On August 22nd, I attended the 4th and final night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), a convention held every 4 years to celebrate the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President for the upcoming presidential election in November. Attending this special event was an experience that I will never forget and one that truly made me appreciate the current politicians in office. While in Chicago I had the privilege of meeting many politicians, and seeing others’ inspiring speeches. I spoke with U.S. Governor Jay Inslee of Washington, U.S. Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
One of the most meaningful moments was when mothers, teachers, and students came up to share their personal experiences with victims of gun violence. It was powerful to hear their individual stories and why it is such an important issue for our country. Kim Rubio, a mother from Uvalde, Texas spoke about losing her daughter, Lexi, to a school shooter. The line that affected me most was when she said: “Parents everywhere reach for their children. I reach for the daughter I will never hold again.” This really puts into perspective the true impact that the government has, to help families not go through so much pain in their lives.
A highlight was seeing Vice President Kamala Harris accept her nomination as the Democratic Presidential candidate and lay out her plans for the future of our country. She spoke about her background and where she comes from, along with her plans regarding the Hamas-Israel war, to improve the middle class, abortion access laws, and many more important discussions. She promised to be the President for all Americans and to not go back to old policies in our country. She said: “Never let anyone tell you who you are. You show them who you are. America, Let us show each other- and the world- who we are. And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.” These words perfectly embody her plan for America and her dreams for the future of this country. Kamala Harris said: “we have so much more in common than what separates us,” proving to all of us that she promises to unify our country and create everlasting change.
One of my favorite parts was the energy that overtook the stadium, and seeing delegates representing their home states. Every individual that came to the stage was welcomed with a roaring applause and then expressed their support for Kamala Harris and their vision for the future of our country. Overall, attending the DNC was an amazing experience, and one that I will never forget.
