by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Taking place from Aug. 19 to 22 in Chicago, this year's Democratic National Convention (DNC) has officially confirmed Vice President Kamala Harris as its official candidate. Its four evenings of programming at Chicago's United Center aim to bring a message of hope, joy, and inclusion. The lineup features a who's who of Democratic legislators, Republicans who support Harris, supportive citizens, and well-known entertainers.
Outside the United Center, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered and will continue to demonstrate all week against the United States' ongoing support for Israel's war in Gaza. Chicago has one of the largest communities of Palestinians in the United States. The first day of the DNC was relatively incident-free, though the Chicago Police Department made dozens of arrests on Tuesday.
The first day of the DNC featured a brief appearance by Harris, as well as speeches by leaders such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Other prominent lawmakers included Georgia Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Rep. Maxine Waters, and progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — all of whom vocalized why they felt Harris would be an ideal candidate for the job of president.
Concluding the evening were speeches from First Lady Jill Biden, daughter Ashley Biden, and, finally, President Joe Biden. The outgoing president received many cheers throughout the evening for his decision not to seek reelection and instead to support Harris in the role. His 45-minute speech documented successes from his term in office while expanding on what Harris might build upon if she is elected president.
The second day of the DNC, Aug. 20, was headlined by former President Barack Obama. He was introduced by his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, who reminded the audience that despite how excited the DNC might feel, the fight for the presidency was an "uphill battle" and attacks will come at Harris for being a Woman of Color. She encouraged everyone to take action whenever they were feeling down or frustrated, rather than getting caught up by a lack of possibilities.
Following Michelle Obama, former President Obama also played up his excitement and gave a speech around the power of hope — a familiar word he used extensively in his own campaign. He spoke of the need for Democrats to reach out to those who were not already on board with a Harris campaign to try and understand them better.
Tim Walz, Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate for Harris' campaign, will make his major appearance on Wednesday evening. Also present will be former Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and former President Bill Clinton.
Harris will make her first major DNC appearance on Thursday evening, the last evening of the conference. It is expected that she will tell her personal story, which has been hinted at throughout the DNC by other speakers, as well as laying out more of her vision for a potential presidential term.
On Monday, the first day of the DNC, pro-Palestinian protesters from across the country gathered outside the United Center to demonstrate their frustration with the United States' ongoing support for Israel during Israel's war in Gaza. Present was a coalition of more than 200 activist groups that were united over their support for Gaza but also represented a number of other progressive causes.
The first day passed without major conflicts, though some protesters were detained following a small altercation. The New York Times reported that six protestors had allegedly "breached a portion of anti-scale fencing" near the United Center, though they did not breach the inner perimeter, according to a joint information center operated by local and federal officials. Al Jazeera and CNN reported that according to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, 13 protesters were arrested. They face charges ranging from criminal trespass to aggravated battery of police officers.
More incidents occurred on the second day, when the Chicago Police Department (CPD) arrested dozens of protesters at what it called an unpermitted protest outside the Israeli Embassy. Exact numbers of those arrested differed based on the source. "The National Lawyers Guild Chicago says at least 72 people were arrested during that protest, with Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling saying between 55-60 people were arrested," ABC7 Chicago reported.
The estimated number of protesters, according to Snelling, was about 3,500; the great majority were peaceful.
"It's not right that we're sending our tax money to fund an ongoing slaughter, an ongoing genocide," 29-year-old psychiatry resident Mohammed Ismail told The Associated Press. "We're a part of this conflict because our money is paying for it."
The Israel-Hamas war has barely been discussed thus far during the DNC. When it is mentioned, statements have been made by lawmakers, such as President Biden and Ocasio-Cortez, that Harris is working "tirelessly" to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Many pro-Palestinian activists have complained that the Democratic Party's actions fall short of its words.
The primary election vote for the Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands is going to a statewide hand recount, the Washington Secretary of State has announced. The number of votes separating its second and third place candidates — Democratic King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove and Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson, respectively — stands at a mere 51 votes, out of the 1.9 million voters who cast their ballots. According to Washington State rules, any ballot differences of less than 1,000 votes are subject to a hand recount.
The Secretary of State expects the final date of recounts to be around Sept. 3 or 4 if no legal challenges interfere with the process. Current votes will be certified by the Secretary of State on Thursday, and the recount process will begin afterward so the recount can be compared against the current tally.
The winner will face former Republican U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who took first place with 22% of the vote. Both Upthegrove and Kuehl Pederson received 20.82% of the vote.
Five Democratic candidates were vying for the Commissioner of Public Lands role, including Upthegrove, thus splitting Democratic votes across the state. The higher number of Democratic candidates has led to the possibility of two Republican candidates heading to the polls in November.
The Port of Seattle is offering a number of adult education workshops for those who are interested in how the Port works with air cargo, millions of passengers moving through it, and a large fishing industry. The classes vary in topic and take place on Thursdays in September and October. Programs are in person at various locations.
Thursday, Sept. 5, 4—6 p.m.
2203 Alaskan Way (Bell Harbor Marina at Pier 66)
Focused on the 5-mile-long Duwamish Waterway, this session teaches about marine industrial commerce, fish and wildlife restoration, a legacy of past industrial activities, and ongoing Superfund cleanup activities in the polluted waterway.
Thursday, Sept. 12, 4—6 p.m.
3919 18th Ave. W. (Fishermen's Terminal)
Centered on the Lake Washington Ship Canal, this session speaks of the canal's vitality for diverse maritime industry businesses, commercial fishing, boat maintenance, and transportation between Alaska and the Lower 48 states.
Wednesday, Sept.18, 4—6:30 p.m.
17801 International Blvd. (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Conference Center)
Championing the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), this session examines recently completed capital projects at the airport and partners with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to discuss safety. A presentation will be followed by an airfield tour by bus.
Thursday, Oct. 3, 4—6 p.m.
2711 Alaskan Way (Port of Seattle Headquarters at Pier 69)
Designed to teach participants about the container shipping industry, this session showcases how cargo moves in and out of Seattle's harbor, with an up-close look at cranes and cargo-handling equipment. The overview is led by the Northwest Seaport Alliance and features a tour of the marine cargo terminal. Currently sold out! Waitlist is available.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a long-time member of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. They have a master's in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
📸 Featured Image: Shepard Fairey, the artist for President Barack Obama's iconic Hope poster, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president ahead of the Democratic National Convention and released this poster for free download. (Art: Shepard Fairey)
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