So what was it like? What were my takeaways? Did I learn anything? How was the LGBT community represented? Highlights? Concerns? Over this next week I will post a series of blog posts covering all of these experiences.
First, I will let you know that I am fired up!! Wow! This was truly a life changing experience. I expected to have fun. I knew I would be busy but I didn't know what an impact it would have on my life and drive home just how important this election is.
So here's how the convention worked. Events started at 8 a.m. most days and wrapped up at 2 a.m. That's a long day! I found I was averaging four or five hours of sleep per night. We were given a welcome/gift bag when we arrived. One of the gifts was a pedometer. I wore mine Wednesday and took a little over 30,000 steps. That equates to walking almost 15 miles!
The events and meetings were held all over the metro are of Charlotte. Most receptions were at uptown restaurants, pubs, or hotels. The caucuses and workshops were held at the convention center and the main platform stage, where all the big speeches were given, was at the AOL Time Warner Arena.
We arrived on Sunday and I thought this was going to a quiet night to relax, plan, and gear up for the convention. Wrong! Upon arrival we were whisked of to a reception at the Renaissance Hotel for a pre-convention reception with a handful of other states. The highlight.... I got this picture
This is me and WY delegates Kate Wright and Kit Young with the Chair of the National Democratic Party, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She is an amazing woman! She can frequently be seen making the rounds on the Sunday morning political shows; pleading the Democrats case on most issues with smart, articulate, and actual fact based opinions on how to move this country forward.
I think Charlotte knocked the cover off the ball. Their city is beautiful! Their airport is clean, bright, efficient, and cheerful. The uptown area is clean, plush, and full off beautiful flowers, trees, and shrubs. I would not hesitate to visit Charlotte again as a tourist.
I could not have attended this convention with a better group of folks that was the Wyoming delegation. They were a blast!! Such a smart and diverse group! I'm proud to have been part of a delegation that included African Americans, Latino Americans, Gay Americans, and equal representation between men and women! I was honored to be included with such a fine group of Wyoming citizens!
Tomorrow we'll dig into the convention. I want to talk about what it meant to be a gay man at this historic convention.
Jeran
Well, thanks a lot for posting THE PICTURE I am upset I missed getting in on! It was great have your energy as a delegate, and I think all the delegates were busy everyday with caucuses and doing interviews around the state. Nice job with the TV interviews, Jeran.
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