Democratic National Convention Began July 25 In Philadelphia

NY Times: Democratic Convention Features “A Diverse Group.” According to The New York Times, the Democratic National Convention, which began July 25 in Philadelphia, features “a diverse group” that the party says will “offer a sharp contrast to the polarizing message” from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. From the Times:

The Democratic Party rolled out its lineup of convention speakers on Friday, promoting a diverse group that it said would offer a sharp contrast to the polarizing message that it expects the Republicans to put forth at their convention in Cleveland next week.

The Democratic convention, which begins in Philadelphia on July 25, will start with speeches from Michelle Obama, the first lady, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who competed against Hillary Clinton for the nomination and endorsed her last week. Also speaking on the first night will be Astrid Silva, a Mexican immigrant and young so-called “Dreamer” who benefited from President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, policy. [New York Times, 7/15/16]

Hispanic Journalists Contrast Diversity At Democratic Convention With Lack Of Participation Of People Of Color At GOP Convention

Noticiero Univision: Democratic Convention Is “Notably Distinct” For Diversity In Speakers, Outreach, And Attendance. During Univision’s Noticiero Univision report on the first night of the Democratic convention, which Jorge Ramos described as “notably distinct” from the Republican convention for its diversity, correspondent Luis Megid reported that there were more Hispanic speakers on the first day than there were during the entire Republican convention. Megid also noted that the Democratic committee’s communications staff had 30 people working with Hispanic media, compared to the Republican convention’s one person, and that there was a “good number “of black, white, and Asian speakers and attendees. From the July 25 report:

JORGE RAMOS (HOST): Something notably distinct at the Democratic convention that is taking place here in Philadelphia is diversity, and like Luis Megid will explain, the event has a strong Hispanic feel.

LUIS MEGID: The Democratic convention in Philadelphia started in a very different tone than the Republican one. Last week in Cleveland there were hardly six Hispanic speakers. Today alone in Philadelphia there will be 16, and this is only the first day.



ASTRID SILVA: I want the people to remember the sacrifice we made to get here, that my parents left everything behind for a better life.



MEGID: One of the speakers is Astrid Silva, the DREAMer from Las Vegas who two years ago introduced President Obama for his announcement of the executive action.



SILVA: We have seen how the Republicans have treated us and our families. They have blocked immigration reform and now they're blocking DAPA. They don't want to try to help us.



MEGID: The youngest speaker is also Hispanic. Karla Ortiz is 11 years old. She was born in this country, and in a campaign event she asked Hillary Clinton not to deport her father. Today she wants the whole world to know her story.



KARLA ORTIZ: My parents had a letter of deportation. And I'm afraid for them that they will be deported because they achieved this life for us. She told me that I shouldn’t be worried at all because she is going to be concerned for everyone.

MEGID: In contrast to the Republicans, it goes further than the list of speakers. In the convention that nominated Donald Trump, there was only one person working with Hispanic media. Here in Philadelphia, there are over 30.



JUAN PACHON: This is the largest team in the history of the Democratic Party to communicate the message of the convention to the Latino community throughout the country. We are going to be translating speeches immediately. We are going to have, we have bilingual Twitter accounts.



MEGID: Whether you are voting for Hillary Clinton or not, it is clear that they want to demonstrate their diversity. I asked another speaker what was the greatest contrast with the Republicans.



LUIS GUTIERREZ: In the Republicans’, there is an ugly, dark, cruel fantasy that they can deport 11 million people. Here we are going to introduce the dream to allow people to come out of the shadows.



MEGID: Of course, when we talk about diversity, we are not referring only to Latinos. There are also a good number of African-American, Anglo-Saxon, and Asian speakers. The same diversity that exists on the podium is also seen throughout the convention. [Univision, Noticiero Univision, 7/25/16]

José Díaz-Balart: The Republican Convention “Lacked Hispanic Participation.” After highlighting a list of Latinos who will participate in the Democratic convention, Telemundo host José Díaz-Balart pointed out that the Republican convention “really lacked Hispanic participation.” From the July 24 edition of Telemundo’s Enfoque:

JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART (HOST): Some of the [Latina] public figures that we will see here this week at the Democratic National Convention. ... Pili, what do you expect here from this convention?

PILI TOBAR: Well, we are going to see a huge contrast from what we saw last week in Cleveland. We are going to see diversity, we are going to see -- we have a list of people who are going to gives speeches during the convention, incredible Latinos. We’ll have Congressman Ruben Gallego from Arizona, Astrid Silva, I think we have --

DÍAZ-BALART: Luis Gutierrez from Illinois.

TOBAR: Exactly. We have many Latinos. We’re going to see an enormous contrast. Prosperity, a future where families stay together, and where we can keep going forward. It’s something very different than what we saw last week.

DÍAZ-BALART: Dan, it must be said that last week in Cleveland we saw among the speakers one Hispanic, a state senator that spoke Spanish in the middle of the Republican National Convention, but there were three in total. What occurred really lacked Hispanic participation.

DANIEL GARZA: I don’t think it reaches the Latino community. I think many were left troubled in the Latino community about what was demonstrated by the Republicans. [Telemundo, Enfoque, 7/24/16]

Huff. Post’s Roque Planas: Judging By Convention Speakers, “Democrats Are Making More Of An Effort To Reach Out To Non-White Voters Than Republicans.” Huffington Post national reporter Roque Planas noted, “Eleven of 24 speakers Monday evening at the Democratic National Convention’s opening night were people of color,” while the “entire four-day Republican National Convention appears to have featured a dozen speakers of color” out of 71 speakers total. Planas also pointed out that Republican convention “speakers with the last name ‘Trump’ outnumbered Hispanic speakers, six to four.” [The Huffington Post, 7/26/16]

NBC News’ Suzanne Gamboa: “A Latina From S. Texas Is Introducing The 1st Black Senator From NJ,” And “In A Week We’ll Nominate [The] 1st Woman” For President Of The United States.

A Latina from S. TX is introducing the 1st black senator from NJ in a week we'll nominate 1st woman 2 b pres. of United States, @EvaLongoria

— Suzanne Gamboa (@SuzGamboa) July 26, 2016

[Twitter, 7/25/16]

NPR’s Julio Ricardo Varela: “Five Minutes Into Primetime And The Español Is Flowing.”

Five minutes into primetime and the español is flowing. The anti-Trump convention has begun. #DNCinPHL

— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) July 26, 2016

[Twitter, 7/25/16]

Enrique Acevedo: “Two Things I Didn’t Hear Last Week In Cleveland: The Value Of Diversity And Any Kind Of Talk About The Existential Threat Of Climate Change.”

Two things I didn't hear last week in Cleveland: the value of diversity and any kind of talk about the existential threat of climate change.

— Enrique Acevedo (@Enrique_Acevedo) July 26, 2016

[Twitter, 7/25/16]

Jorge Ramos: “On The First Day Of The Democratic Convention Two Undocumented Immigrants Have Spoken, Karla Ortiz’s Mother And Astrid Silva (Who Has DACA).”

En el primer día de la convención Demócrata han hablado 2 inmigrantes indocumentadas,la mamá de Karla Ortiz y Astrid Silva (q ya tiene Daca)

— JORGE RAMOS (@jorgeramosnews) July 26, 2016

[Twitter, 7/25/16]