Quick Recap of 2024 DNC in Chicago

The 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) held in Chicago from August 19-22, 2024, has been hailed as a landmark event for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. This year's convention has seen unprecedented representation, reflecting a broader and more inclusive approach within the Democratic Party. Compounded with the high-profile representation of a South Asian American and Black Democratic candidate for the President of the United States, Asian American identity is prominently on the minds of Americans. Kamala Harris would be the first President of South Asian and Black descent were she to be elected to hold this highest position of the land.

Keynote addresses and panel discussions at the DNC featured a diverse array of AANHPI voices. Among the highlights was the keynote speech by Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who has been a vocal advocate for progressive policies and AANHPI issues. The AAPI Caucus held at McCormick Place featured speeches from Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth and Raja Krishnamoorthi, United States representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district, in addition to a surprise visit from Minnesota Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate, Tim Walz.

When asked if he had hopes for the first Asian American President of the United States to be elected, Congressman Krishnamoorthi believes it’s going to happen. “I think she has the momentum. I think she is creating such grassroots excitement, enthusiasm and energy that she’s going to be hard to stop. We are going to be hard to stop. All that being said, we have 78 days left until the election, so we have to sprint to the finish line at this point.”

The Congressman’s advice on how the AANHPI community could support Kamala Harris’ election includes voting, saying that, “We like to talk politics and now we have to do politics, and doing politics means voting. Remember, democracy is a verb, it’s not just a noun.” He also suggested that we have to work on the Harris/Walz election campaign. “That means knocking on doors, making phone calls. It means writing some checks to the extent that you can and then getting your friends to equally volunteer and put their energies forward too.”

Chicago Alderwoman Nicole Lee of the 11th Ward concurs. “Our community can’t take anything for granted. We have to take the momentum from the convention and run through the tape. We must donate, mobilize, and make sure our friends, family and neighbors are registered and activated to vote. We’ll be organizing buses to swing states to knock doors in AAPI communities, and I hope every single person will get involved!”

Senator Duckworth says that in order for Vice President Harris to become President, the AANHPI community needs to mobilize with the energy from young voters. “One of the things that we’ve done in the last eight years is that the AANHPI Community has become much more organized and much more involved, especially young AANHPI-ers. They delivered victories for the two senators in Georgia. They continue to be the margin of victory in election after election in Michigan and Ohio, and that’s where we need to be and where we’re going to mobilize them. That’s how we’re going to deliver these battleground states.”

Not every AANHPI voter wants to see Vice President Harris as President, or at least not without ending the war in Gaza. At Union Park in Chicago’s near West side, a four-day long protest highlighted by several marches was attended by a fair amount of AANHPI participants.

Ashley, a protester who declined to provide her last name, said she thinks that Vice President Harris has an obligation to end the war in Gaza since she is Asian American and Gaza is in Western Asia, should she become President. She also said that is voting for the next President based on values, not on the fact that she shares the same demographic as Harris. 

Tom, another protester who didn’t want to provide his last name, also said that voting for a President who will end the killing of thousands of innocent people in Palestine was more important to him than electing the nation’s first Asian American President. He repeated the choice to vote based on his values, not to make history or for representation.

The fact that there were more AANHPI attendees at both the protest and the DNC is an impressive indication that these voices are eager to be heard. Looking ahead, the increased representation at the 2024 DNC and at Union Park sets a precedent for future conventions and political engagements. It demonstrates the importance of diversity in political representation and protest. If the next President of the United States is Kamala Harris, we can hope that her lived experience of being a woman of South Asian descent in America will influence the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the nation's future.