Harris has close ties with Emerge America, which sprouted in part from her first successful campaign in 2002 for San Francisco district attorney. The group has helped elect 1,200 Emerge alums to office nationally, according to its website, including U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon of Oakland and a slew of other members of Congress.

The former vice president will give her most extensive public remarks since leaving office during the keynote address at the Emerge conference.