Erika Kirk was elected unanimously as the new leader of Turning Point USA.
Erika Kirk, wife of the late political commentator and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, was named the CEO and board chair of TPUSA on Sept. 18, just over a week after her husband’s death.
While Charlie Kirk was the face of TPUSA, his wife of four years was heavily involved in the organization and had an outward-facing presence among the group’s supporters.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated on Sept. 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University, answering an attendee’s question about mass shootings. The longtime political commentator was kicking off his “American Comeback” tour.
Erika’s New Role
Erika Kirk was elected unanimously as the new leader of the organization, which was founded in 2012.
Board members Doug De Groote, Mike Miller, Tom Sodeika, and David Engelhardt wrote in a statement following the announcement: “All of us at Turning Point USA have a special role in carrying Charlie Kirk’s mantle and completing his vision of bringing us all closer to our Lord and fostering a prosperous country for generations to come.
“In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon wrote that mankind is to be tested by God. Today we are facing such a test, yet we also know that God has prepared us with everything we need to overcome this ordeal.”
They went on to say that their late founder always said, “We have a country to save,” and that he never wanted to surrender or kneel before evil.
“We will carry on. The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become our chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before,” they wrote.
After her husband’s death, and prior to her appointment as the head of the company, Erika Kirk delievered an emotional address on Sept. 12 to pay tribute to her husband.
“Two days ago, my husband, Charlie, went to see the face of his Savior and his God. Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith,” she said from the studio of The Charlie Kirk Show.
“And one of the final conversations that he had on this Earth, my husband witnessed for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now and for all eternity, he will stand at his Savior’s side, wearing the glorious crown of a martyr.”
Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012, when he was just 18 years old. The organization speaks on issues like morals and politics on high school and college campuses, and has grown significantly over the years.
The organization exists to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government,” according to its website.
TPUSA has a presence on more than 3,500 school campuses, with more than 2,000 student groups and more than 800 faith groups.
Before Charlie
Before her connection to Charlie Kirk and TPUSA, Erik Kirk, a 36-year-old mother of two, was already a businesswoman, philanthropist, and podcaster.
Erika Kirk won the Miss Arizona pageant in 2012, and before that was an NCAA Women’s Basketball athlete, and also worked as a model and actress in New York City and China.
She launched Everyday Heroes Like You, a 501(c)(3) organization, in 2006, when she was just 17 years old. The group’s mission is to promote “everyday heroes” in communities around the nation.
Erika Kirk’s group went global with its “Romanian Angels” project, where it teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corps to sponsor an orphanage in Constanta, Romania.
The new TPUSA CEO earned a double major in political science and international relations from Arizona State University, and later received her Juris Master’s Degree in American Legal Studies from Liberty University. She’s currently pursuing a Doctorate in Biblical Studies from the same university.
According to her website, her focus in recent years has been her ministry and entrepreneurship. She leads the BIBLEin365 program, which is designed to encourage daily involvement with scripture. She also hosts a Midweek Rise Up podcast, which discusses Biblical leadership
Additionally, Erika Kirk founded PROCLAIM, which is a U.S.-made clothing line with a faith-based message. According to her website, the clothing is a “manifestation of Erika’s commitment to living out her beliefs boldly and encouraging others to do the same.”
Her bio states that “Above all, Erika cherishes her role as the wife of Charlie Kirk and the mother of their precious son and daughter.”
After Charlie’s Passing
Erika Kirk, who married Charlie on May 8, 2021, in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to an Instagram post, was public about her opinion on her husband.
She called Charlie Kirk “the man I’ve been praying for, before I even met you.”
After her husband’s passing, while speaking to the world about the way forward, she said, “Charlie loved, loved life. He loved his life. He loved America. He loved nature, which helped him always bring him closer to God. He loved the Chicago Cubs. And my goodness, did he love the Oregon Ducks,” she said.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children, and he loved me, with all of his heart, and I knew that.”
Erika told viewers that her husband’s mission would go forward and that she believed this would only amplify Charlie Kirk’s message to the world.
In a Sept. 12 post to Instagram, Erika Kirk wrote: “They have no idea what they just ignited within this wife. If they thought my husband’s mission was big now, you have no idea. You. All of you. Will never. Ever. Forget my husband @charliekirk1776 I’ll make sure of it.”
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