Young People Reflect on Charlie Kirk’s Lasting Impact

The Daily Signal asked interns at The Heritage Foundation to share their thoughts about the life and legacy of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10. What you will read below highlights his profound impact as a conservative leader who inspired hope, faith, and cultural renewal among their generation. They reflect on his legacy of unwavering commitment to conservative principles and Christian faith. And, perhaps most importantly, they express a determination to carry his vision forward.

Let’s Create the World That Charlie Wanted

Charlie Kirk was, as was said of John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” He was, for a time, the lone voice of our generation to advocate for the conservative movement. He spoke to young conservatives with a powerful message of hope and piety. Unlike some conservative leaders, he did not speak with condescension toward our generation. Instead, he met us where we were and then lifted us to a greater understanding of political truth.

When I was 16, my mother and I were moving between the basements of friends and family. We had no home to call our own and little food to nourish us. Conservative voices such as Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and Charlie Kirk were key motivators during this difficult time. I will be eternally grateful for Charlie’s optimistic vision of a future America that inspired me to create my own future.

And now, as he once helped shape my future, I am honored to carry on his legacy in building a greater nation. Our movement may have lost its Achilles, but Troy is still ours to conquer. His legacy will inspire future leaders, activists, and families to continue fighting for his vision. People die often, but ideas are eternal. Let us live the life that he yearned for and create the world that he will never see.

Charlie, you gave me everything, even your life. And to repay you, I will give mine to this nation.

• Matthew Russell, age 23

I Started a Turning Point USA Chapter at My School—It Completely Changed My College Experience

“If a liberal is speaking, give them the respect that they never give to us.”

I heard Charlie Kirk speak these words to a crowd in Mankato, Minnesota, at a stop on his college tour in 2021. It was during the part of his events when he would take questions from those who disagree with him. Charlie was killed during the same segment of his stop at Utah Valley University just four years later.

Hearing him speak and meeting him briefly is an experience I will never forget.

“The respect that they never give to us.” Hearing these words struck a chord then, as they especially do now.

In 2020, I started college in Minneapolis at the height of the COVID-19 hysteria and after a summer of riots, violence, and destruction on and near my campus in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

My college campus was a hostile environment for conservatives. The Left’s ideology dominated campus culture—from the university president’s rhetoric to our community advisers’ priorities in the dorms, and everything in between.

Liberal students felt free, even empowered, to express their views. Conservatives did not. Out of self-preservation, conservatives self-censored.

In 2021, I started a Turning Point USA chapter at my school. It completely changed my college experience. Through it, I met like-minded students and made life-long friends. It gave us a space to meet and debate with each other. We brought inspiring conservative speakers to campus. I no longer felt alone.

Since Sept. 10, I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the ways Charlie Kirk changed my life. His unwavering faith and commitment to the truth have inspired me to live like he did.

I take comfort in knowing that Charlie has heard the sweet words of his Savior Jesus Christ saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

For Charlie, the fight is over. For me, it has only begun.

• Morgan Berkness, age 23

What the Enemy Meant for Evil, God Will Use for Good

There are no words to describe the impact Charlie Kirk had on not just myself, but the American people. I first learned about Charlie on social media through videos. Immediately, I was in awe of his confidence and bold, unwavering faith. What intrigued me the most was his ability to have honest discussions with people and even welcome peaceful debates with those who did not agree with him. Charlie stood so firmly in his convictions and taught the truth of Jesus Christ across the nation, bringing light to college campuses.

As a college student in California, it is hard to find the courage to speak up for my own beliefs, politically and spiritually. Charlie encouraged me to be open about what I believe and share it with others fearlessly. Over this past week, I have experienced a deep sadness. I have not just lost a conservative leader who I admired, but a brother in Christ.

Charlie is the only reason I felt the need to dive into politics and share my faith boldly with those around me. The Lord knew our nation needed a great leader to point the lost to Christ and bring a revival to America, Charlie did that and so much more. Over this past week, I have never felt a greater desire to stand firm in our sovereign Lord and share the conservative principles that Charlie valued so deeply.

It would be an understatement to say that I have only noticed a change in just my generation over this past week. I have noticed a radical change in all of America, from my grandparents’ generation to mine. His influence will not end here; it will continue to spread to the rest of generations to come. What the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good. Charlie, your legacy will never be forgotten.

