Like so many others, the news of Charlie Kirk’s passing left me speechless. Thinking first of his wife, his children, and the generation of young Americans he inspired–including me. As tributes pour in, I wanted to find a way to capture the gravity of Charlie’s influence on millions of us who found courage through his work.
Growing up, my family believed the three most important things were God, family, and country. My grandfather served in World War II, and I remember him and my dad always reminding me how fragile democracy is and how vital it is to stand up for the things you believe in. Living in Connecticut as a conservative, that wasn’t always easy.
I became politically engaged around eighth grade, when my social studies class studied the Constitution. We broke down each section of the Preamble: “We the People,” “In order to form a more perfect union,” “Establish justice,” “Insure domestic tranquility,” and so on. We, of course, also learned the Schoolhouse Rock song. It was then that I started to realize that my conservative beliefs were not always welcome. By high school, a teacher told me my opinions “were not valid in his classroom.” That moment made me realize how dangerous it could be to stay silent.
In college, I studied political science and quickly recognized the ideological leanings of many of my professors. I knew those weren’t views I shared, and I searched for a place to find my own voice. That’s when I discovered the College Republican National Committee and Turning Point USA.
I had already seen Charlie on social media and watched the events he hosted on college campuses, encouraging young Americans to stand for free speech and conviction. I was drawn to their “Big Government Sucks” stickers and energetic gatherings where like-minded young adults finally had a space for free thought.
In 2018, I attended the Student Action Summit hosted by TPUSA in Palm Beach, Florida. I remember being almost starstruck hearing from voices like Donald Trump Jr., Dana Loesch, Jordan Peterson, Sebastian Gorka, and others. But it was Charlie’s words that stayed with me most. He spoke about how proud he was to have built a space for us to come together, no matter our paths, united by faith, family, and the defense of life and liberty.
Because of that space, and Charlie’s example, I pursued a political career in Washington, D.C.–believing that anyone can make a difference, even me.
America was founded on the principle that we are free to disagree, and Charlie embodied that. Through respectful debate, he showed that people of all backgrounds and beliefs can stand firm in their convictions while still recognizing one another’s humanity. He lived that belief every single day.
Charlie’s legacy will endure—in his family, in his work, and in the countless young people he inspired to speak boldly and live faithfully. He awakened a generation of Americans who will go on to lead this nation, and for that I am deeply grateful.
To honor what he built, we must grow as a society, learning once again to disagree without division, to debate without hatred, and to remember at the end of the day: we are neighbors, we are families, we are brothers and sisters, and we are Americans.
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