Vice President Kamala Harris said her heart is “full of determination” after losing the presidential election to former President Donald Trump.

“My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of determination,” Harris said Wednesday at his alma mater, Howard University, in Washington, DC.

“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, nor what we fought for, nor what we voted for. But…the light of the American promise will always shine until we give up never,” Harris said.

Harris said she told Trump on the phone Wednesday that she would help bring about a peaceful transfer of power, which was applauded by the crowd at Howard.

“We must accept the results of these elections,” she said.

Harris emphasized, “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. »

“The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and dignity for all, a fight for the ideals that are at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect the best of America,” he said. she declared.

Harris vowed that she would “never give up the fight for a future… where American women have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies.”

“We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and streets from gun violence,” she continued. “And America, we will never give up the fight for our democracy, for the rule of law, for equal justice, and for the sacred idea that every one of us, no matter who we are or wherever we are, has certain fundamental principles and freedoms which must be respected and defended.

She said the fight would continue not only loudly, but also “in a quieter way.”

“In the way we live our lives: treating each other with kindness and respect, looking at a stranger and seeing a neighbor,” she said. “Always using our strength to lift people up, to fight for the dignity that all deserve.”

To young Americans watching, the vice president said: “It’s okay to feel sad and disappointed. But know that everything will be okay.”

To her young supporters watching, the vice president said, “It’s okay to feel sad and disappointed, but know that everything will be okay.”

“Sometimes the fight takes time. (…) The important thing is to never give up,” she said.

“It is not the time to give up, it is the time to roll up our sleeves. It is the time to organize, to mobilize and to remain committed for the good of freedom, justice and the future we all know we can build together,” she said.

Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff greeted the crowd after his remarks as Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, looked on.

Harris’ defeat came as Trump won the key states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin overnight. Trump won another swing state, Michigan, on Wednesday.

Trump’s victory underscores how deep voters’ frustrations were over inflation and immigration, Republicans’ two top issues this election cycle, as polls consistently showed Americans’ dissatisfaction with the president’s Joe Biden dealt with them. Trump’s return to the White House also suggests that Democrats were not sufficiently motivated by the prospect of electing the first woman president and that their base’s fury over the Supreme Court’s revocation of constitutional protections against abortion has diminished since 2022.

Harris ran an extremely rushed campaign, which began this summer when Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed his vice president.

Biden, who plans to address the nation on Thursday, spoke by phone with Harris on Wednesday to congratulate her on “her historic campaign,” the White House said.

Tal Axelrod of ABC News contributed to this report.