The Democratic Convention has been a celebration of hope for members and supporters of the blue party. The event, which is usually solemn and bureaucratically focused, has taken on a different and more open tone, receiving more than just political figures or businessmen. Not only have there been speeches by top-level Democratic profiles, such as Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (who took advantage of the opportunity to launch attacks on the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump), but special guests have also taken the stage, including activists, poets and content creators —many of them of Latino origin— who gave speeches in the context of the Democratic platform, directly supporting its policies.
This was the case of Olivia Julianna, a political activist and strategist from Texas known for being an advocate for abortion rights and for having served as director of policy and government affairs for the non-profit organization Gen-Z for Change (focused on promoting discourse and civil action in the younger generation). The activist — who identifies as Latina, disabled, and queer — gave a speech during the third night of the Convention, in which she called on her generation to vote. “As the saying goes: if you’re not at the table, you’re part of the menu. So Generation Z, let’s take our seat in our democracy and cast our ballots this November for Kamala Harris.” Likewise, she said that in Texas she saw how people’s voting was blocked in different ways, and she highlighted the importance of fighting for the vote.
The role of personalities like Julianna has become key for political platforms seeking to reach out to younger generations who get their information through social media with easy-to-consume content. The activist currently has more than 600,000 followers and almost 40 million “likes” on TikTok. In one of her most viewed videos (which has more than 800,000 views), she tells her followers about the problems of voter suppression in Texas and encourages them to take action. As for the response she has received for her participation, dozens of comments support her position and her work.
In one of her posts, Julianna appears alongside Antonio Arellano, vice president of communications for NextGen America, another nonprofit that seeks to “empower the most diverse and progressive generation in the United States to bring change to the ballot box.” Arellano was one of several activists and influencersinvited to cover the event. One of her most recent posts features New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez giving a message to motivate young people to register to vote. While her other videos resemble traditional media coverage, there is a focus on making the content engaging and showcasing the speeches or moments with the greatest potential to impact that audience.
The Convention gave a special place to more than 200 influencersto cover the event, and it has been reported that he gave them preferential treatment over traditional media, due to the fact that these personalities directly align themselves with his policies.
On the third night, immigrant rights activist Carlos Eduardo Espina took the stage at the convention. Being the son of immigrants, the lawyer—who has more than 10 million followers on social media—highlighted his parents’ story and recalled that the United States is “the land of opportunity where everything is possible.” He also spoke about the immigrant community: “They are people who work hard, contribute to society, pay taxes because yes, immigrants pay taxes, and deeply love this country.” At one point in his speech, the young man pointed out Donald Trump’s rhetoric as “dangerous and absolutely anti-American,” and mentioned that allowing migrants to enter the country is not a Republican or Democratic policy, but “an American value.”
The speech was met with applause and thousands of reactions on social media. Comments in both English and Spanish flooded his posts with support for the Democratic Party and messages inviting young people to vote.
In addition to the Latin voices there were also influencersfrom other backgrounds, such as Nabela Noor, an entrepreneur known for her YouTube channel where she shares content focused on fashion and her life as a Muslim American. Prior to her presentation at the event as a speaker, Noor shared on social media that the reason for presenting herself was “all the stories that have been shared about fertility issues,” being a woman who has faced those difficulties. “Beyond reproductive freedom, I am hopeful that there will be a future where all voices are heard, where we believe that our leaders listen. I pray that they do.” After her speech, she made a post on her Instagram where she highlighted: “I did not use my time on stage to admire a candidate, but to preserve an institution of hope that has carried many of us through our infertility journeys, while championing a brighter future.” Around 200,000 people “liked” her message, and although a large part of the comments are in support of her or the party, there are also detractors.
Follow all the information on the US elections atour weekly newsletter.
