First Day Speakers at the Democratic National Convention – Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — Here is the list of speakers from Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The big names included former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders and first lady Michelle Obama.

A full schedule of Monday’s events can be seen here. The description of the day’s theme is provided by the Democratic Party.

Theme: United Together

Monday will focus on putting the future of American families front and center and how we’re stronger together when we build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, and when everyone has a chance to live up to their God-given potential. DREAMer Astrid Silva will share her story and her fight to keep families together.

Headlining speakers

First lady Michelle Obama

(Information is provided by the White House’s website.) First lady Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is a lawyer, writer and the wife of the 44th and current President, Barack Obama. She is the first African-American First Lady of the United States. Through her four main initiatives, she has become a role model for women and an advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education, and international adolescent girls education.

Sen. Bernie Sanders

(Information is an excerpt provided by Sanders’ Senate website.) Bernie Sanders is serving his second term in the U.S. Senate after winning re-election in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote. His previous 16 years in the House of Representatives make him the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history.

Astrid Silva

(Information taken from Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada’s website.) Astrid Silva is PLAN’s organizing director. She started at PLAN as a volunteer and transitioned to staff after receiving her Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) work permit. Astrid has been referred to as the “face” of immigration, and Harry Reid’s conscience when it comes to immigration reform. Her personal story was highlighted by President Barack Obama and she was chosen by the White House to introduce him at Las Vegas. She is a leader among DREAMers in Nevada and is the co-founder of DREAM Big Vegas, a Southern Nevada organization for undocumented youth. Astrid is a graduate of Advance Technologies Academy, holds two associates degrees from the College of Southern Nevada and currently attends Nevada State College.

Additional speakers

Pam Livengood

(Information provided by the Democratic Party.) Pam and her family have been personally affected by the growing substance abuse epidemic and are guardians for their grandson because of their daughter’s struggle with addiction. Pam raised the issue with Hillary while participating at a roundtable during the first trip to New Hampshire.

Karla & Francisca Ortiz

(Information provided by the Democratic Party.) Karla is an American citizen but her parents, including her mother, Francisca, are undocumented and live in fear of deportation. Karla met Hillary Clinton in Nevada and was featured in the campaign ad, “Brave.” 

Anastasia Somoza

(Information provided by the Democratic Party.) Anastasia, along with her twin sister, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia when she was born and is an advocate for Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Anastasia interned for Hillary Clinton in her U.S. Senate office and on the 2000 campaign for senate. Anastasia first met President Bill Clinton in 1993 at a town-hall meeting for kids. 

Representative Keith Ellison, D-Minn.

(Information provided by Congressman’s website.) Rep. Ellison has represented the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives since taking office on January 4, 2007. The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, the congressman helps oversee the nation’s financial services and housing industries, as well as Wall Street. He also serves on the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee

National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia

(Information provided by the National Education Association) Lily Eskelsen García is president of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest labor union. Lily began her career in education as a school lunch lady and now leads a professional association of three million educators. She is the first Latina to lead the NEA. Prior to assuming the top post, Lily served two terms as NEA Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.

Representative Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.

(Information provided by Congressman’s website.) Raúl Grijalva began his career in public service as a community organizer in Tucson. From 1974 to 1986, Raúl served on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, including six years as Chairman. In 1988, he was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where he served for the next 15 years, chairing the Board for two of those years. Raúl resigned his seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2002 to seek office in Arizona’s newly created Seventh Congressional District. Raúl was elected with a 20-point victory.

Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek

(Information provided by the Oregon State Legislature.) Tina began her public service career as a policy advocate for the Oregon Food Bank. She went on to serve as the policy director for Children First for Oregon before being elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2006. In 2013, Tina became the first openly lesbian speaker of any state house in the nation.

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry

(Information provided by the SEIU.) In 2010, Mary Kay Henry became the first woman elected to lead SEIU. By 2015, she was named one of the 100 most creative leaders by Fast Company magazine and was included in the top 50 visionaries reshaping American politics by Politico magazine for SEIU’s leadership in propelling the fight for living wages embodied in the historic movement known as the “Fight for $15.”

Representative Joe Kennedy, D-Mass. 

(Information provided by Congressman’s website.) Prior to being elected to Congress, Joe Kennedy, who is currently in his second term, served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Assistant District Attorney in both the Middlesex County and Cape and Island’s District Attorneys’ Offices. Before that he served as a member of the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic where he designed and implemented an economic development project near Puerto Plata.

Chair of the Democratic Governors Association Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy

(Information provided by the Democratic Governors Association.) Governor Malloy became a prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York, serving for four years as an Assistant District Attorney, where he won 22 convictions in 23 felony cases. Prior to being elected Governor, he was Stamford’s longest serving Mayor, serving for 14 years from 1995 to 2009.

Building Trades President Sean McGarvey

(Information provided by North America’s Building Traces Unions.) Sean McGarvey, President of the North America’s Building Trades Unions, started his career with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) in 1981 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and subsequently worked his way up through various leadership positions within the IUPAT. In 2005, he was elected Secretary-Treasurer of North America’s Building Trades Unions.  In 2012, Sean was unanimously elected to the office of President.

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.

(Information provided by Senator’s website.) Jeffrey Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. He was a five-term member of the Oregon House of Representatives representing House District 47. He also served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Representative Linda Sanchez, D-Calif. 

(Information provided by Congresswoman’s website.) Linda Sánchez has represented California’s 38th Congressional district since 2013. From 2003 to 2013, Congresswoman Sánchez represented California’s 39th Congressional District, which included many of the communities she currently represents. Congresswoman Sánchez was the first Latina to serve on the House Judiciary Committee.  She was also the first Latina in history to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders

(Information provided by AFSCME.) Lee Saunders is the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, which represents 1.6 million members. He was elected at the union’s 40th International Convention in June 2012. Saunders, the first African American to serve as AFSCME’s president, was previously elected secretary-treasurer at the union’s 39th International Convention in July 2010.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

(Information provided by AFL-CIO.) Richard Trumka is president of the 12.5 million-member American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest organization of labor unions in the country. He was elected president of the federation in 2009. Trumka served as AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer from 1995 to 2009.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten

(Information provided by the AFL-CIO.) Randi Weingarten is president of the 1.6 million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Prior to her election as AFT president in 2008, Weingarten served for 12 years as president of the United Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 2, representing approximately 200,000 educators in the New York City public school system. In 2013, the New York Observer named Weingarten one of the most influential New Yorkers of the past 25 years. Washington Life magazine included Weingarten on its 2013 Power 100 list of influential leaders.

source:  WTOP.com

First Day Speakers at the Democratic National Convention – Philadelphia  was originally published on myspiritdc.com