The Kamala Harris coconut tree memes, explained, as she runs for president

Wondering what all this coconut tree talk and emojis came from? Here's the answer.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Have you seen some stuff about Vice President Kamala Harris running for president and something having to do with coconut trees? And you’re very confused about that whole thing? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.

We’re betting that if you’re here, you’ve seen some jokes about coconut trees with Vice President Kamala Harris, or a bunch of coconut tree emojis when talking about her.

What’s up with that? It’s a meme and has been for some time. Let’s break the whole thing:

What’s this now about coconut trees and Kamala Harris?

You haven’t seen all these? There’s a lot more where that came from:

kamala falling from the coconut tree and into the oval office pic.twitter.com/yLCbORoOjK

— Alex (@alexxmalloy) July 21, 2024

Madam Vice President, we are ready to help. pic.twitter.com/y8baSx44FL

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) July 22, 2024

You think I just fell out of a coconut tree? https://t.co/fAPkYBjwGl

— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) July 22, 2024

Where did the coconut tree quote come from?

OK so, back in May of 2023, she was giving a speech at — per the White House — the “Swearing-In Ceremony of Commissioners for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.”

The full context from that speech:

Part of the extension of the work you will do is, yes, focused on our young leaders and our young people, but understanding we also then have to be clear about the needs of their parents and their grandparents and their teachers and their communities, because none of us just live in a silo.  Everything is in context.

My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people.  You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?”  (Laughs.)

You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.

The Coconut Tree speech is published as official remarks on the White House website pic.twitter.com/uWYHLFWDCd

— Paul E Williams (@PEWilliams_) July 3, 2024

And that became a meme?

Sure did:

On this day one year ago, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” pic.twitter.com/Vh5OTv3XlF

— Know Your Meme (@knowyourmeme) May 10, 2024

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you” – Kamala Harris (2023)pic.twitter.com/GiTVhDNvRd https://t.co/SXmwKAKhke

— Fiona Small (@FionaSmall) May 17, 2024

YOU THINK THIS RESIGNATION FELL OUT OF A COCONUT TREE pic.twitter.com/g2ginR52Dg https://t.co/le6ZTdhjHp

— Tyke (@PunishedTyke) July 21, 2024