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The LGBTQ+ organization will highlight support for LGBTQ+ rights in Chicago.
As the Democratic National Convention prepares to kick off in Chicago next week, the Human Rights Campaign is set to bringLGBTQ-centered programming to the forefront. Starting on Sunday, HRC will lead efforts to ensure that LGBTQ+ voices are both heard and celebrated, offering a vibrant contrast to the often hostile rhetoric aimed at the community by Republicans in today’s political landscape.
Related: Democratic National Convention will be a celebration of diversity in Chicago, say queer staff
Brandon Wolf, the national press secretary for HRC, shared his excitement with The Advocate about the convention and the organization’s ambitious plans.
“The energy is real,” Wolf said. “People really are excited, people really are hopeful, they’re feeling inspired.”
This energy, he explained, stems from the surge in enthusiasm that has gripped the Democratic Party since PresidentJoe Biden announced in July that he would not be standing for reelection, passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, who has chosen Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota as her running mate.
Wolf took a moment to heap praise on Biden.
“President Biden does not get enough credit for the work that he has done broadly,” Wolf said. “He’s been a remarkable president who’s gotten an immense amount of good done for the American people in a very short amount of time—pulling us out of a once-in-a-generation pandemic, putting the economy back together when it was on the brink, and advancing equality and freedom for people, especially LGBTQ+ people.”
HRC’s programming will begin with “Queering Sunday,” an event taking over Chicago’s North Halsted District — a popular LGBTQ+ neighborhood. “Everybody loves a good Sunday fun day with the LGBTQ+ community,” Wolf remarked. It will serve as a joyous kickoff to a week packed with panels, discussions, and gatherings to mobilize the LGBTQ+ community in the lead-up to November’s election, he said.
On Monday, HRC will host a creator studio at McCormick Place, where attendees can share their stories, sign up to volunteer, and pick up some exclusive Harris-Walz merchandise. According to Wolf, the studio will be a hub of activity, providing a space for attendees to engage directly with the campaign and each other.
HRC’s Monday’s LGBTQ+ convention kickoff event will feature panels with prominent voices like actors Wilson Cruz and Sophia Bush, journalists Eugene Daniels and Charlotte Clymer, influencer and author Blair Imani, and Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride, who is poised to be the first transgender person elected to Congress. The panels will explore how to engage the LGBTQ+ community digitally and what messaging is most effective in today’s charged political environment. Daniels and HRC vice president of Strategic Outreach & Engagement Nik Harris will host the conversation.
Related: What is the Democratic National Convention?
The most high-profile convention speeches will happen during the evening events at the United Center, the primary venue for the convention’s prime-time programming. Biden will speak Monday night to open the convention with a tribute to his presidency. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also address the convention on Monday.
On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama is expected to take the stage, followed by former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday, who will deliver remarks before Walz is formally introduced as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Harris will close out the convention with her acceptance speech on Thursday night, solidifying her position as the Democratic nominee.
The convention will also feature a series of DNC Constituency Caucus and Council meetings, providing a platform for various communities to discuss and highlight critical issues. The LGBTQ+ Caucus meetings will feature prominent speakers such asMassachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Monday and McBride on Wednesday.
Tuesday brings an invitation-only event co-hosted by HRC and Planned Parenthood. This partnership, Wolf explained, is a natural fit. “For us, it’s ‘we show up’; for them, it’s ‘we decide.’ That’s kind of the message, right? We show up, and we decide what happens in this election cycle.”
Wolf said HRC’s programming will conclude with house parties organized by the organization’s more than 50 steering committees nationwide. He explained that these gatherings are more than just social events; they’re strategic efforts to build momentum and ensure that the energy generated at the convention translates into action at the polls.
Harris has a long and storied record of support for the LGBTQ+ community, which Wolf was keen to highlight. “Kamala Harris has been a champion for LGBTQ+ people for her entire career—boldly, unapologetically,” Wolf said. He recalled her early advocacy, including officiating some of the first same-sex marriages in the country in 2004 as San Francisco district attorney and refusing to defend California’s discriminatory Prop 8 as attorney general. “This is a person who’s been a champion for LGBTQ+ people throughout her career,” he emphasized.
Harris’s deep connection with the LGBTQ+ community was on full display during a Pride Month reception at the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., in June, where she hosted a celebration honoring LGBTQ+ lives and progress. At that event, Wolf introduced Harris, calling her “a leader who has always chosen to stand up for us.” Harris, in turn, spoke about the importance of remembering the struggles and sacrifices of the LGBTQ+ community while persisting in the fight for equality and justice.
A captivating aspect of Harris’s energized campaign has been her embrace of Beyoncé’s powerful anthem, “Freedom,” as her campaign theme song. The song, which has become synonymous with empowerment and resistance, was given special permission by Beyoncé herself to be used by the Harris-Walz campaign—a rare move by the superstar, known for her selective music licensing.
Wolf touched on a lighter, yet equally exciting, possibility: a rumored surprise appearance by Beyoncé at the convention. Kelley Robinson, HRC’s president, has been open about her admiration for the superstar, as she toldThe Advocate in a June interview. Robinson, a self-proclaimed “über-fan,” described how Beyoncé’s work, especially her Renaissance tour, has been a powerful celebration of Black queer culture.
“Of course, I hope Beyoncé is there,” Wolf said with a laugh. “But I also just want to say now we’re going to need medical assistance available for Kelley Robinson because she may faint if Beyoncé strolls out on stage.”
