Malcolm Kenyatta's Powerful Speech at DNC 2024

On day two of the 2024 democratic national convention in Chicago, Illinois, Representative Malcolm Kenyatta from Philadelphia gave a moving speech that captivated everyone at home and in person. Among the eye-catching speeches at a lineup that included big names like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and former president Barack Obama, though, was Kenyatta's — which took on Project 2025 directly.

Kenyatta, who has pushed progressive policies from the moment he was elected to the Pennsylvania House in 2019, took advantage of his platform as a mouthpiece for Project 2025’s agenda by criticizing nearly every single one — all designed to grow presidential authority while chipping away at renewable energy grants and various social protections. In his address, he railed against the policies as bad economics and a tangle of expensive quotas capable of unweaving "a thread that holds civilized society together for decades in this country…on civil rights, conservation and economic justice" [source: Pietrusza].

The representative, who is also running for Pennsylvania auditor general responded : “We need serious leadership that knows what the problems are with real Americans.” These were the kinds of proactive measures that McKee and Democrats would have to wield in a more divisive statehouse dominated by conservative forces like the GOP, he argued, pointing for instance at his laundry list of legislative priorities: better LGBTQ+ protections; tighter gun laws; a minimum wage hike.

It was more than just an indictment of conservative policies and direction — Kenyatta's speech read like a call to action. He called for Americans to remember that, no matter their political party, the United States is at its best when we are united and diverse. His message of unity and perseverance resonated with a plethora, showing his growing prominence in the Democratic Party.

Kenyatta's words clearly struck a chord with the delegates, but their implications go way beyond reception at the convention. It establishes a national dialogue on the U.S. policy direction and what fundamental values will rule America's future. But whether by the left or for broader reasons, voices like Kenyatta's are certainly set to continue a role in determining just how what direction the Democratic Party sets out on as it navigates this moment and looks toward 2024.

By focusing on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights and economic justice, in the case of Kenyatta he is connecting with a huge part of his base — one that cares deeply about social equity. And tying all these issues to a broader economic policy, his voice will be critical in the ongoing challenge over which direction best moves us towards a society that is more just and better off.

Over the course of the DNC, and as political strategies play out, it will be interesting to see how much weight Kenyatta's words appear to carry. His appeal for unity and a return to serious leadership, in the face of reckless policy proposals lays out what is at stake during this election season — as well as our ongoing battle over who we will be Tekina and America's future.