Charlie Kirk was an American conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA who was assassinated in September 2025 while speaking at Utah Valley University. In the days that followed, supporters used the phrase 'We are Charlie Kirk' at vigils and rallies as a show of identification and mourning. The wording also circulated widely on social media in tribute songs, edits and remixes, which helped turn a solemn slogan into a short chant that is now shared both sincerely and as a meme.