"The Democratic party is one big party!" -Delegate Donald Hughes

We camped out in Leela's MySpace Cafe again yesterday afternoon, and a few awesome delegates stopped by to visit us. We met with North Carolina Democratic delegates Jared Hagemann and Donald Hughes, and you'll never believe this-- they're only eighteen and twenty years old! We talked with them for a bit about their experiences so far at the DNC, why they wanted to be delegates, and what issues they're most passionate about.
Here are a few highlights from what they had to say--

Declare Yourself: What has been the best part of being a delegate here at the DNC?
Jared: Definitely hearing all of these different stories. I'll just be talking to someone in the center and they'll end up being a state senator.
Donald: ...Meeting so many of our nation's leaders... It's an amazing experience.

DY: As you probably know, most delegates are much older. What's it like being so young in the midst of a higher age group, and what were your personal reasons for running to be a North Carolina delegate?
Jared: I wanted to be a delegate because I wanted to open the door to politics for my generation. This is going to be a historical election and it's a great one to be a part of. Also, our generation will pay for the mistakes of our administrations and legislations-- it's our job to do what we can to fix that.
Donald: [As for] the older delegates, they give us so much advice, they're so willing to help us out and teach what they have learned from experience. We've learned so much from them.


DY: What's your top issue in politics? What are you most passionate or concerned about?
Donald: Education by far.. I believe there is an incredible lack of resources and support for higher education from the federal government. Obama has plans to change that by offering credit for students who complete community service.


Well thanks guys, for taking the time to talk to Declare Yourself and sharing with us and our fans! Enjoy the convention!

Sincerely,
Jacquie & Hope
DY Interns