Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester tells DNC crowd to hold onto 'bright hope'

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday, to emphasize the stakes of former president Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda.

However, the state’s first elected woman and person of color congressmember encouraged voters to not lose their “bright hope.”

“Now there are some who think our politics are too broken for bright hope. Bright hope is record numbers of Black and brown entrepreneurs starting businesses. Bright hope is an opportunity economy where we invest in our communities and build affordable housing,” Rochester said. “Bright hope is four words, Madam President Kamala Harris.”

The Democratic National Committee convention is in Chicago through Thursday and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday is scheduled to formally accept the party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election on Nov. 5.

Watch Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester’s full DNC convention speech here

What to know about Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester

• Who is she? Rochester, who represents Delaware’s sole congressional district, was first elected to the office in 2017 when Gov. John Carney assumed office. The Philadelphia-native ran for Congress after the sudden loss of her husband, and became the state’s first woman or person of color congressmember. She is currently running for the U.S. Senate in the 2024 race.

• What role she plays: She serves as a National Co-Chair for the Harris-Walz campaign.

• Key quote: “Bright hope is four words, Madam President Kamala Harris.”

When and where is the DNC

The Democratic National Convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second time.

How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC

The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC announced nightly themes for the convention. The title of the convention is “For the People, For Our Future.”

Here are the themes for each night:

• Monday: “For the People”

• Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”

• Wednesday: “A Fight for our Freedoms”

• Thursday: “For our Future”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester tells DNC crowd to have ‘bright hope’