SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) — Amazing. Energetic. Entertaining.
That’s how South Dakota delegate captain Julian Beaudion — in a Zoom interview with Dakota News Now — described the scene in Chicago as he watched speeches from three of the most influential Democrats in the United States during the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
And this was just at Monday morning’s Black Caucus meeting — featuring Rep. Maxine Waters, Senator Cory Booker, and Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz — several hours before President Joe Biden’s keynote speech on the first of four nights of Democratic Party pandemonium.
Before the bright global TV lights and the glitz and glam of the convention floor speeches in the United Center, the DNC is an all-day whirlwind of meetings in smaller venues in another gargantuan structure — McCormick Place, a convention center six miles away.
The Black Caucus meeting was one of 33 council and caucus meetings during the week and part of Monday’s first-ever “DemPalooza” at McCormick Place, which included a slate of training, panels, and programming hosted by the DNC and Harris-Walz campaign. It followed Sunday evening’s welcome party at Navy Pier on the shore of Lake Michigan, full of food and live music.
“It’s a fun atmosphere, but I think it’s important for people to understand that we are here to work,” said Beaudion, one of 20 delegates representing the Rushmore State. There are 4,567 delegates overall.
A large chunk of the work the South Dakota delegates are doing involves talking to those in other states about what it takes to get ballot measures passed and Democrats elected.
“We’re here to talk about policies of our state,” Beaudion said. “We’re here to talk about what needs to be changed in our local elections, in our county elections, how we can get more Democrats elected into office. And then, we’re here to network and bring the resources back to our communities so that we can continue to grow and develop our economies.”
Particularly, in agriculture.
South Dakota delegates talked with a USDA representative Monday morning. Beaudion is confident that having Tim Walz — the governor of neighboring Minnesota — on the presidential ticket can boost federal connections and therefore future federal resources (as in, dollars) for South Dakota’s farmers and rural developers… should Harris be elected.
“Community is everything in South Dakota, and a lot of times it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” Beaudion said. “We are working to build those relationships to make sure that we’re bringing them right back to South Dakota, to the people of our state.”
This is why — despite the expectation that former president Donald Trump will make it 60 straight years of Republican presidential nominees winning South Dakota and its three electoral college votes — Beaudion said a lot of what delegates do this week can go a long way in benefitting all South Dakotans should Harris win the national election.
“I think it’s really important to remember, we’re not just voting for a president, we’re voting for resources,” Beaudion said. “That’s what we’re out here doing. We’re building those relationships so that we can have a sustainable economy, we can have sustainable agriculture.”
Beaudion said the Biden Administration’s support for “ag” is “staggering,” adding the current president has already invested more money in rural development than Trump did during his four years. (Beaudion cited a White House website that provides those figures).
But, Beaudion feels Biden’s passing the torch to Kamala Harris brings a “youth movement” and “sense of engagement” in things that matter to South Dakotans that he didn’t feel with either Trump or Biden.
“We have so many young Democrats within the state of South Dakota who have hardly ever been engaged in politics,” Beaudion said. “So, seeing their engagement, seeing their excitement, their passion, it’s something that we love to see but also it’s something that Democrats need to have in order to be successful in the state.”
A Black community activist involved in the local NAACP chapter, Beaudion is the former director of the South Dakota African-American History Museum. He is a law enforcer who owns Swamp Daddy’s Cajun Kitchen restaurant with his wife Del’Inkka. The two moved to South Dakota from his native Louisiana almost 20 years ago.
His deep interest in politics blossomed when the U.S. elected Barak Obama, its first Black president, in 2008. The father of three girls said the nomination of Harris provides a similar spark.
“It is certainly is a change in spirit, that’s for sure,” Beaudion said. “For me, first and foremost, it’s been a change, not only to bring energy as a Democrat but to bring energy to me as a Black man.
“So, trying my hardest to work in the community of Sioux Falls and kind of around the state of South Dakota to uplift communities of color — it’s done wonders to see the energy around our Indigenous brothers and sisters as well as Black folks in the southeastern part of the state, very specifically. There is a focus on our communities of color.”
On Monday, South Dakota delegates were expected to attend the Black Caucus, Native American Caucus, LGBTQ+ Caucus, Small Business Council, and Labor Council.
“The Democratic Party prides itself on being the most diverse group of individuals to represent our country,” Beaudion said. “It’s truly amazing to see, not just the elected officials but the people attending these conferences, how diverse of a group of people it is. Not just in race, not just in skin color, but also just in mindset.”
Beaudion echoed recent remarks of Biden, Harris, and other top Democratic leaders — He feels the nation’s democracy is at stake on Nov. 5.
“I know we say it every presidential election, but this is the most important presidential election that we can ever have — not just for the sake of democracy, but also for all those young Black girls that are looking up to someone like Kamala Harris,” Beaudion said. “For the Black women that are climbing the ranks as CEOs, for the Black women who are graduating from HBCUs, for those in sororities, this is something our entire country depends on. And, quite honestly, our entire world.”
Yes, Beaudion has aspirations of continuing in politics, but said he doesn’t know which realm of them he wants to jump in next, that the community will “guide me to where I need to be.” He was elected captain of South Dakota’s delegation by the DNC “based on state recommendations.”
Yes, there is a lot of work to do in Chicago before the bright lights of global TV flash each night.
But Beaudion said the part of the DNC he is most eager to experience will be perhaps the glitziest moments it will provide.
“I am most looking forward to hearing Barak Obama speak tomorrow night,” Beaudion said of the Chicago native. “And, then, on Thursday, of course, I am so excited to receive our next President of the United States in Kamala Harris, as well. That’s 1A and 1B for me.”
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