We don’t know about you, but we’ve had our eye on the Democratic National Convention this week. We came for the electric musical performances – looking at you Lil Jon – and stayed for the powerful vision of our future.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman on the ballot for president, and Governor Tim Walz, the first union member on the ballot for Vice President, are ready to take on corporate price gouging – from our grocery stores to our pharmacies. They’re down to tell Republicans hellbent on banning abortion to “mind their own damn business” when it comes to our decisions about our bodies. They’re ready to take on corporations who play it fast and loose with the future of our planet for the sake of a profit, and they’re ready to tackle the housing crisis.
🎤💥 Mic Drop Moments 🎤💥
Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez remembered supporting her family fight off foreclosure after her father unexpectedly passed away from cancer.
“Ever since I got elected, Republicans have attacked me by saying that I should go back to bartending. But let me tell you, I’m happy to — any day of the week because there is nothing wrong with working for a living. Imagine having leaders who understand that. …We know that [two-bit union buster] 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 First Lady Michelle Obama, served hope and served it up hot.
“Kamala [Harris] knows… regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what’s in your bank account, we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life. She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth. If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top. No. We put our heads down. We get to work.”
Pete Buttegieg, Secretary of Transportation, reflected on his life with his husband and their children and his experience as a veteran.
“I’m thinking of dinnertime in our house in Michigan… when politics seems the most distant, and yet the makeup of our kitchen table, the existence of my family, is just one example of something that was literally impossible as recently as 25 years ago, when an anxious teenager growing up in Indiana wondered if he would ever find belonging in this world. This kind of life went from impossible to possible; from possible to real; from real to almost ordinary in less than half a lifetime. But that didn’t just happen. It was brought about… through organizing, and persuasion, and storytelling. And yes, through politics.”
And, as Former President Barack Obama said, “We need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices; and that if we want to win over those who aren’t yet ready to support our candidate, we need to listen to their concerns — and maybe learn something in the process.”
It’s up to us to keep this message close to our hearts as we speak to our friends, family, and neighbors about our vision for the future :a Pennsylvania where all of us across race, place, and generation can thrive.
We have a major choice ahead of us {{FirstName or ‘Friend’}}: wait for Donald Trump’s future to happen to us, or get to work on building the future we want. Join us at a deep canvass phonebank or get involved with your local chapter at an upcoming event below. A few hours of your time could make all the difference!
In community,
— PA Stands Up Comms Team