Harris to discuss implications of overturned abortion rights with black women at Essence Festival

In New Orleans, Harris will participate in a fireside chat with actress Keke Palmer to discuss some of the “most critical issues facing black women, including implications for the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe,” the White House official said in preview. at CNN. Harris will also meet privately with reproductive rights activists in New Orleans, the official said.

This upcoming appearance at one of the nation’s biggest celebrations of African-American culture also gives the nation’s first black woman and vice president an opportunity to rally the voters who helped raise her. and President Joe Biden, at the White House in 2020.

Democrats hope abortion rights will galvanize voters ahead of the midterm elections, but it’s unclear how much of an impact the issue will have in November as worries about the economy and the inflation remained at the forefront of voters’ concerns.

From June 22 to 24 CBS/YouGov Poll, 64% of black Americans approved of Biden’s professional performance, 36% disapproving. And a June 17-20 Quinnipiac Poll showed that 59% of black Americans approved of Biden’s professional performance as president, with 31% disapproving and 10% unsure or unresponsive. That’s better than his ratings among white and Hispanic Americans, the majority of whom disapprove of Biden.

Some 80% of black Americans in that same Quinnipiac poll said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. And 82% of black respondents said they generally agreed with the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade who legalized abortion nationwide.

In recent years, the Essence Festival has become a frequent stopover for Democratic politicians aiming to get their message across to black women. Biden delivered remarks recorded at the festival last year. And Harris last attended the festival in person in 2019, when she was running for president.

The White House is also sending other senior administration officials, including EPA Administrator Michael Regan, OMB Director Shalanda Young, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and White House Infrastructure Coordinator. Mitch Landrieu, to discuss economic and equity issues. Other Democratic messengers, like Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, will speak at the weekend festival.

The festival takes place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj, Kevin Hart and New Edition will headline the event. Other artists performing include Jazmine Sullivan, Chloe x Halle, Summer Walker, The Isley Brothers and DJ D-Nice.

CNN’s Lisa Respers-France and Ariel Edwards-Levy contributed to this report.