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Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris
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Culture > Digital

You Need To Know The Lore Behind Kamala Harris’ Viral “Coconut Tree” Meme

On July 21, President Joe Biden announced that he’s no longer running in the 2024 presidential race and has endorsed his current vice-president, Kamala Harris, to be the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. After this announcement, Harris’ “Coconut Tree” meme began filling social media feeds and TBH, I’m not mad about it.

Harris has become quite the viral sensation on TikTok (I mean, whose FYP doesn’t consist of edits of Harris to songs from Charli xcx’s Brat?) Harris has had many meme-able quotes and speeches in the past. Her most famous speech is none other than her “Coconut Tree” speech, and it has many on the internet wondering what it even means. Here’s what you need to know about the Coconut Tree lore.

The meme comes from a speech Harris gave in May 10, 2023, while swearing in commissioners for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. In the speech, Harris talked about how young people should focus on their legacy and community, especially with how it has progressed over time. “None of us just live in a silo. Everything is in context,” she said. 

The “Coconut Tree” line came when Harris quoted her mother, saying, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” She ended the question with a hearty laugh that she’s nearly trademarked at this point. Harris then returned to a somber tone, saying, “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” 

The overall message of the now-iconic and viral quote is that everyone should think of themselves in the context of a community, recognizing what came before us and how it impacts us currently.

After being named the new Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential race, Harris’ “Coconut Tree” speech has become a viral sound on TikTok, and the videos are so hilarious. Here are just some of them that have me cackling.

@clayrawr

I found it first actually😪💪💯

♬ original sound – 🎀
@tanamongeaulol

my PR team fr @Brooke Schofield

♬ original sound – 🎀

Even celebs like Kesha got in on the fun and mixed Harris’ now-famous “coconut tree” line with the opening of her 2010 song “Blow.”

@kesha

Replying to @Xanderishome hard day at work

♬ Blow by Kesha Kamalas Version – En

It’s safe to assume that Meme Queen Kamala Harris (who is taking over the internet) will continue filling up everyone’s FYP with hilarious moments that the internet can’t help but obsess over. I mean, at this point, I want “Coconut Tree” merch.

Amanda Brown is a current national writer for Her Campus, focusing largely on the Entertainment & Culture vertical. She was formerly the Summer 2024 Entertainment & Culture intern, writing about all things pop culture! Beyond Her Campus, Amanda is a sophomore Writing and Rhetoric major with an Honors Interdisciplinary Studies minor at James Madison University. Amanda is the Founder/President/Editorial Director of JMU's Spoon University chapter and the Junior Social Media Manager of JMU's Her Campus chapter. She is also a member of Gamma Phi Beta. In her free time, Amanda loves binge-watching reality TV (especially while drinking iced lattes) and going on long walks (ideally using it as a yap session or listening to music). Amanda loves reading romance novels while listening to Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams.