The Democratic National Convention in Chicago was like one big party/family reunion with lots of music, food, hugs and excitement, mixed with business, hope and acknowledgement of history being made. I was excited to be there in the midst of barriers being broken, to hear the messaging, and to get a sense of focus and priorities for the Democratic Party.
For me, the activities started on Saturday, August 17 (two days before the convention officially started) with a welcome reception for media at Navy Pier. There were DJs spinning R&B and house music (birthed in Chicago), singers performing, food stations featuring local staples like deep dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs (with lots of ingredients, but NOT ketchup), pastries and more from various businesses, including those that are minority owned. I didn’t expect to see many people I knew because I understood that over 15,000 members of the media from all over the world and 200 content creators would cover the convention. What are the chances that I’d run into over a dozen people I actually knew? People were upbeat, happy and excited, and we collectively experienced a fireworks display at the end of a warm and finally clear night (it had rained earlier in the day).
On Sunday night, I attended the Black Caucus worship service hosted by Bishop Horace E. Smith, MD at the Apostolic Faith Church on the South Side. Gospel music by the likes of Jonathan McReynolds, accompanied by praise dancers, rocked the house in between remarks, sermons and speeches given by about a dozen well-known faith leaders including the Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Bishop Leah Daughtry, Rev. Tisha Dixon-Williams, and Pastor John Hannah. The overarching message was that Black people have fought hard for the right to vote and continue to face uphill social and political battles. There was a reminder that Vice President Kamala Harris will face difficult forces, and we will lift her up, give her strength and carry her to the finish line. The room was almost all Black. Black people, Black music, Black church. Black preaching. Blackety Black Black. The way I grew up … on the predominantly Black South Side of Chicago.
In addition to the historic run by Harris, it was no small thing to me and others to recognize that Virgie M. Rollins, chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Black Caucus; Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee and Minyon Moore, chair of the Democratic National Convention Committee, are all Black. Also, the host city Chicago is led by Brandon Johnson, the third elected Black mayor who has assembled the most diverse cabinet in the city’s history — a city which was founded by a Black man named Jean Baptiste Point du Sable over 200 years ago. There was acknowledgment that today’s prominent leaders stand on the shoulders of generations of activists, trailblazers and barrier-breakers, including the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, who transformed the Democratic Party when he ran for president in 1984 and 1988, paving the way for more inclusive leadership.
Because there were so many programs and activities in two different locations scheduled over the four days, I broke things up in order to be fully engaged in what I attended. On August 19 and 20, I went to McCormick Place and attended caucus and council meetings and the DemPalooza marketplace. So many events were taking place in the same time slots that it was impossible to do it all. It was necessary to choose between the seven caucus and 10 council meetings — I chose the Black Caucus and Women’s Caucus meetings as well as the Small Business, Environmental & Climate Crisis, Rural, and Poverty Council meetings. Between all of these meetings, I had a chance to hear California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, activist Dolores Huerta, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. The overarching themes were centered around building equal opportunity for all in various aspects of life — climate, housing, education, health care, retirement, pay and more. Between all of the panels, meetings, training sessions and marketplace, the convention looked like the United Nations. According to the DNC, over half of the delegates were people of color, with over 30 percent who identified as Black and 17 percent Hispanic. Attendees were a cross-section of multiple races, ethnicities, genders, religions, age groups, sexualities, and abilities. Seventeen percent identified as LGBTQ+, and 17 percent were under 35 years old.
Although people focused on the future with a mantra of “We’re Not Going Back,” there were references to how Fannie Lou Hamer and Shirley Chisholm paved the way for Harris’ historic run. Many mentioned how the dates of the DNC coincided with historic events. Exactly 60 years ago on the same date that Harris would accept the Democratic nomination, Hamer attended the DNC, on August 22, 1964, in Atlantic City, N.J., to fight with her Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party for her seat at the political table. Shortly afterward, she famously said, during a speech, that she was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” And 52 years ago, in 1972, New York Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, whose slogan was “Unbought and Unbossed,” was the first Black woman to run for president of the United States on a major ticket. And of course, Geraldine Ferrero’s historymaking run as the first woman candidate for vice president in 1984 and Hillary Clinton’s run for president in 2016 against the exact same opponent Harris faces was not lost on anyone.
As I wandered the halls in and out of meetings, I noticed that there was no one particular color scheme of attire. People wore authentically whatever they wanted to represent themselves and their own individuality. It was a rainbow of faces and outfits, in the midst of laughter and joy. The official merchandise being sold included T-shirts, stickers, hats, notebooks, pins and more with simple designs with references to Kamala, the DNC, or Chicago. There were buttons that had different slogans about who supported Harris, such as “Sorority Sisters for Harris,” “Uncensored Educators For Harris” and “Banned Book Readers for Harris.”
