[ Opinion Editorial ]

The DNC Experience

The convention was held from August 19–22, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago. The event attracted between 5,000 and 7,000 delegates and alternate delegates, along with over 50,000 visitors. The experience surpassed anything I could have imagined.

I arrived at the convention on Tuesday, August 20th, the day after the official start. A tip for anyone planning to attend in the future: I recommend arriving the day before the convention begins to decompress. From the moment I landed until I left, it was a non-stop sprint. My mornings began at 8 a.m. with the Democratic Party breakfast, a ticketed event for delegates and their guests. The breakfast featured amazing speakers, including California Senator Alex Padilla, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and Lorenza Gonzalez Fletcher, Chief Officer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Once the breakfast ended, the day truly took off.

The city of Chicago, coupled with beautiful weather, provided the perfect backdrop to a myriad of caucus sessions, panels, Democratic Party swag shopping, and parties. One of my absolute favorite daytime events was the Colored Girls Luncheon, held on a stunning rooftop in Chicago.

The founders of the Colored Girls include Donna Brazile, top Hillary Clinton aide Minyon Moore, chief executive of the Democratic Convention Leah Daughtry, director of the convention’s podium operations Yolanda Caraway, and Bill Clinton’s chief of staff Tina Flournoy. The luncheon was a gathering of leaders—elected officials, delegates, celebrities—as well as members of the prestigious Divine Nine organizations and The Links, Inc. It was a sea of beautiful, vibrant outfits and smart, engaging individuals. The scene felt like something out of a movie.

Another standout event, outside of the convention, was the California Bash, which featured the Bay Area’s own legendary R&B band, Tony! Toni! Toné! It was a joy to reconnect with so many people in the political ecosystem whom I hadn’t seen in years. It was also an absolute delight to be on the dance floor, watching Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell dancing to Nelly’s Hot in Herre.

Convention Highlights

Shoe game was essential for surviving the convention, but even in flats, by the time I arrived at the actual convention in the evenings, my feet were on borrowed time. I would get to the United Center around 3:30 p.m. to secure a good seat. Outside, the energy was electric, with everything from protestors, down-ballot candidates campaigning, people selling merchandise, and DJs.

While there were numerous incredible speakers and performers, I’ll highlight my top three:

The Obamas (specifically Mrs. Obama):

I have to focus on my doppelganger and future self, Michelle LaVaughn Obama, who in my opinion, set the tone for the dynamic duo’s presence and delivered what felt like poetic justice. (Pictured: Tyra Fennell)

The First Lady’s speech felt like the culmination of years of education, real-world experience, passion, and deep frustration over what she and her husband had endured since they entered national politics.

The entire arena hung on her every word but was absolutely electrified when Mrs. Obama said the following:

“My husband and I, sadly, know a little something about this. For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.

Wait, I want to know: Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”

Her words released years of built-up tension. For so long, anyone with a conscience saw the unfair treatment the Obamas endured, and President Obama was often unable to respond in the way we all wanted. At this convention, however, the gloves were off.

The Roll Call:

Due to the unique circumstances of this Democratic campaign cycle, delegates did not have the opportunity to cast their votes in-person during the convention. However, there was a ceremonial roll call celebrating the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, which felt more like a party.

Each state or territory had a unique song, curated by Grammy-nominated performer and producer DJ Cassidy. This moment certainly went viral, especially when compared to the lackluster roll call at the Republican National Convention, which struggled to secure A-list talent.

Lateefah Simon:

Simon, who is favored to win the race to succeed Oakland Rep. Barbara Lee, is our Bay Area homegirl and emerging superstar. I was floored when she walked out on stage—it was like watching a family member.

I first heard of Lateefah Simon from her late husband, Kevin Weston, when I visited San Francisco in 2008 to job-hunt. We met during an information session at New America Media with executive director Sandy Close. I didn’t meet Lateefah in person until years later, but it takes two seconds to feel her magnetic energy and know big things are ahead for her. Seeing her at the convention at that moment was beyond inspiring.

I am now back in San Francisco, serving as Mayor London Breed’s Director of Community Relations. I’m motivated by what I experienced at the DNC to lean even further into my work in the community and as a Democrat. I’m also dedicating my weekends to letter-writing and phone banking to get the Harris/Walz ticket into the White House.

Please follow me on Instagram (@Tyraimprint), Facebook, and/or Instagram (@Tyraimprint) to check out my detailed recap videos! 

Missed Part 1? Read it here>>

[Note: The views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinion of Bay Area Registry.]

[ Opinion Editorial ]

What a Time to Be Alive!

This year, I attended my first Democratic National Convention, joining a diverse group of Americans from all walks of life as we embarked on the final sprint to ensure Vice President Kamala Harris becomes our next President.

