“You can sleep when you’re dead.” I heard that phrase repeatedly this week at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. As a first-time DNC delegate, I wasn’t sure what the week would hold for me, but as I write this on the third day of the convention, I can confirm it’s not sleep.

For the first time ever, the Democratic Party nominated its nominee, Vice President Harris, earlier this month via virtual roll call, so I wondered if this year’s convention would be a bit of a letdown compared to previous DNCs. As you might have guessed from previous coverage of the event, it hasn’t been. There’s a sense in the room that, perhaps for the first time this election cycle, the momentum is on the Democrats’ side – the mood is suddenly good, and at its strongest this week in Chicago.

I have been involved in politics and national campaigns for several years. When I moved back to New York after graduating, I wanted to become more involved in my local Democratic Party. After expressing my interest to local officials and former campaigners in my network, I was nominated as one of 307 delegates for New York and elected at the New York State Democratic Convention in May. The primary role of delegates is to vote for the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. They also attend council and caucus meetings during the convention. Unofficially, delegates are also expected to stay involved throughout the election, volunteering and helping with organizing at the state and national levels. Delegates do not receive a salary and cover their own expenses at the convention.

My morning starts around 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. when I go to our delegation breakfast. Delegates must pick up their badges at breakfast each day to gain access to the convention hall that evening. At breakfast, delegates meet with their state party leaders and colleagues. When I arrived for my delegation breakfast early Monday morning, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had just stopped by to galvanize us for the day. Local legislators, delegates, and others involved in state politics connect, make new contacts to use back home, and figure out who they want to spend the long convention nights next to.

As people come and go for breakfast, I get the daily text from DNC organizers: “Good morning, Kaivan. Today is the third day of the convention! The Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, AAPI Caucus, Native American Caucus, and Ethnic Council meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. CT and end at 11:30 a.m. CT. After your delegation finishes breakfast, take the buses to McCormick Place to attend!” The entire downtown area is booked with conventioneers, and dozens of buses line area streets to shuttle people to the McCormick Place Convention Center, where caucus meetings, nonprofit trainings, and more are taking place throughout the day. It’s a chance to network with Democrats from other states, connect with specific groups of voters, and discuss strategy on a variety of progressive agenda items, from supporting workers at the Labor Caucus to enshrining abortion access at the Women’s Caucus.

As people move from one meeting to the next, reporters stream through the aisles, pulling officials and attendees aside to ask their perspective on how the week went. This year, 200 content creators are also on the move, adding to the already enormous energy. Influential creators who generate millions of impressions on TikTok are joined by those with only about 20,000 followers. Big or small, creators bring their followers into “the room where it’s happening.” Though they’re almost invariably exhausted, this year’s attendees are bubbling with excitement.

At about 3 p.m., I get another text—a reminder to get in line at the United Center, about five miles from McCormick Place, where the convention itself is being held. Although the program doesn’t begin until about 5 p.m. each night, delegates must arrive at the convention early so they can be in their seats in time for party business. On Tuesday, for example, we held the ceremonial roll call to make the nomination of the Harris-Walz candidate. The party secretary stood on stage and went state by state, asking how each state and territory planned to pledge its delegates to support the nomination. The roll call went through each region with a hit song relevant to the state, like “Sweet Home Alabama.” To this newcomer, it felt more like a dance party than a convention agenda item.

Lined up outside the venue and mingling with the many speakers scheduled for each evening, delegates in the stadium might be a state legislator to your left and a county commissioner to your right. Media streams into the spaces, cameras pan, high-profile presenters run around with their teams in tow. It’s so chaotic that I’ve taken to covering my mouth when I’m not in my seat to avoid losing a tooth! This year, the excitement is palpable and surprise appearances add to the already electrifying atmosphere.

Vice President Harris made an unexpected appearance on stage Monday, rapper Lil Jon appeared on behalf of the state of Georgia during roll calls, and Patti Labelle performed during the In Memoriam segment. Throughout the evening, rising stars from all over the country and — at least this year — across the political spectrum share why they support the Harris-Walz ticket. The audience oscillates between excitement, surprise and inspiration. It’s these moments, these faces, these voices that the thousands of delegates in attendance and millions of viewers at home will remember as they spend countless hours making phone calls, donating their hard-earned money, and working to win over undecided voters between now and November.

Every day is different, but the one constant throughout the week is the sense of something bigger: President Biden talks about the “battle for the soul of the nation,” and it feels like this is the front line. The idea that in our democracy and our party, anyone can show up, raise their voice, and make a difference is reinforced by the concept of delegates. On one bus ride, I sat next to a teenager from a rural area of ​​Wisconsin who had just moved into his college dorm before coming to the convention. He decided to throw his hat in the ring and run as a delegate — and here he is. More common are the older delegates, those who have spent decades volunteering for their local party or advocating for an important issue.

There are plenty of war stories, both figurative and literal. As veteran convention attendees discuss DNCs from years past and we all prepare for the difficult election ahead, it’s clear that there’s nothing “ceremonial” about the delegate’s role this year, despite the virtual nomination process.

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