As students across New Orleans prepare to head back to the classroom, they’ll be welcomed into the new school year by one of the country’s most recognizable HBCU graduates.
Former Vice President Kamala D. Harris is set to headline InspireNOLA Charter Schools‘ annual Inspire the City Back-to-School Student Rally on Friday, August 7, joining hundreds of students for a celebration focused on education, leadership and service.
The annual rally has become a way for InspireNOLA to usher in the school year with a sense of purpose, bringing together students, educators, parents and community leaders before the first bell rings. This year’s keynote speaker adds another layer of significance.
Her visit arrives at a meaningful moment for New Orleans students. In the years since Hurricane Katrina fundamentally reshaped the city’s public education system, charter schools have become the primary educational model for most public school students. Today, networks like InspireNOLA educate thousands of young people across the city, making back-to-school celebrations like this one an important community gathering as much as an educational milestone.
Long before becoming the first woman, first Black American and first South Asian American elected vice president of the United States, Harris was a student at Howard University, one of the nation’s most storied Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She has often credited her time on Howard’s campus with shaping her approach to leadership and public service, making her appearance at a student-centered event especially fitting as young people begin another academic year.
Founded in 2013, InspireNOLA Charter Schools has grown into Louisiana’s largest charter school network, serving thousands of students across New Orleans. While its campuses focus on academic achievement, the network has also emphasized exposing students to accomplished leaders whose careers can expand how they imagine their own futures.
That mission is reflected in this year’s lineup. Alongside Harris, the program will feature remarks from former Congressman Cedric Richmond, InspireNOLA CEO Jamar McKneely, U.S. Representative Troy Carter, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodfork and Pastor Jonathan Everett.
For many students in attendance, hearing from Harris will mark a rare opportunity to see someone whose educational journey began at an HBCU before leading her to one of the highest offices in the nation. At a time when HBCUs continue to produce an outsized share of Black leaders across business, politics, education and entertainment, her presence also serves as a reminder of the possibilities that can grow from those institutions—and from investing in young people long before they reach college.
The event arrives as schools across Louisiana prepare to welcome students back for the 2026-27 academic year, a season that often brings renewed conversations around academic success, mentorship and creating environments where students feel encouraged to dream beyond the limits of their circumstances.
The Inspire the City Back-to-School Student Rally begins at 10 a.m. Friday. Organizers have not publicly released the venue, noting that location details will be shared with approved members of the media.
For InspireNOLA students, the morning is expected to be more than a ceremonial start to the school year. It’s designed to remind them that education can be a pathway to leadership—and that those who have walked that path before them are willing to come back and encourage the next generation to do the same.