Erika Kirk was elected unanimously as the brand new chief of Turning Level USA.
Erika Kirk, spouse of the late political commentator and Turning Level USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, was named the CEO and board chair of TPUSA on Sept. 18, simply over per week after her husband’s dying.
Whereas Charlie Kirk was the face of TPUSA, his spouse of 4 years was closely concerned within the group and had an outward-facing presence among the many group’s supporters.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated on Sept. 10 whereas talking at an occasion at Utah Valley College, answering an attendee’s query about mass shootings. The longtime political commentator was kicking off his “American Comeback” tour.
Erika’s New Function
Erika Kirk was elected unanimously as the brand new chief of the group, which was based in 2012.
Board members Doug De Groote, Mike Miller, Tom Sodeika, and David Engelhardt wrote in an announcement following the announcement: “All of us at Turning Level USA have a particular position in carrying Charlie Kirk’s mantle and finishing his imaginative and prescient of bringing us all nearer to our Lord and fostering a affluent nation for generations to return.
“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 at all times stated, “We have a country to save,” and that he by no means needed to give up or kneel earlier than 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 dying, and previous to her appointment as the pinnacle of the corporate, Erika Kirk delievered an emotional tackle 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 stated from the studio of The Charlie Kirk Present.
“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 based Turning Level USA in 2012, when he was simply 18 years previous. The group speaks on points like morals and politics on highschool and faculty campuses, and has grown considerably through the years.
The group exists to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government,” in response to its web site.
TPUSA has a presence on greater than 3,500 college campuses, with greater than 2,000 scholar teams and greater than 800 religion teams.
Earlier than Charlie
Earlier than her connection to Charlie Kirk and TPUSA, Erik Kirk, a 36-year-old mom of two, was already a businesswoman, philanthropist, and podcaster.
Erika Kirk gained the Miss Arizona pageant in 2012, and earlier than that was an NCAA Ladies’s Basketball athlete, and in addition labored as a mannequin and actress in New York Metropolis and China.
She launched On a regular basis Heroes Like You, a 501(c)(3) group, in 2006, when she was simply 17 years previous. The group’s mission is to advertise “everyday heroes” in communities across the nation.
Erika Kirk’s group went world with its “Romanian Angels” venture, the place it teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corps to sponsor an orphanage in Constanta, Romania.
The brand new TPUSA CEO earned a double main in political science and worldwide relations from Arizona State College, and later obtained her Juris Grasp’s Diploma in American Authorized Research from Liberty College. She’s presently pursuing a Doctorate in Biblical Research from the identical college.
In line with her web site, her focus in recent times has been her ministry and entrepreneurship. She leads the BIBLEin365 program, which is designed to encourage every day involvement with scripture. She additionally hosts a Midweek Rise Up podcast, which discusses Biblical management
Moreover, Erika Kirk based PROCLAIM, which is a U.S.-made clothes line with a faith-based message. In line with her web site, the clothes 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 Might 8, 2021, in Scottsdale, Arizona, in response to an Instagram submit, was public about her opinion on her husband.
She referred to as Charlie Kirk “the man I’ve been praying for, before I even met you.”
After her husband’s passing, whereas chatting with the world about the best way ahead, she stated, “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 stated.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children, and he loved me, with all of his heart, and I knew that.”
Erika instructed viewers that her husband’s mission would go ahead and that she believed this might solely amplify Charlie Kirk’s message to the world.
In a Sept. 12 submit 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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