In the weeks since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, his wife Erika has captivated the nation with her poise, her faith, and her public witness of forgiveness in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. From her televised statement in Charlie’s empty podcast studio on September 12 to her eulogy at his memorial service this past Sunday, Erika has been a grieving widow speaking to a grieving nation. Neither are willing to give up on Charlie’s mission.
A Foundation of Faith and Family
Charlie and Erika first met in 2018 for a job interview. By the end of their conversation, however, Charlie knew he wasn’t going to hire her.
“I was asking all these questions, asking all these questions: philosophy, religion, Jesus. And then I realized Mama was beautiful, and smart, and elegant, and Christ-like. So I said, ‘Forget this job interview — I want to date you’;” Charlie explained to their young daughter in a video shared by Erika after his death.
It’s no surprise that he was captivated. The former Miss Arizona pageant queen played college basketball, graduated from Arizona State University, earned a Juris Master from Liberty University, and founded faith-based clothing company Proclaim Streetwear — all before she married Charlie. Now, after his death, Erika will carry on his legacy and vision as the CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
Despite her accomplishments, the most impressive thing about Erika Kirk is her faith. Throughout her public remarks, she has leaned on Scripture verses, reminded listeners of God’s providence in the face of unthinkable suffering, and been a witness to the redemption at the heart of Christianity.
On Sunday, she forgave the man who killed her husband: “I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer, we know from the Gospel, is love … love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.” (RELATED: Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Is Evidence of Spiritual Warfare)
Converting Men and Women
Erika spoke eloquently about the greatest cause in her husband’s life and work: trying to revive the American family.
“When he spoke to young people, he was always eager to tell them about God’s vision for marriage and how if they could just dare to live it out, it would enrich every part of their life in the same way that it enriched ours,” she said.
Speaking to the men present in the audience or watching from afar, Erika reminded them that true masculinity is a call to “love your wives and lead them” and “love your children and protect them.” Echoing Charlie’s favorite scripture passage — Ephesians 5 — she said:
Be a leader worth following … Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God.
Speaking next to women, Erika reminded them to “be virtuous,” saying, “Our strength is found in God’s design for our role … If you’re a mother, please recognize that [this] is the single most important ministry you have.” (RELATED: The Kirks Model Not Only Civil Conversation Between Political Opponents But Love Between Christians and Unbelievers)
The whole nation got a glimpse into what Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bower meant in his viral September 18 tweet when he said, “Charlie Kirk came and converted the men. Erika Kirk is coming to convert the young women.”
Charlie Kirk came and converted the young men.
Erika Kirk is coming to convert the young women.
— Tyler Bowyer (@tylerbowyer) September 19, 2025
Facing the Gender Gap
The direction of young women was on full display in the 2024 election, when women aged 18-29 favored Kamala Harris by 17 points, even as men the same age favored Trump by 14 points. But the Left hasn’t just captured young women as voters. They’ve also created a caricature of what conservatives or Christians think women should be or do, defining themselves against reductionist stereotypes.
This dynamic was illustrated when, just a week after Charlie was shot, a Twitter user posted the news that Erika would become TPUSA’s new CEO with the caption “slay! this woman CEO is here to tell you why women belong in the kitchen.”
slay! this woman CEO is here to tell you why women belong in the kitchen pic.twitter.com/ZD68NA8i8u
— matt (@mattxiv) September 18, 2025
Alex Clark, host of TPUSA-affiliated podcast “Culture Apothecary,” responded:
The left will make fun of you for choosing to stay home full-time to raise your kids—then kill your husband and mock you for not staying home with your kids, all because you took over his charity organization (which you inherited, not by choice) to keep his legacy and mission alive.
The left will make fun of you for choosing to stay home full-time to raise your kids—then kill your husband and mock you for not staying home with your kids, all because you took over his charity organization (which you inherited, not by choice) to keep his legacy and mission… https://t.co/lZeZL8KHx7
— Alex Clark (@yoalexrapz) September 23, 2025
The contradiction is clear — women shouldn’t be stay-at-home moms, and moms shouldn’t work outside the home. But not everyone is buying it. (RELATED: Now Even Stay-At-Home Moms are Fascist)
Women posted on social media after Erika’s eulogy, sharing the message, “In a world of Taylor Swifts, be an Erika Kirk.” Other iterations listed celebrities like Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, or the Kardashians, but expressed the same sentiment — Erika Kirk isn’t like the women culture has presented as idols, and, unlike them, she’s worth emulating.
Amid great tragedy, Erika has been thrust into the spotlight. And the grace with which she has publicly navigated unimaginable suffering is a witness that the world can’t ignore. America was inspired by Charlie’s death, and they will continue to be inspired by his wife’s life.
Mary Frances Devlin is a George Neumayr fellow and contributing editor with The American Spectator. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. Follow her on X at @maryfrandevlin.
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