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.
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.”
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.