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What is the Kamala Harris Coconut Tree meme? Story behind viral trend explored amid Joe Biden's endorsement
After Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for President, her supporters started sharing emojis of coconuts and trees. Why are coconuts raining down on social media? Find out!
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Vice President Kamala Harris announced her presidential run, sparking a unique online trend
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Supporters began posting coconut and tree emojis on social media after Harris' announcement
After Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for President, her supporters flooded social media with coconut and tree emojis. This unusual trend quickly gained traction, leaving many wondering why coconuts were suddenly everywhere online as per PEOPLE. The story revolves around Harris' memorable speech at the White House and President Joe Biden's recent endorsement.
The origin of the Coconut Tree Meme
On May 10, 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech in the White House. She discussed expanding opportunities for Hispanic people and investing in the lives of youth, elders, and the larger community. "Because none of us just live in a silo. Everything is in context," she explained.
Harris continued with a chuckle, "My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, 'I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?'" She continued, "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you."
This memorable line from Harris' speech quickly gained popularity among her supporters, sparking the coconut tree meme. Here's the video:
Joe Biden’s endorsement and the meme’s popularity
The meme gained traction after President Joe Biden announced on Sunday, July 21, that he was withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Harris for the Democratic nomination. Harris supporters, known as the KHive, began posting coconut and tree emojis on social media.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis posted the emojis alongside an American flag. Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Emily's List have added the two symbols to their usernames. Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz also joined in, posting a photo of himself climbing a coconut tree, with the caption, "Madam Vice President, we are ready to help."
Politicians and celebrities join the trend
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who is rumored to be Harris' running mate, has also embraced the meme. After endorsing Harris, he responded to rumors about his political future by writing, "You think I just fell out of a coconut tree?" This video and others like it have steadily gained traction on social media platforms.
The meme has inspired many creative posts and variations. For example, public relations executive Ryan Aguirre shared an edited photo of an at-home COVID-19 test with a coconut and tree graphic on the control and positive test results. The caption read, "Biden's COVID Test," and the post received over 47k likes.
The coconut tree meme has evolved along with other internet trends. One viral post was edited to reflect Charli XCX's Brat Summer branding. Even the popular internet meme database Know Your Meme acknowledged the moment's virality. They marked the one-year anniversary of Harris' speech in May by posting a video of her saying, "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?"
A social media user posted a clip of Harris' quote with the caption, "this video is literally like medicine to me. I watch it once every week or two and every time I do, I get an enduring hit of light euphoria for the next 45 minutes."
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