Abortion Harris vows to restore 'hard-won freedoms'

Kamala Harris yesterday emphasised her pledge to sign abortion access into law if she becomes president, saying the country is witnessing a "full-on assault on hard fought, hard-won freedoms and rights".

- Guardian staff

Kicking off a keynote address to the biennial gathering of the historically black Zeta Phi Beta sorority in Indianapolis, the US vice-president told the crowd that she would uphold the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body.

Three days after launching her bid for the White House, Harris told the meeting of roughly 6,000 people, mostly women, that "we are not playing around" and asked for their help in electing her president in November.

"In this moment, I believe we face a choice between two different visions for our nation, one focused on the future, the other focused on the past," she said. "And with your support, I am fighting for our nation's future."

Zeta Phi Beta is one of the sororities that originated at Howard University, one of the most prestigious institutions in US higher education and one of the historically black colleges and universities. Howard is Harris's alma mater.

Voters in Indiana have not backed a Democratic presidential candidate in nearly 16 years, but the meeting was part of a constituency Harris's campaign hopes will turn out for her in large numbers: women of colour.

Inamemoreleased yesterday, her campaign chair, Jen 0'Malley Dillon, pointed to support among female, nonwhite and younger voters as being critical to success.