She was wrongly accused and attacked, but she stood up for herself and even started a Turning Point chapter at her Minnesota high school.
Avery Severson, a young conservative student, reflected on the legacy of Charlie Kirk with Liz Collin on her podcast.
Severson spoke about what Kirk’s vision means to her generation. Severson is a graduate of White Bear Lake High School, where she started a local chapter for Turning Point, the nonprofit dedicated to conservative values, organizing students and promoting freedom that was founded by Charlie Kirk.
“During COVID, I remember we were all home a lot and I came across a video of Charlie Kirk talking on a college campus to students and that day I decided I’m doing it. I’m going to start a Turning Point chapter,” Severson said.
Severson met Kirk at an event a few years ago in Mankato. She held back tears while telling the story.
“I found myself there and I was waiting in line to meet him. And I wondered if he would remember that situation that happened to me in high school, but I didn’t know for sure. I was kind of weighing the option of introducing myself or just taking the picture and moving on and everyone around me kind of said, he’s busy, maybe just take the picture. I decided not to, so I walked up to him and I said, ‘Hi, Charlie, it’s Avery, my name’s Avery.’ He said, ‘Yeah, Avery Severson from White Bear Lake.’ That just showed he cared about every student, cared about, he really cared about the next generation,” Severson recalled.
Severson wrote the afterword in Liz Collin’s book, “They’re Lying: The Media, the Left, and the Death of George Floyd.” In it, Severson explained what happened to her in high school—and how that only strengthened her resolve in the conservative moment.
Severson was falsely accused of posting a racist message to social media. Law enforcement investigated and determined it all to be a hoax. Severson believes she was targeted due to her connections to the conservative movement at her high school.
“It really brought honestly a new perspective into my life and has continued to push me to continue to work in the conservative movement in Minnesota. When that happened in high school, I felt like I was really alone and no one really to turn to. What I got out of it though, was really a great community of people and people that stood up for truth and took that as an opportunity to continue to share conservative beliefs,” she said
The experience helped Severson find courage and wisdom, as she explained, “I learned that when you’re speaking truth about something, people are going to attack you and are going to not want the truth of what’s going on to come out and you have to continue to stand up for your values and your beliefs.”
As for Kirk’s legacy and influence upon her—and her generation—Severson said, “Charlie opened up a space for young Republicans in the conservative and Republican world. I feel like a lot of young people didn’t feel like they were welcomed in. I think the best way to continue his legacy is to do what he did, have discussions about our values and conservative beliefs with others.”
She also pointed out something that truly resonated with her about his message: “Charlie said this a lot. The number one thing that mattered to him was his faith. And the second thing was his family. And I think we can all learn a lot from that, too.”
Dr. JC Chaix
Dr. JC Chaix is an editor, educator, and an expert in media studies. He wrote and directed the Alpha News documentary "The Fall of Minneapolis" and "Minnesota v We the People."
Liz Collin
Liz Collin is a multi-Emmy-Award-winning investigative reporter, news anchor, and producer who cares about Minnesota. She is the producer of The Fall of Minneapolis and Minnesota v We the People documentary films, and author of the Amazon best-selling book, They’re Lying: The Media, the Left, and The Death of George Floyd. Her work has prompted important state laws. Yet perhaps most of all, Liz has been giving a voice to the truth—and helping others tell their stories—for more than 20 years.