On the other side of the building there was a massive hall where DemPalooza took place — an area with over 70 booths of local vendors selling everything from ice cream to paintings to jewelry to tours. In addition, there were multiple booths of allied exhibitors and dozens of workshops and trainings to help people strategize and organize for the election. There were also performers and lounge areas where people could gather together or simply rest for a moment.
I did not witness in person the “vindictive vile villain violate voters’ vision” alliteration of Crockett on August 19 or the “Who’s gonna tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might be one of these Black jobs?” comment by Michelle Obama on August 20, (which people on social media have cleverly been turned into a song) — both referring to Trump. I also missed in person the rockin’ DJ Cassidy’s game-changing move of adding music to the roll call, which brought down the house with state-specific songs. Instead, I watched on TV like almost everyone else.
On the evenings of August 21 and 22, I made it to the United Center, where the atmosphere was electric! There were celebrities and public figures at almost every turn, from Spike Lee to Lester Holt to Wendell Pierce. Again, hugs abounded between long-lost friends, colleagues, former classmates and fellow alums seeing each other. I saw so many people that I knew there that it truly had a feeling of a family reunion. So much genuine love and camaraderie. People were serving in different roles, from media, to delegates, to volunteers, and expressed that it was a privilege to be there. I made my way to the floor for a short time on both nights, and it was so frenzied, crowded, and full of over-the-top palpable energy that I almost felt overwhelmed at times. I was actually glad to be assigned to an upper level just to have more space to breathe.
It was amazing to see the incredible level of construction, staging and lighting that was proudly created with union labor, including minority contractors and vendors. Although some expressed initial concern about the local community and historically marginalized groups being left out of the financial benefits of the convention, with over 2,300 vendors there was ample inclusion of diverse groups. In addition, many were worried about the potential repeat of the debacle of the 1968 Convention, where police violently clashed with Vietnam War protesters. But that horrifying situation was not repeated, as the interaction between this convention’s protestors and police were comparatively peaceful this time around.
I didn’t contemplate what I wore too deeply as it felt OK to wear whatever I chose. On the last night of the convention I wore a green shirt with a pink scarf as a nod to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., of which both Harris and I are members. Thousands of the delegates wore white as a nod to the suffragists, who like my great-grandmother Ida B. Wells fought for women to gain the right to vote over 100 years ago.
It was notable that the Convention dates almost overlapped with the August 18, 1920, anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified and the August 26, 1920, anniversary of it being certified into law. In addition, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made it possible for the majority of Black people to gain access to the ballot, was also referenced with vows for the Harris administration to sign into law the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
Among the several dozen speakers that included former presidents and first ladies, activists, ministers, elected officials, comedians and entertainers, there was a cross section of racial and ethnic representation of Black, White, Hispanic, Asian and Native American. From New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and California Congressman Ted W. Lieu, it was a lot to take in. On one night there were over 40 speakers. There were also performances by several well-known entertainers, including Stevie Wonder, Sheila E and John Legend, P!nk, and the Chicks. The thousands of attendees danced, sang, waved flags, held up placards and signs that said USA, Kamala, For the People, and other slogans The atmosphere was electric with roars from the crowd punctuating the speeches that focused on the ideas of how the Harris administration would make it possible for everyone to have a fair chance at making it in the country. Making health care, education, food, child care, and housing more affordable and accessible to everyone, and advocate for living wages so people only need to work one job, plus tax cuts that give relief to others besides the already wealthy. They also touched on addressing climate change, crime and policing, the border situation, and various wars.
By the time Harris came out, the excitement was so palpable that it was almost over the top. The focus was on how we can all do this together and go forward as a country versus going backwards to a time and place when women and minorities were marginalized. There were references to getting out the vote, protecting the rights and opportunities to vote. After the 100,000+ balloons dropped to “Freedom” by Jon Batiste, people waded through them with excitement and a directive to “Do Something” as former first lady Michelle Obama had suggested during her Tuesday night speech.
As a Black woman whose family has built and contributed to the United States for over eight generations, I left the DNC feeling seen. My culture was embraced and elevated. My personal history and realities are known, acknowledged and addressed by the diverse group of people in decision-making positions. The multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-gender, multi-abled leaders, program participants and attendees are a true reflection of the actual population of the United States. A country where everyone has a place of acceptance and opportunity is the one I want to live in, and the DNC gave me a sense of hope that collectively, we can continue moving forward toward a more perfect union.
