As Bits of Glass Fall Around Me
Reflections of the 2016 National Democratic Convention
The awe, astonishment and exhilaration that I felt as convention came to a close and Hillary Clinton completed her acceptance speech grows within me as each sun sets. This convention experience renewed my faith in humanity, the Democratic Party and gave me the motivation to work through my weariness and into November. In fact, I intrinsically know that nurturing that spark of awe in myself and others is necessary to our democracy’s health and the continued well-being of our country. Whether you were lucky enough to have had the convention experience in person, participated through the media coverage or exist in oblivion to the occurrence altogether, life in our society will never be the same. It was truly a once in the history of all that has been moment that I will never forget. The power of feeling the glass ceiling break in pieces and fall around me was something I could never describe. I sat with tears pouring down my face, unable to make a sound, unable to move a single part of my body, totally paralyzed by the intensity of emotion I was feeling both within myself and all around me. We might all continue to go about our daily lives and it might feel similar to the day before but it isn’t. Nothing in our society will ever be the same as it was. Women’s place in history and the world is a little more equal than it was before.
No one can diminish the significance of our first female candidate for President of the United States. Many will reflect on convention with Hillary Clinton’s nomination as the focal point, as they should. However, few will offer a complementary viewpoint of equal significance. The convention experience I would like to lift up is the political revolution that is gathering momentum around us. My role as President of the Executive Director’s provided me with a unique experience of convention. This role required that I alternate between the macro and micro levels, sometimes minute by minute. I had two key responsibilities. One, to ensure the Idaho delegation had the best convention experience possible and two, to connect each one of our nation’s Executive Directors and staff with the best information and resources available to ensure the other 56 states and territories also had their best convention experience possible.
There were often moments during the week where I wondered if I alone was getting to view convention through this dual lens. It seems everywhere I turned dialectical tensions pushed individuals beyond their limits. I observed new/old power, individual/organizational needs, male/female energy, personal/professional boundaries. These ever-present opposing forces were present in numerous ways at both the macro and micro levels and were the foundation which we experienced convention from. Add to the mix the obvious ideological divides, number of new convention participants, sleep deprivation, use of alcohol and it could have easily been a dangerous combination. Yet, miracles beyond miracles occurred during that week in Philadelphia.
The result of all the conflict, contention, and friction was transformational for everyone present. Convention stakeholders would have me use the word unity to describe our collective experience. Unity was the proclaimed goal after-all and the majority of accounts tout the convention a resounding success. However, the definition of unity is “the state of being in total agreement” and therefore fails to take into account a vocal minority present at convention. As Democrats we are often the only ones who will stand on behalf of minorities. In honor and respect for their voices, I believe a better expression is harmony. Many voices expressing their opinions in concert with a positive outcome more aptly describes what I experienced… and it was powerful. Perhaps the experience of harmony was even more powerful than unity would have been because of the transformation that occurred from the dialectical tensions at play.
Observing individuals as they constructed the meaning of their experience and their reaction to the power they felt was one of my most beloved pieces of convention. I saw individuals grappling with their political identities and simultaneously validating each other’s experiences even when differing from their own perspectives. I saw individuals upholding the freedom of expression for others even while struggling to deal with the discomfort and emotion it created for them. I watched with tears in my eyes at the courage people used to express themselves, take care of their needs and create boundaries with each other while also being mindful of those around them trying to do the same thing. I watched as every person in that building experienced negativity of some sort and chose to rise above it, chose to find the good, learn the lesson, transform the experience. And through all of our interactions with each other: with each facial expression exchanged, each dialogue completed, each round of chanting, each round of speakers… we were transformed. We were transformed as people, as a Party and as a nation.
Transformation impacts each of us based on our individual experience. What action we choose to take and where we choose to place our energy will be diverse. What I know beyond the shadow of a doubt is that each of us who were transformed that week will be working for the good. In each corner of our country, in each community we find ourselves, in each conversation we have, we will continue to question the status quo, push for thoughtful leaders who will push for real solutions, and work to improve democracy. We have a group of experienced, wise, committed Party leaders who have built this country with their blood, sweat and tears who won’t back down for no thing. There is a powerful group of change makers who won’t be satisfied with what has been done in the past, a revolution of activists who are empowered to stay involved and be the leaders of tomorrow. Together, in harmony, these groups will continue to make history, move mountains, and accomplish incredible, inconceivable dreams. Dream big my friends! Our foremothers fought to ensure a day dawned where a woman could be President of the United States and that day is now. We forge ahead together: unstoppable, unbreakable, unflappable.
