‘I’m here as a mother’: In emotional speech, Beyoncé backs Kamala Harris for President; see video

Renowned pop icon Beyoncé graced the Kamala Harris rally at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium on Friday, lending her support to the Democratic Party nominee. In the packed stadium, Beyoncé shared the stage with Kelly Rowland, publicly endorsing the Harris-Walz ticket just 11 days before the crucial election.
During her appearance at the rally, which focused on Harris’s commitment to protecting abortion rights in the United States, Beyoncé emphasised the importance of voting. “It’s time for America to sing a new song,” she said to the enthusiastic crowd.
“I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said. “A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we’re not divided.”
“Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations,” she continued. “We must vote, and we need you.”

Beyoncé, joined onstage by her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland, introduced Harris with, “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, loud, Texas welcome to the next president of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”
Unlike her performance at a presidential campaign rally for Hilary Clinton in Cleveland in 2016, Beyoncé did not perform at this event.
Houston is Beyoncé’s hometown, and Harris’ presidential campaign has adopted Beyoncé’s 2016 track “Freedom” as its anthem. The song, from her album “Lemonade,” samples Jim Crow-era folk spirituals and work songs of Black prisoners, and features Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar.
Beyoncé gave permission to Harris to use the song, a campaign official confirmed to The Associated Press.
Kinitra D Brooks, author of “The Lemonade Reader,” emphasises the importance of “Freedom,” saying that it demonstrates that freedom comes at a cost and must be fought for.
The Harris rally in Houston highlighted the medical consequences of Texas’ strict abortion ban, placing the blame on Donald Trump. Since the restriction of abortion in Texas, the state’s infant death rate, deaths from birth defects, and maternal mortality have all increased.