One Year Out: Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee Releases Video to Mark Countdown to Democratic National Convention

MILWAUKEE, WI—Today, the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention released a video to officially mark the one-year countdown to the convention. The video, featuring elected officials representing Wisconsin, local business owners, and others, highlights the significant economic impact the convention is poised to make on a community that is already undergoing an economic and cultural renaissance.

The convention presents a several hundred million dollar opportunity to Milwaukee and the surrounding area. The Host Committee will work to ensure that all of Milwaukee and the region benefits from the event and its aftermath. The Host Committee will organize a meaningful and safe convention to build generational capacity, ensure significant community and minority participation, and make a positive economic impact on the city and region for years to come.

“One year from now, Milwaukee is going to host an incredible gathering that’s going to bring this nation together,” said Tom Barrett, mayor of Milwaukee. “A lot of what’s going on in America, you can see right here in Wisconsin. And that’s why I think so many people are looking at this state—and this city—for the 2020 election.”

“Milwaukee is a great place,” said Tony Evers, governor of Wisconsin. “The strong values that people in Milwaukee have are part of their DNA. They’re hardworking people.”

“Milwaukee is a great city on a Great Lake with amazing food, wonderful entertainment, and even better people,” said Mandela Barnes, lieutenant governor of Wisconsin.

“We were the first state that allowed collective bargaining for workers, for the right to organize, and for the eight-hour workday,” said U.S. Representative Gwen Moore about Wisconsin.

“I can’t wait to have Milwaukee in the national limelight,” said U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin.

“One of the goals of the Milwaukee Host Committee is to help individuals who are coming to this amazing city understand what a treat they are in for when they get here,” said Liz Gilbert, president of the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee. “We want to make sure that this is the most inclusive, accessible, diverse, and exciting convention that we have ever seen.”

“Milwaukee has often been called the best-kept secret in the Midwest,” said Alex Lasry, finance chair of the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee. “To have the Democratic National Convention come to Milwaukee is a way to put Milwaukee on the map in a way that it just hasn’t been before.”

“Milwaukee has a really amazing and rich history, with manufacturing and the ‘beer barons’ and the birthplace of Harley-Davidson—but there’s so much more than that,” said Tamela Greene, co-owner of two Milwaukee-area restaurants.

“This is a great place where real people understand real work, getting real things done, and they care about what matters,” said Chris Abele, Milwaukee county executive.

The Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee is excited to make wide-reaching and long-lasting investments into the Milwaukee community that will span far beyond the four days of the convention itself. This will be achieved through a grassroots fundraising effort to raise $70 million, youth engagement incentives such as a $15/hour intern wage, and the recruitment and training of a 15,000-person volunteer corps.

In particular, the Host Committee’s guiding principles stress their commitment to diversity and inclusion, with a focus on reaching out to youth and families in every Milwaukee zip code, providing equitable access for people of all abilities, and expanding opportunity for minority, veteran, LGBTQ, disability, and women-owned businesses in a space that is anti-racist and anti-hate.

People interested in volunteering to support this community effort are encouraged to sign up on the Milwaukee 2020 website: milwaukee2020.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.