SAN PEDRO, Calif. — On Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention, the nation heard from former First Lady Michelle Obama and several former Democratic presidential candidates, including Senator Bernie Sanders.
On Tuesday, party members from each of the 57 states and territories will appear on video and announce the delegates Biden and other Democrats received from their primary or caucus.
One of those delegates is a mother of three from San Pedro. For Shannon Ross and her kids, the 2020 support never wavered from the former Vice President. To get to this point, Ross had to run her own campaign for months, beating out other contenders to become a DNC Biden delegate representing San Pedro voters.
Ross said she was once a single mother and the hardships that came with that journey make this new role even more important to her and her family.
“I was a teenage mom and I worried about things like homelessness and healthcare, so I got involved in my community," Ross said. "I started out serving on my neighborhood council where I served as an elected member for almost seven years, and while I was serving on the neighborhood council, I realized that the change that I needed to see in policies for health care and homelessness came from legislation, and that’s what led me to get more involved in the party and so it just felt like a good place to be, and come and help make change and make a difference in my community.”
DNC officials decided early on that delegates were not going to the convention. Ross said she’s still excited to watch from home, and as the president of her local Democratic club, she she’s fired up to do what she can to help the campaign.
“Here in San Pedro where I live, we actually had a very large presence for the Obama phone banking, one of the largest in the country,” Ross said. “I think that we will see a lot of people phone banking. It will just look different. We’re going to try to host Zoom meetings and things from home, ways that people can get involved from home.
Biden will accept the nomination Thursday. One day earlier his VP pick, California Senator Kamala Harris, will accept her role as his running mate.
“Couldn’t be more excited to have a woman from California representing the API and Black communities especially during this time of our historic hundredth year of the 19th amendment. I think she has what it takes. I think we need her,” Ross said.
The Democratic Convention is focused on the theme of unity, with speakers from both parties. This same week, President Trump is countering in several battleground states including Minnesota, Wisconsin and Arizona. He'll also be visiting Scranton, Pennsylvania — Biden’s hometown
“Now Biden wants to lock all Americans in their basements for months on end," Trump has said, "which will inflict permanent irreversible harm on our nation’s children, families, health, and economy."
Ross said whatever happens, she feels honored to be a part of it. “I’m very excited to represent my community,” she said.
While this convention may be an unprecedented virtual approach, she hopes it will still keep up the energy for her party heading into November.
Biden has about 700 delegates more than needed to secure the party’s nomination. Tuesday night's key speakers include Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, former President Bill Clinton, and Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden. You can check the full list of speakers and schedule here.