NewsDemocratic National Convention

Actions

'Tonight is the night for us to shine': Wisconsin delegates excited to hear Kamala Harris's historic speech

Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson shares their story from the convention floor.
MixCollage-22-Aug-2024-08-19-PM-5689.jpg
Posted
and last updated

It's women's night at the Democratic National Convention as Kamala Harris, the first woman of color accepts the nomination.

TMJ4 talked with Thelma Sais - Felesia Martin and Nadiyah Johnson about the historic moment.

Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson shared their story from the convention floor.

It's hard to put nearly 250 years of American history in context, but he asked three Wisconsin women to help put Thursday night's historic moment in perspective.

Felesia Martin gets emotional thinking about the racism and civil rights struggles her family faced and the generations that came before. They will all be in her thoughts Thursday as she watches history unfold with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.

20240723_VPOTUS_Milwaukee,_WI_Photoline_EE_RL408532_Felesia_Martin_and_Terrell_Martin.jpg
Felesia Martin

"I'll take them into that hallway and when I glance at Kamala Harris, then I know they will be proud at that moment," said Martin.

Thelma Sias knows the struggles women of color faced growing up in the south - the long-time Milwaukee Democrat broke barriers and glass ceilings, climbing the corporate ladder as a high-profile executive at We Energies.

Watch: Wisconsin delegates excited to hear Kamala Harris's historic speech

Wisconsin delegates excited to hear Kamala Harris's historic speech

“We have walked in her shoes," said Sias. "Tonight is the night for us to shine - even before she comes to the mic, when she walks on to that stage - the power of that beauty, the statement that we have turned one more corner to the possibility."

Thelma Sias
Thelma Sias

History is not lost on the younger generation. Nadiyah Johnson is attending her first convention as a delegate. She could not be more thrilled about Thursday's moment in history.

IMG_5587.jpg
Nadiyah Johnson, Wisconsin delegate.

"Looking to the future, the word that comes to mind is possibility," said Johnson. "We now really have the possibility to truly imagine what's possible for ourselves."


Talk to us:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we're all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.


It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.


Report a typo or error