• Caitlyn Beasley, Pepperdine University, age 19

He Taught Me to Never Remain Quiet About What I Believe

Charlie Kirk’s death is a wake-up call. It brings to mind the two most fundamental questions that I believe a man can ever ask himself: Who are you and what are you created for? I believe that Charlie’s public service has shown us that these are the very questions around which the conservative movement is centered.

Charlie loved his fellow man. He went out of his way to debate the other side not because he despised those on it, not because he wanted to make fools of them on the stage, but because he loved them and believed in his core that they were being duped by the system. His death proved that he was right.

Charlie was the vanguard of the conservative movement. He is the figure under which the conservative movement will march forward.

The fundamental lesson that Charlie taught me is to never remain quiet about what you believe and to never compromise. That is what it means to fight for what is right.

Charlie was silenced for that. But I will not be. My peers will not be. America will not be.

There is nothing that the Left can do that can destroy our hope for the salvation of America. There is nothing it can do to destroy our faith. And whether those on the Left believe it or not, there is nothing they can do to destroy our love for them.

Our Lord tells us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Charlie touched people not because he debated them, but because he loved them.

Thank you, Charlie Kirk, for your service to our country and to my generation. You will never be forgotten.

• Logan McVay, Hillsdale College, age 21

We Must Be the Light That Casts out the Darkness

My initial reaction to Charlie’s death was one of spiritual desolation. At the risk of sounding naive, coming to terms with the existence of unrestrained evil in a fallen world is a bitter revelation. And yet, as a Roman Catholic, I take solace in Christ’s command that we be the light that casts out the viper we call darkness.

Charlie’s assassination, paired with my own experience interning at The Heritage Foundation, has only confirmed the sobering truth that there are forces in our society intent on extinguishing that light. But I do not fear those who trade in deception and intimidation. Rather, I recall Pope Saint John Paul II’s resolute exhortation: Be not afraid.

Charlie was more than a public figure; he was an inspiration to me and to a generation of conservatives unafraid to enter the intellectual and cultural arenas. Through his intellectual clarity, moral conviction, and uncommon humility, he helped reclaim the public square—both on and off campus—from the grip of a post-structuralist ideology that offers nothing but despair and dissolution.

Frankly, I believe conservatives of earlier generations made a critical error by withdrawing from key institutions of civil society, i.e., academia, the arts, and media. That vacuum, as history shows us, was not left empty; it was filled by those who reject truth, beauty, and goodness. Charlie understood this. He advocated not just for political engagement, but for cultural renewal, urging young conservatives to pursue their vocations boldly and unapologetically.

I am personally committed to honoring Charlie’s legacy by laboring in the recovery of our aesthetic and intellectual inheritance. Our civilization is worth defending, not only in policy but in art, in architecture, and in story. If we are to stand against the forces of nihilism, we must become builders once again.

Charlie reminded us that courage is contagious. May we now have the courage to carry forward his vision.

• Joseph Wozniak, Georgetown University, age 24

Speak the Truth, but With Love

As the oldest sibling in my family, I always wanted to be right. I wanted the final word, the facts on my side, and audience approval every time. In every setting, I believed if the evidence supported my position, surely everyone would come to share my perspective.

I couldn’t have been further from the truth, and Charlie Kirk showed me that. 

Charlie showed me it wasn’t enough to care about the truth—I had to care about the person with whom I was sharing it. Before quotes or statistics were thrown, our conversation needed to be shaped by the reality that my opponent was made in the image of a God so loving that He sacrificed His Son for both of us.

Without love animating my conviction, I had nothing to offer (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Charlie knew this, and it was obvious to everyone he encountered. 

The last time I was in the same room with Charlie was in April at Texas A&M University. With thousands of Aggies assembled, Charlie had seven minutes to speak before taking questions. With his seven minutes, he chose to present the Gospel. He knew that his policy advocacy and moral values would fall flat without the perspective of eternity, so he invited every person in that room into an intimate relationship with the Savior who changed his life. This was paramount to his agenda.

I’ve never won a battle in the comments section. I’ve never convinced someone of my beliefs on a podcast or through an essay contest. True transformation of the heart only happens when I engage my peers with the love of Christ.

That’s what Charlie went out and did every single day, and it’s what I’m committed to now, as a believer in his legacy: speaking the truth with love and confidence, just as he did. 

• Hallie Dollins, Texas A&M University, age 21

‘When People Stop Talking, That’s When You Get Violence’

I have always loved studying the miracles of the Constitutional Convention. How a room of 50-plus people from varying backgrounds and occupations could come together to discuss and debate ideas and philosophies to form a monumental standard and foundational document for a young nation that would last hundreds of years.

