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Turning Point USA has partnered with leaders in the Tennessee state legislature to establish Club America chapters in high schools across the state.
OutKick’s Riley Gaines was in attendance and spoke about this momentous achievement in honor of his late friend and TPUSA founder, Charlie Kirk.
“Being here today… I feel optimistic and inspired seeing so many of you, especially the young people here,” Gaines said.
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Charlie Kirk was a conservative activist who ran Turning Point USA. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press)
This comes on the heels of the state of Texas following a similar initiative, which will see Club America chapters established in all high schools in the state, according to Governor Greg Abbott.
Many of Tennessee’s state leaders, including Senator Marsha Blackburn, also attended to commemorate this historic victory for free speech for high school students.
Famously, in the days following Charlie Kirk’s horrific death, students across the country tried, unsuccessfully, to start TPUSA chapters in their schools and were even, in some cases, punished for wearing costumes to commemorate the fallen Kirk.
Seeing states begin to fight back against education systems that are stifling these expressions, calling them “too political,” is a breath of fresh air in an industry that is notoriously left-wing.
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(Left) Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point Action, speaks during a meeting on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona, on October 17, 2024. (Right) Riley Gaines speaks at a talk event for the University of Oklahoma’s Turning Point USA chapter in Norman, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Getty Images/IMAGN)
Gaines called this a “total cultural renaissance” for the right on campuses across the state.
“Maybe these political issues weren’t what you wanted to do with your life,” Gaines said, “but then you saw what happened three months ago and you felt it stirring inside you, you felt convinced… ‘How could I live a life like Charlie Kirk?'”
Despite the victory, Gaines was quick to remind everyone of the work that remains to be done.
“In light of this murder, what we learned in the weeks that followed, where we saw so many young children wanting to get involved, I think we’ve now understood that Tennessee is not immune…no one is immune to the cultural chaos that is plaguing this nation.”
Riley Gaines has stood up for fairness in women’s sports. (XX-XY Athletics)
The groundwork has been done, now it’s up to the next generation to take charge and continue Kirk’s mission.
“My message to you is to join Club America,” Gaines pleaded passionately, “bring five friends.”
With people like Riley Gaines at the helm, Turning Point USA’s legacy, and by extension Kirk’s, is assured.
