My first Democratic National Convention (DNCC) was in 2012 as an Obama delegate when the DNCC was held in Charlotte. I was the first openly gay delegate elected to a major party presidential nominating convention from Rutherford County. It was a great honor to be selected to attend again in 2016 as a delegate.
The DNCC is the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party and occurs every four years. In years when Democratic presidents are running for reelection, as in 2012 when I first attended, all delegates generally represent one candidate.
In competitive presidential primaries, like this year’s, delegates represent the votes of the Democratic primary voters of their state for their respective candidates. The selection of delegates differs from state to state but there are specific Democratic National Committee guidelines each state must follow.
In Tennessee delegates are generally selected in three ways but are all part of the Tennessee Delegation. There are district delegates, at-large delegates (including a category of party leaders and elected officials), and the superdelegates.
District delegates are elected through congressional district conventions attended by county delegates elected at Democratic county conventions to attend the district conventions to represent their respective candidates. At-large delegates including elected officials are elected by the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee, which is the governing committee of the state party. Superdelegates are selected by the Democratic National Committee per the national party rules and bylaws.
My first Convention was exciting, and I was proud to participate in what was one of the largest LGBT delegations ever. This year the Convention was even more diverse. Around 11.5% of the delegates were LGBTQ, up from around 7% in 2012, and there were record numbers of trans delegates. We also had record numbers of Young Democrats and LGBT delegates in our Tennessee delegation this year.
My fellow delegate Blake Kitterman and I were male delegates from the 4th Congressional District. We both happen to be openly gay. He was the male Hillary delegate, and I was the male Bernie delegate. There were other gay delegates as well, including Ramon Ryan, Gary Bynum, and Christopher Ball.
Marisa Richmond, who was the first ever black trans female delegate to a DNCC, was not a delegate this year, but represented Tennessee in a very visible ceremonial role in the official appointed office of Convention Timekeeper. This made her the first trans individual to ever serve as an official officer of a Democratic National Convention.
During the DNCC, two meetings were hosted by the Democratic National Committee's LGBT Caucus chaired by Earl Fowlkes. The room was packed [see below] and we heard from several wonderful very high profile LGBT speakers and allies. This diversity was mirrored on the main stage in the Wells Fargo Arena. Several LGBT elected officials spoke at the Convention. Sarah McBride became the first trans individual ever to give a major speech at the Convention. Jason Collins also spoke, as did his twin brother who is a phenomenal LGBT ally.
Attending the convention is exhausting but rewarding. There are hundreds of simultaneous events throughout the host city and around the perimeter of the convention. High profile organizations like HRC and Victory Fund typically hold events coinciding with the convention that also feature amazing speakers and typically have a strong presence.
Though I was a Sanders delegate, it was remarkable to witness history as the first woman became the presidential nominee for a major political party. Though I sided with Sanders on many policy issues I feel that our nominee Hillary Clinton spoke to and adopted many of those issues. By the end of the convention I felt we moved toward unity. I spoke to both CSPAN and German television, as well as other international news outlets, about how I endorsed and supported her after Bernie Sanders did so.
The speakers, performances and energy of the 2016 DNCC was phenomenal. There were many people passionately committed to their candidates, and it resulted in one of the more interesting and dynamic DNCCs in recent years. Though all did not always go smoothly it was amazing to witness our democracy in action.
Attending the Democratic National Convention especially as a Delegate on the floor is like being in a snow globe of democracy and the Democratic Party. The event takes over the host city and the energy fills the air. It is the experience of a lifetime and one of the major historical events of our nation that occurs only every four years. To witness history is a humbling experience and one I know I will long remember.
Even if you are not a delegate, guests who are not delegates can usually attend surrounding events, especially with proper invitations, and enter the auxiliary events of the convention that take place outside of the main floor and arena, including the caucuses at times. I would encourage people to consider attending even as a member of the public if they are interested in politics.
Photo at top with Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey