MY REACTIONS FROM THE FLOOR OF THE DNC CONVENTION

by Glenn D. Magpantay

“When we fight, we win!”

As a gay Asian man with dark skin who was born of immigrant parents, I never thought I’d feel at ease in a sea of American flags with a massive crowd of people chanting “U.S.A!? U.S.A!? U.S.A!” ?This past week, the Democratic National Committee Convention changed all that. ?I finally felt like a full American.

Earlier this week, Michelle Obama said to a roaring arena, “Something wonderfully magical is in the air … it is the contagious power of hope.”? I haven’t experienced this much energy since the 2008 Obama for President Campaign, or the 1992 Clinton Campaign for that matter. In both of those elections, we were coming out of dark times and regressive Republican administrations.?

I came to Chicago as a delegate to nominate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President of the United States.? ?The convention, like the first week of the Harris-Walz campaign, was a political revival.

This election has turned a corner. The potential to safeguard democracy and “bring back common sense, instead of nonsense,” as Oprah Winfrey said, is palpable.?

Speakers reminded me again of the chaotic Trump presidency and his nonstop onslaught of regressive policies, outlandish statements, and attacks on the most vulnerable among us – transgender high school students, hardworking undocumented immigrants, and religious minorities.? And he didn’t stop after leaving. ?

Trump and his party have been trying hard to erase the LGBTQ community.? They revived Anita Bryant’s 1977 anti-gay “save our children” campaign.? Trump’s success in overturning Roe v Wade and Republican efforts to ban family building through in-vitro-fertilization, convince me that we might be next with a re-instatement of anti-gay sodomy laws.? So this year’s presidential campaign is about how “We’re not going back!”? Democrats are more unified and willing to fight hard for our hard-earned freedoms.?

I’m confident that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will move us forward, and past divisiveness, bitterness and cynicism. I trust that Kamala Harris will fight for us all, and I know that “all” specifically includes LGBTQ people.? They will campaign, and will eventually govern, with joy, strength, and values-based principles.

Tim Walz is the high school teacher that I had always wanted.? Someone who would have defended me from bullying, helped me when I needed support, and would coach me to reach the next level.?

Kamala Harris is the woman, the woman of color, and the child of immigrant parents, who I have always dreamed would someday be a presidential candidate.

I was in the arena for her acceptance speech.? It was incredible.? In the arena, in the moments that we weren’t cheering, everyone was laser focused on listening to every word.? It was total silence.? She took on the hard issues like Gaza and talked about the Palestinian right to self-determination.? She confirmed her inclusive vision and commitment to personal freedoms.? She sold me on her economy of opportunity agenda.

Harris was powerful.? She demonstrated her comfort with wielding the incredible power of the United States Presidency when needed.? Her speech was presidential.? It was as if she was already the President of the United States.? But we are not there yet.?

In my lifetime, I have seen both the LGBTQ and the Asian American communities move from being marginalized to being the margins of victory. I will do everything I can to get Kamala Harris and Tim Walz elected.?

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Glenn D. Magpantay served as a first-time Presidential Nominating Delegate at the DNC Convention and is the first openly gay Asian American Commissioner at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.? The opinions expressed herein are his own. ?