Becky Miller Updike is the Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives at Tennyson Center for Children as well as the Director for the Colorado chapter of Every Child Matters. She is fortunate enough to be attending the Democratic National Convention this week. Becky will be doing a daily blog about what she is encountering at the convention. Here are her thoughts from Day 1.

Above left: Becky with one of her home-state Congressmen, Baron Hill from Indiana's 9th congressional district. Above right: Becky feeling totally safe and protected with the help of the incredible police presence in downtown Denver during convention week.

Day 2: Today’s Highlights: Barack in a bottle, Sean Penn, and ripeness for making kids a priority
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention in Denver

If you are not a delegate or a Democratic superhero of some description, you have to get a new credential every day.  So I worked my way back down to 15th and California again to get my 2nd credential early this morning.  I spent another hour in a long line in the sun awaiting my chance to enter (in groups of 15) into the non-descript door that leads down 2 flights of stairs to a basement, where we wait in another line to get to one of 8 or 10 ticket windows, where we show our driver’s license in exchange for a credential. 

The highlight of today’s credential line was the young man in line behind me.  We struck up a conversation, and I learned that he is a native of Michigan, and a junior at Harvard.  He volunteered for the Hillary Clinton Campaign, and flew in yesterday to crash at his aunt’s place, in hopes of getting a ticket into something. Anything.  He contacted everyone he knew from the campaign, and checked his i-phone every minute or two to see if anyone had responded with a lead.   He waited in the hot sun for an hour with me and others, knowing he probably wouldn’t get a credential, but he tried anyway.  When I left, he indeed did not receive a credential, and I wished him luck. 

The day unfolded with a trip into the convention center, where the hustle and bustle continues.  Outside, there are even more vendors, protesters and security than yesterday.  The vendors have everything you can and can’t imagine… from t-shirts to buttons to the most unusual novelty for today, which was “Barack in A Bottle”.  (This product was a water bottle with a plastic statue of Barack inside, and instructions to “Break bottle in the event of an emergency”.)  The protestors are protesting the war among other things… and the police seemed to outnumber protestors all over town.  The police are wearing full riot gear, and appear most capable of anything.  I requested a photo with a group of them today, which they graciously granted.  An AP photographer also snapped the photo and asked me my name, so who knows if that photo may show up someplace.  It started a trend, as several women asked for a photo with them also, which they seemed to enjoy. I admit that if they decided to publish a calendar—it would fly off the shelves.

The highlight of my day was attending a reception for the Louisiana delegation, sponsored by Oxfam America.  The reception was held in a suite atop the Denver Public Library (where the G-8 Summit was held in 1997).  The reception took place mid-day, featured live music and beautiful food & drink, and was attended by Oxfam’s numerous partners in LA, who continue to collaborate to help rebuild the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  The room featured easels holding large photos of Katrina survivors, depicting a range of emotions and conditions.  I spoke with a woman who works to connect displaced families with affordable housing.  She said that in the area where she works, a 30 foot wall of water washed in during the hurricane, that washed away homes, cars and everything but concrete stairs.  In many places, those stairs and porches are the only things still standing since the 2005 storm.  What is still missing includes homes and playgrounds and schools, where children and families should be thriving, yet continue to just survive and struggle.  These folks do heroic work, and much remains to be done in that part of our country.  Every Child Matters is honored to have an office in LA, working on these causes and others.

As guests trickled in (numbering 25-30 total), I spotted actor Sean Penn, who has notoriously assisted in Katrina relief efforts.  He made his way to the patio, to get some air.  He later graciously granted a photo to me and some colleagues. I grew up on his movies (ok, I admit I loved Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and today found myself admiring his willingness to endure the photos and fans, all to support such a worthy cause.

Okay, and finally back to the speeches at the Pepsi Center, with more security, media and crowds—where the energy is palpable.  Here’s what happens during the commercial breaks you see on TV: music & dancing, and candid photos of people dancing and seeing themselves on the screen then looking embarrassed; distribution of signs for the next speaker (the signs travel almost as fast as “the wave” does during football games); and random speakers on stage, telling their quick and real stories. I ran into and got photos of Colorado State Treasurer Cary Kennedy and Indiana’s 9th District Congressman Baron Hill.  (Shout out to IN: I grew up in his district and worked every election day since 3rd grade carrying signs for Congressman Lee Hamilton— who held that seat for 30+ years. I was honored to work for Hamilton in his DC office for a year, and met Baron during that time.)

I am elated to hear candidates making the correlation between investments in children and a thriving economy, which was a recurring theme from several speakers this evening. Gov. Warner (VA) talked about quality education, after school care and health care, and stated “…if those kids de better—we all do better.”  If we could bottle and sell Sen. Hillary Clinton’s zealous vision for improving health care for all, while raising the quality of life for children and families via access to quality health care, education and the elimination of poverty—the world and this country would be a better place.  No matter your part affiliation—tonight’s speech, her efforts, and this election season have made history, and we are all better for it.  And I think she launched the terms “green collar jobs” and “sisterhood of the traveling pants-suits” tonight.  Bet both catch on like wild fire.

Tonight in Denver, lots of who’s-whos are entering private parties, music & media.  There are lines and parties everywhere.  I however, look forward to kissing my daughters goodnight, good sleep, and strong coffee in the morning.  Until tomorrow…

P.S. Thanks for your comments and interest! This is a blast and an honor, and I am humbled to report to so many folks who are doing great things for kids every day. Keep up the great work.

To read Becky's blog from Day 1, click here.
To read Becky's blog from Day 3, click here.
To read Becky's blog from Day 4, click here.

©2008 Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home
Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home
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