what’s right, that is a part of your legacy, your family’s legacy, just as much as it is a part of Charlie’s legacy.”
Mrs. Kirk also told students that ultimate hope could never be found in Washington, D.C., or in the mainstream media. “It’s RIGHT here,” she said, gesturing to the crowd. “All of you. This is the hope, and [Charlie] saw that.”
Mrs. Kirk further encouraged students to act with courage and boldness, noting that the fear of being canceled or losing friends over doing what’s right was well-placed, but nevertheless, the right thing to do.
“If you’re worried about losing a friend – you might,” she remarked. “I lost my friend. I lost my BEST friend…if you’re nervous about standing up for the truth, the assassination of my husband puts into perspective all those fears. It really does.”
She added, “My husband never went with the flow; he swam in the waters of significance…Charlie knew so deeply to his core that comfort doesn’t change the world. And you cannot influence the world when you look like it.”