Illinois took the spotlight on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which also saw an off-site celebration of LGBTQ+ elected officials at every level of government.
Former President and Illinois politician Barack Obama headlined Aug. 20 at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., singing his praises for outgoing President Joe Biden, calling him an “outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger.”
Now, the country is ready for a “new chapter” with Harris as president, Obama said.
“America’s ready for a better story,” Obama said. “We are ready for a President Kamala Harris, and Kamala Harris is ready for the job.”
Other speakers with ties to Illinois included former First Lady and South Side native Michelle Obama, Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Pritzker’s speech focused on drawing contrasts between Harris’ and Trumps’ stances on various policies, including LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. He stressed the dangers that another Trump presidency could pose.
“Americans with LGBTQ kids kids don’t want them facing discrimination at school because the state sanctioned it,” Pritzker said.
Michelle Obama also alluded to Republicans’ attacks on LGBTQ+ children.
“Demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love—look, that doesn’t make anybody’s lives better,” Michelle Obama said. “Instead, it only makes us small.”
Michelle evoked the message of hope that was central to Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, suggesting better days are on the horizon with a Harris presidency.
“America, hope is making a comeback,” Michelle Obama said.
Earlier that day, LGBTQ+ elected officials from across the country gathered at theWIT, 201 N. State St., for a celebration of out political leadership hosted by the Victory Institute, a national organization focused on supporting the next generation of LGBTQ+ public leaders.
U.S. Transportation Secretary and former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg headlined the event, reflecting on how much progress has been made in terms of LGBTQ+ representation in politics.
Buttigieg, who will speak Aug. 21 at the DNC, made history in 2020 when then-President-elect Joe Biden appointed him the first openly gay Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The Victory Institute endorsed Buttigieg during his 2020 run for president.
“It wasn’t that long ago you couldn’t be a geographer in the federal government if it emerged that you were gay,” Buttigieg said. “Think about how much has changed in just one short lifetime. But we know that is because of such a long journey that so many made possible for us.”
Today, there are at least 1,305 LGBTQ+ elected officials across the country, according to data maintained by the Victory Institute for its Out for America map. That includes three state governors—Govs. Tina Kotek (Massachusetts) and Jared Polis (Colorado) were at the Victory Institute’s reception—as well as 12 members of U.S. Congress, 61 mayors and even more officials at all levels of government.
This progress is also reflected among the DNC’s delegation, which includes more than 800 LGBTQ+ delegates—the most ever in DNC history.
“Our presence here matters because if you’re not on the table, you’re on the chopping block,” said Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, one of 12 LGBTQ+ delegates from Illinois and the first openly gay Cook County Commissioner.
Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th Ward), the first Black, gay man on Chicago City Council, was also at the Victory Institute reception. He spoke on how representation can lead to actual change during a party he threw on the DNC’s first night celebrating Black LGBTQ+ leaders.
“Our representation matters, and there are a lot of issues that our communities are still suffering from,” Robinson said. “My hope is that Kamala Harris, who is a supporter of our community, will bring in a lot of traction for the Black queer community. … There’s a lot of work to do at the federal level.”
Other LGBTQ+ officials from Chicago at the Victory Institute’s reception included State Sen. Mike Simmons, Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th Ward), Cook County Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis, and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who sits on Victory Fund’s board of directors and introduced Buttigieg.
The LGBTQ+ leaders spoke about the issues still affecting LGBTQ+ people, including violence against transgender people, demonization of trans youth, access to gender-affirming healthcare and the need to preserve same-sex marriage rights and pass the Equality Act, which would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.
“That’s why representation and the mission of [the Victory Institute] is so important,” Buttigieg said. “Because it’s just harder to discriminate against somebody when they’re in the room, and it’s much harder to discriminate against somebody when they are in the room in a position of power.”
Day two: Democratic National Convention photos by Lisa Howe-Ebright
