The Democratic National Convention says they are 'For the People' and they've made a list of who those people are.

By Leona Towner

Photo by Leona Towner

CHICAGO - The first official day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) marched forward Monday morning in the heart of downtown Chicago, Illinois with a unified message of promised inclusion. After rolling out the theme 'For the People, For our Future' Mondays playlist of speakers declared that the Democrats are the party of the American people. The Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Caucus' live streamed their meetings briefly after breakfast, with an 'Ethnic Council' catch-all to close out their morning schedule.

Delegates leaving the daytime DNC McCormick Place programming sessions. Photo by Leona Towner

Each caucus then had a hand in the following afternoon Dempalooza programming, a play on the city of Chicago's largest running summer music festival of varied talent converging on an international stage -Lollapalooza. And just like the multistage bucketlister for most concert goers, this convention hit several diverse messaging points in one four hour span.

The afternoon was lined up with Native American organizers teaching the tribal voting landscape, an introduction to the 'Race Class Narrative' framework teaching Asian American and Pacific Islanders to 'inoculate against our opposition's attempts to strategically use race and origin to scapegoat AAPI communities'. Black men held a session trying to create a safe space for their voting blocks concerns and a Latino coalition led workshops teaching first time latino voters how to mobilize. Even rural communities got a session tossed into this salad bowl of race specific events as a garnish. Even though it was a training led by people of color in rural marginalized spaces.

Policy sessions included topics on immigration reform, lgbtq+ advocates on equality voters, doxxing, Project 2025 messaging, voter protection, and an ode to the late congresswoman, Shirley Chisolm.

Gallery of photo's inside of the Voices for Justice Panel. Photos by Leona Towner

Yet, the hot topic panel of the first day was hands down Voices for Justice: Democrats for Palestinian Human Rights held around 3:00pmCT. This session was held only miles away from active protestors demanding a cease fire from the current ongoing Palestinian conflict, the latest global middle eastern war which arose last October 7th after terrorist group Hamas stormed into Israeli communities and killed over 1,200 people.

The first panelist couldn't even get through her introduction before her voice cracked and tears came.

"I'm sorry," Hala Hijazi Palestinian American Activist choked out, "My family is over there dead, two more have passed just last week."

She was followed by Layla Elabed, Co-founder of the Uncommitted National Movement, "I just want to recognize that this is a historical moment, that the Democratic National Convention has included a panel to discuss Palestinian human rights for the very first time, but I also recognize that it's not enough."

The Israeli and Palestinian war has promised to draw thousands of Palestinian rights protestors to the DNC so the Democratic party is forced to hear the voices of a solid voting block of constituents that say they feel ignored in the midst of the parties amplified message of inclusion. Before this conflict, the Democratic party was where most Palestinian Americans would caucus.

Thousands protest for policy change and a cease fire in Gaza. Photo by Leona Towner

The Israeli and Palestinian war has been going on for over ten months and now threatens to turn into a bigger regional conflict as surrounding nation states get involved. Reuters has reported over 40,000 people have died in Gaza, so far. The protestors letting every one know that innocent people in that region are still dying today, and they blame the Biden Harris administration.

"Really, I will vote for someone who is genuinely against genocide," said Jacob from Albany, NY, who drove 14 hours to Chicago with friends to be apart of this weeks protest. "So If Kamala all of a sudden, which she won't, was believably against this and genuinely going to pull funding, but from what we've seen from her track record and all the money she takes from APEC, thats not going to happen, so I am going to vote for a candidate that opposes the genocide."

Most Palestinian protestors spoken to said they were voting for third party candidates or not at all. They chanted, drummed, and congregated in Union Park, less than three blocks away from the United Center where all of the upcoming first night of DNC speeches were about to commence.

After a long day of trainings, panels, and protest, the energy was electric in the United Center Stadium.

Democratic legends, regular constituents, and upcoming party stars hit the stage with stories and memorable one liners all evening,

Congresswoman Maxine Waters - "Is this America? You're damn right it is."

Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan - " Trump dithers, Kamala Harris delivers."

NY Governor Kathy Hochul - "Trust me America, If you think you are tired of Donald Trump, ask a New Yorker. We've had to deal with him for 78 years."

UAW President Shawn Fain - "Trump is a scab!"

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - "We know that Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar, if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his wall street friends."

Former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton - "It still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country, and win a campaign."

Congressman James E. Clyburn - " I call Project 2025 Jim Crow 2.0."

Then the top Democrat and current United States President, Joe Biden, gave his remarks closing out the first day with this declaration,"We just have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America. and there is nothing that we can not do when we do it together. God Bless you all and may God bless our troops."

If Vice President, Kamala Harris, does win the November presidential election she will be the first female and first African American female, sworn into the office by presumably the first Black female supreme court justice, who was appointed under Harris' previous administration, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January 2025.

The DNC is making it their mission to drill those potential history making and marking events into their base this week. The Harris Waltz campaign says the goal of this convention is to give the country hope to look forward to, and the tools to defeat the greatest threat to American democracy, the republican party nominee, Donald J Trump.

And they are just getting started.