Kamala Harris ramping up on campuses as classes commence

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California poses for a photo with supporters during a town hall at the University of Iowa’s Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City this past April. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette) ▲

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By James Q. Lynch

CEDAR RAPIDS — Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign will ramp up activities on Iowa college campuses as classes begin Monday.

Harris is reigniting her campus organizing program with the Students for Kamala initiative. Last spring, the California senator became the first presidential candidate to launch a program to organize and train students to work on her campaign.

Organizing events are planned at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa and Drake University starting Aug. 26.

Distributed organizing programs put the power in the hands of supporters, giving them the tools and training necessary to run their own programs that are tailored to the specific needs of their communities, according to the Harris campaign.

The campus organizing program is designed to give students the resources they need to be involved in the caucus process, in organizing, and in progressive causes far beyond the 2020 cycle.

Harris’ campus campaign includes the Campus Toolkit, a digital organizing tool that will allow students to access resources such as policy one-pagers, storytelling trainings and relational organizing materials on their phones at any time.

Kamala Campus Captains, launched earlier this month, will be part of the campaign’s volunteer network and will serve as leaders and precinct captains for Harris on their campuses. It also will hold the second series of Camp Kamala student and youth organizing trainings.

The campaign will host Campus Caucus Trainings tailored to inform students about the caucus process, including the new virtual caucus option.

This targeted investment is intended to harness the enthusiasm the campaign has seen from young people since Harris started her campaign in February, and extend the reach of the organizing efforts into every precinct in Iowa.

Activities include Hawkeyes for Harris, daily through Aug. 26, at the T. Anne Cleary Walkway, University of Iowa; Panthers for Harris, Aug. 21, 22, 26 and 28, Maucker Union, UNI, and Aug. 26 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.

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