The writers of the Constitution did not agree on everything, but they used their disagreements to form concepts that were more than just compromises. They talked and listened. They did not record votes because they did not want to label and limit any individual to one mindset incapable of change and persuasion.

I saw Charlie Kirk carry on this form of diplomacy throughout his career. He engaged in ideas and listened. He was bold in his knowledge and testimony about Christ but compassionate in his communication.

I loved his thought, “When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence.”

He was always willing to learn! He knew history and loved the United States and made it his work to share that love and beautifully complex history with others. This is how I want to honor his legacy. I want to continue learning. I want to be intentional about where and when I share my beliefs and where and when I choose to stop, stand still, and make a greater effort to listen.

Like Charlie, I hope to be filled with the pure love of Christ and share my testimony of my Savior always. 

• Jori Hall, age 24

There Is Always Hope for America—Giving Up Is Never an Option

Since Charlie’s death, I can’t help but recall attending his Turning Point Action Conference in 2023. I received my first impression of him there. He was simply overwhelmed with unbridled, authentic hope.

When many were disheartened about our nation’s future, Charlie offered a vision. He acknowledged the present issues but did not stop there; he wanted everyone to know that there is always hope for America and that giving up is never an option.

The costs of giving up are far too great to imagine. While giving up might seem tempting now, I refuse to surrender to the darkness surrounding the loss of Charlie Kirk. I refuse to cower to those trying to defeat us with violence after failing to defeat us with intellect.

Above all, I maintain Charlie’s hope driven by his faith in Christ, not because the circumstances give rise to it, but because the future of a free nation depends on it.

• Angie J., age 21

The Greatest Thing Charlie Ever Taught Me: The Power of Surrendering Your Life to God

Words cannot describe the gravity of the pain our generation is experiencing with the loss of Charlie Kirk. We all carry a Charlie story that guided and illuminated our paths.

I came across Turning Point USA at a crossroads in my life. It offered mentorship that helped shape me. While attending the University of Alabama, I knew about TPUSA but never got involved, always finding excuses.

That changed in spring of 2024, when I saw a flyer advertising a Candace Owens event. I reached out to the then-vice president of our TPUSA chapter, asking how I could get involved. That was my catalyst for transformation. I met passionate, driven individuals who welcomed me. That led to an invitation to join the executive board as chapter vice president, and I accepted. 

That summer, I attended the Chapter Leadership Summit and immersed myself, striving to understand all sides of the debates shaping our world. I focused on preparing our chapter for a year of impact and success. In the fall of 2024, we hosted events, club debates, and conversations, all of which bore fruit.

I never intended to move to Washington, D.C., or enter politics. It was at Turning Point’s AmericaFest 2024 during Faith Night that everything shifted for me. Charlie delivered a message that was challenging and inspiring. He spoke of how his faith guided every decision. It filled me with hope for our generation, igniting a passion to pursue something greater.

I realized I wasn’t placed here for my own desires, but “for such a time as this,” as the Bible says in Esther 4:14, to step out for Jesus Christ and live with faith and courage.

The greatest thing Charlie ever taught me was the power of surrendering your life to God. Many are called, but not all answer the call. I pray more of us say yes to it.

• Mary Elizabeth Miller, Age 23

Reflect Christ, Emanate Joy, and Stand for Truth in a Culture That Rejects All of These

One thing that always stuck out to me about Charlie Kirk was his ability to respectfully stand up for what he believed. This is a rare quality to find in people today. Charlie was someone who unapologetically lived out God’s calling for his life.

Charlie stood his ground, was passionate about his beliefs, and was always able to give an account for the hope that he had because of Jesus Christ. He was an example to us of how to love other people while being resolute in his faith.

His ability to conduct himself in a professional yet loving way, without faltering under pressure, is something I strive for every day. Charlie largely advanced the conservative movement and shined the light of Christ in every interaction he had with people. He was a city on a hill, shining for a lost and dying world.

His legacy will live on because he lived what he preached in his professional life and his personal life. He showed people that Jesus is the only substantive source of truth, and nothing else matters more than having a personal relationship with Him.

It isn’t about being right, it isn’t about gaining approval, and it isn’t about winning an argument. It is about reflecting Christ, emanating true joy, and passionately standing for truth in a culture that adamantly rejects all of these.

I will remember Charlie for many reasons, but the most impactful of these was his undying love for Christ and his ability to remain steadfast to the truth.

• Abigail Lynch, Arizona Christian University, age 20   

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