The Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22. Delegates and guests rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the official Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees representing the Democratic Party for the 2024 Presidential election. For the next three months, they will take on Former President Donald Trump and Ohio Governor JD Vance, who are running for office as the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees for the Republican Party.

Four students from the Niles West News attended the convention as part of the Illinois Youth Press Corps, organized by the DNC and the Illinois Journalism Education Association. Over their two days of attendance, NWN reporters interviewed politicians, delegates, guests and volunteers at the convention, experiencing the role of the credentialed press in a national convention.

NWN reporters also interacted with other members of the press who were covering the convention. CBS Chicago news anchor Irika Sargent commented on the significance of Harris’s nomination.

“It’s groundbreaking for [Harris] to be on the ticket as…the first Black woman…[of Asian descent]. I think all of those reasons make it such a big news story and significance for everyone to be here,” Sargent said.

Delegates from all 50 states were joined by local, state and national officials to express support for Harris and Walz. Some well-known politicians included President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In addition to government officials, celebrities and artists such as Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and P!NK spoke and performed.

In an interview with the NWN, former Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot reflected on the 2024 DNC compared to the 2020 DNC, which was largely held virtually.

“Four years ago, there was no convention in the sense of people coming together, seeing people from across the country. This is the first time in eight years that people have physically been together, which makes a huge difference,” Lightfoot said.

While the televised portion of the convention was held at the United Center in the evenings, caucus and council meetings for delegates were held each day at McCormick Place. These sessions articulated the platform that the Democratic Party would campaign on, and leaders from various constituencies rallied their members.

Democratic National Committee Treasurer Virginia McGregor spoke at the Women’s Caucus on Thursday and summarized the group’s goals in an interview.

“The goal of the Women’s Caucus is to give women a pathway into the Democratic Party. It votes on a platform, it makes rules, it organizes women, and it shows women’s power. Women who join the caucus are joining in mass numbers because they want their voices to be heard,” McGregor said.

The caucus meetings drew delegates who wanted to show their support for current issues, discussing their expectations for a Harris-Walz administration. Cook County Board Commissioner for the 13th district and delegate Josina Morita is the founding chair for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Caucus and aims to promote local communities this election.

“I want to see the inclusion of smaller communities that are oftentimes not seen by the government, especially at the highest level. That’s what I see Harris and Walz doing, making sure that everyone is at the table. There’s a saying– you’re either at the table or on the menu and I think not just Asian Americans, but a lot of smaller communities that are represented in our district oftentimes are not at the table. That’s what I hope this administration does,” Morita said.

The convention was not only attended by delegates but also surrounded by demonstrators. The political spectrum of protesters was large, including pro-Palestine protesters, anti-abortion protesters, communist organizers, and Second Amendment supporters. Some feared that a similar situation to the 1968 Chicago DNC could unfold, where anti-Vietnam War protestors clashed with police and turned violent. However, protests remained peaceful.

Niles West alum Leen Hashlamoun (’23) marshaled a protest as part of March on the DNC, a coalition of leftist organizations bringing demands to the DNC. In an interview with the NWN, Hashlamoun urged young people to exercise their right to protest. In this case, she refers to the current conflict in Palestine.

“Every person has a moral responsibility to stand up in cases of injustice, especially when those injustices are happening with our tax dollars. If we are not loud and clear in our dissent, change will never take place. Especially as the youth become the new generation of voters, we need to be clear in our demands for our politicians so that we can create a system wherein they earn our vote instead of a constant cycle of voting for the lesser evil,” Hashlamoun said.

200 content creators were invited to attend the DNC as credentialed attendees. Blair Imani Ali, a social activist influencer who is known for her social media series “Smarter in Seconds” believes that young people have power in elections even if they are under 18.

“The involvement of young people, especially young content creators, has been making a difference in the election cycle. Just because you are not a registered voter doesn’t mean that you are not still a part of the constituency. If there is a bill or a subject or value that you want to see represented more in the government you can call your representative. You can look them up online, even text or email. It’s exciting to see the Democratic Party recognizing how important young people are,” Ali said in an interview.

Niles West had its own role in the convention through alumni Henry Fleck (‘23) who volunteered and Cherie Animashaun (‘23) who was the guest of Edgar Vilchez, a featured speaker on gun violence. Fionn Riley (‘24) served as a Youth Ambassador, attending to delegates and guests in hosting spaces. Riley said he was grateful to be a part of something “larger than [him]self.”

“Policy affects every aspect of a person’s life, from how much they pay in taxes, to how much money they make, if they have public transport, to if they have parks and green spaces to spend their free time in…The polarization we see in politics, especially on the news, is not a reflection of the country we live in. I’ve talked to many people who say the polarization of politics puts them off so they would rather just not be involved at all. To them, I say that the vast majority of people are not so poorly adjusted they can’t see past politics in interactions with other people…As Maya Angelou once wrote, ‘We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike,’” Riley said.

If you want to learn how to get politically involved, there are a lot of options for young people, especially at Niles West. PACE (Politics And Current Events) Club offers insight into current affairs and opportunities to become politically active, regardless of party allegiance. Those who meet the criteria can register to vote. Internships with state senators and representatives are open to high school students.

In an interview with the NWN, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson echoed Riley’s sentiment.

“Find out the things that you care about. Whether it’s environmental justice, transportation, education, or healthcare. Pursue your purpose. Then, begin to make sure that policies and legislation line up with your values around your purpose,” Johnson said.

Harris accepted the nomination to be the Democratic party’s presidential nominee in a speech that concluded the week’s events on Thursday night. During her speech, she emphasized the weight of the upcoming election.

“This election is not only the most important of our lives, it is one of the most important in the life of our nation,” Harris said.