You’d have to be living under a rock not to know about the absolute 3D chess that the Democratic Party has been playing over the past month. But, just in case, let me recap…

The Recap

On June 16, 2015, supervillain Donald Trump began his reign of terror on democracy. He shocked the world in 2016 by defeating Hillary Clinton, who was poised to become the first female president. I vividly remember the chaos that ensued on January 28, 2017, shortly after Trump took office. A bevy of protesters and immigration attorneys descended on airports nationwide, including San Francisco International Airport, after news broke that Trump’s deportation order had taken effect. This order specifically targeted individuals from certain Muslim-majority countries.

I also recall the COVID pandemic sweeping the globe. Here in America, people were clamoring for toilet paper, feeling as if the apocalypse was upon us. Trump issued mixed messages, downplaying the seriousness of the situation, suggesting we “drink bleach,” and promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine—a drug used by people with autoimmune diseases like Lupus—based on medically unsupported claims. 

And let’s not forget the myriad of racist dog whistles Trump hurled during his presidency. Remember Charlottesville and his assertion of “fine people on both sides”? Do you recall his labeling of COVID-19 as the “China Flu,” or weaponizing the tragedy of George Floyd, who was murdered in plain view by police officer Derek Chauvin? His grand finale as president was the day he lost his bid for re-election and incited his sycophant supporters to storm the Capitol, where they threatened to assassinate the Vice President of the United States. These are just a few examples, but trust me, the list of destructive, divisive acts and lies is endless.

Needless to say, when the Republicans launched their presidential nomination season and it became apparent that Donald Trump was going to run again, many Americans, including me, experienced political PTSD. A second Trump term—his last, for sure—would be unpredictable. With the emergence of Project 2025, a manifesto describing a future where women’s reproductive rights would be severely restricted, the fear was real. In addition to the potential rollback of fundamental rights, it was exhausting being inundated with Trump’s doomsday rhetoric, vitriolic diatribes, and constant denigration of our great nation.

On the Democratic side, we had President Joe Biden at the helm, which did not bring much comfort. Biden, who had served in public office for 50 years and was Vice President under Barack Obama, did little to soothe concerns. He had been showing signs of despondency for years, but during this campaign season, his impairments became even more pronounced. Most Democrats didn’t care, though; we just wanted to keep Trump out. 

Democrats entered the presidential campaign season with hope, cheering Biden on, but his clear cognitive decline was building apathy within the party, threatening voter turnout among Democrats—a surefire way to give Trump another four years. It was, and still is, a frightening possibility.

And, if Democrats were deflated before, after the first presidential debate in 2024, we basically flatlined. Trump was his typical vile self, but what we witnessed during that debate confirmed what many of us feared: Biden wasn’t going to be able to lead the country for another four years. How depressing is all of this? I was certainly disheartened because I couldn’t understand how Democratic Party leadership let it get this bad. I didn’t see a “bench” being developed—a group of younger elected officials who could be propelled to the front of the Democratic Party.

On top of all this, with Democratic Party morale in the dumps and a groundswell of MAGA support, someone attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally. After being shot, Trump rose from the ground, lifted a fist in the air, and yelled, “Fight on!” with the American flag in the background. This excited his supporters, which to me meant they would be even more inspired to get out and vote. Even rapper 50 Cent, seemingly supported Trump by allowing the campaign to use his song “Many Men” as a theme song at the next rally. 50 Cent also used the photoshopped album cover Trump’s face superimposed on his body  at one of his shows in Boston .

A few days after this mayhem,  I was lying on the couch, depressed and trying to imagine a country with Trump and Project 2025 at the helm. Then the unthinkable happened: President Joe Biden, after contracting COVID and what felt like years (but was only days), resigned his campaign for President.

A Star is Re-Born

Enters Oakland native, Howard University graduate, AKA, Links,Inc.,  former San Francisco District Attorney, California State Attorney, Senator, and current Vice President, Kamala Devi Harris.

I went from utter political depression to being reinvigorated. Vice President Harris came out of the gate at 100 mph and has nailed every appearance, speech, and fundraising like a champ. If I can be honest, this was not the Kamala Harris I experienced when she was Vice President. Supporting VP Harris since she ran for Senate in 2016, I saw a vibrant, smart, charismatic candidate. I still remember her grilling Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation when she was a Senator. Once she secured the Vice President position under Biden, I noticed her giving word salad speeches and eventually becoming less visible. What happened?

In my opinion, the Vice President experienced what many Black women in leadership face in the workplace—having to dim their light. For years, she had to tread lightly, and for someone with her star power and intellect, I am sure this was a challenge for her. The proof of my theory? Look at what we are witnessing now—a woman in stride.

Missed Part 2? Read it here>>

[Note: The views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinion of Bay Area Registry.]