Erika Kirk Takes the Stage to Carry On Her Husband’s Legacy

Vice President JD Vance appeared Wednesday night at the University of Mississippi to launch Turning Point USA’s “This Is the Turning Point” tour — a national series of campus events honoring the late conservative activist and organization founder, Charlie Kirk, who was killed in September.

The tour is led by Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who introduced Vance before a student Q&A session inspired by her husband’s signature format.

“He understands the fight we’re up against, and he can articulate it in a way that connects,” Erika Kirk said as she welcomed the vice president. “That’s why I’m so honored to introduce him tonight.”

A Nationwide Campus Tour

Turning Point USA’s “This Is the Turning Point” tour will visit universities across the United States this fall. Upcoming stops include Auburn University on November 5 and the University of California, Berkeley, on November 10.

Organizers say additional dates may be announced.

The tour features an extensive lineup of conservative speakers and public figures, including media hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.

Actor-comedians Russell Brand and Rob Schneider, Christian apologist Frank Turek, commentator Allie Beth Stuckey, and broadcasters Glenn Beck and Michael Knowles are also scheduled to appear.

Each event invites students to engage directly with prominent conservative voices through TPUSA’s “Prove Me Wrong” debate format — designed to encourage open dialogue about free speech, personal liberty, and civic activism on college campuses.

About Turning Point USA

Turning Point USA is a conservative student nonprofit founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery. The organization’s stated mission is to identify, educate, and organize students in support of free markets, limited government, and individual responsibility.

Over the past decade, TPUSA has grown into one of the most influential forces in conservative youth politics, with campus chapters nationwide, a media network, and major annual conferences.

Supporters describe it as a counterbalance to liberal dominance in academia, while critics argue it promotes polarization through its tactics and rhetoric.

The Legacy of Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour.” 

Witnesses said he was struck in the upper body as he addressed the crowd. The case remains under federal investigation, and leaders across the political spectrum have condemned the attack as an act of political violence.

Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA at 18, briefly attended Harper College in Illinois and later took online courses at King’s College in New York but never completed a degree. Despite that, he rose to become one of the most recognizable young conservative figures in America.