SAN DIEGO, (KGTV) — The death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk continues to reverberate across the country, particularly among the young generation he sought to engage with most.
Miyu Oda-Deshotels, a Turning Point USA ambassador, said she believes Kirk’s legacy is only beginning.
“His legacy is just the start of everything right now. I don’t think that it has ended,” Oda-Deshotels said. "I think that it has fueled a fire under every one of his supporters. I think that this is the turning point, and it may sound coincidental, but I really do think it's going to encourage his supporters to continue to fight for this movement."
Turning Point USA, the nonprofit Kirk founded, works to promote conservative values among students.
Oda-Deshotels said she joined when she was still a student at San Diego State University.
Oda-Deshotels said she first met Kirk last year during one of his popular campus tours, which often invited students to challenge him in debates in a panel called "Prove Me Wrong."
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” she said.
Oda-Deshotels recalled Kirk’s willingness to welcome open dialogue.
“With Charlie, he was OK with it and he was accepting of it,” Oda-Deshotels said. “He may have been controversial in his response to you, but regardless, he didn’t want to control you.”
Oda-Deshotels credits Kirk and Turning Point USA with teaching her how to approach civil discourse — beginning with acknowledging and thanking others for their opinions, even when she disagrees.
Her admiration for Kirk also went beyond politics.
“I truly valued his faith,” Oda-Deshotels said. “Just to make a global movement is also just admirable. I truly believe that he is the reason why President Trump won his election and had such huge margins with engagement with young adults. Charlie also took the opportunity to engage and pour his heart into the younger generation, and I don’t think we’ve ever really seen that done before.”
For that reason, Oda-Deshotels believes Kirk’s impact is far from over.
“He has had the most influence in our generation, and what I like to say is this is almost the MLK of my generation," Oda-Deshotels said. "I truly do believe that he has left a stamp that will never be forgotten, and he has such a huge digital platform that we can utilize for the rest of our lives."
