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From left to right, William Washington, Lisa Femia, Vaniah Temple and Lamonte Pryor, winners of a voting rights youth essay contest who traveled to Denver to attend the DNC with the D.C. delegation.
The youngest members of the District of Columbia's contingent at the Democratic National Convention had to do more than be loyal Democratic Party stalwarts to gain access to the Pepsi Center — they had to put pen to paper to convince local party officials they deserved a trip to Denver.
About 15 D.C. high school students applied to an essay contest put together by Democratic Party activists Jeffrey Richardson and Sheila White, and four winners were selected: Vaniah Temple, a sophomore at School Without Walls; Lamonte Pryor, an '08 graduate of Coolidge High School who starts at Temple University this fall; Lisa Femia, a junior at Wilson High School; and William Washington, an '08 graduate from Wilson who is heading to Catholic University. All four are actually skipping the first week of school to attend the convention and canvass young people to educate them about D.C.'s voting rights cause, but unsurprisingly, they don't seem too worried about it.
"Our teachers just said that it's a neat thing for us to do, and that they're jealous," Temple said.
The foursome have been spending their time passing out voting rights literature in front of meetings of the Youth Caucus, where they say they've found younger people who seem more interested in D.C.'s struggle to gain congressional representation. And in a larger sense, all four agree that even if young can't yet vote, it's never too early to get involved.
"It's important for the youth to be here, so that they have a voice in the next election," Washington said.
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I should rightfully be there! The poem I submitted, "The Lovesong of B. Hussein Obama" was totally snubbed! I blame a blatantly anti-monkey contingent on the review board. See for yourself:
Let us go then, you and I,
When the pundits spew is spread out against the sky
Like a patient lacking universal healthcare etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted Denver streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night Bates Motels
And chain restaurants in lobbyist Hells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question
"Where's my ethernet cable? Where is the WiFi? Where are the cabs?"
Oh, do not ask, “What the f**k does this have to do with DC, you stupid s**t?”
Let us go and make our visit.
I will drop my pants and walk upon the beach,
I have heard the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuit singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.
Though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] brought in upon a buffet platter,
I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter;
I have foreseen it all, gazing into my anal love palantir; a lidless goatse, wreathed in flame
"This time it won't be the same. This time it will be DIFFERENT. Not the same."
We have lingered in the chambers of the DNC
By blogger-girls wreathed with streamers red, white, blue, and brown
Til GOP voices wake us, and we drown.
bravo monkey....i think
Only one of the four is from NW DC. Hey kids! If you think you know who, write your answer on postcard and mail it in to:
'That's Not Racial Transcendence' PAC
1234 Puerto Rico Ave NE
Washington, DC 20004
First prize is a cocktail napkin used by time presidential hopeful Mike Gravel. Second prize (3) is a cabinet appointment at second tier agency (Interior, HUD or Energy). Limit one entry per household. Employees of Papa John's Pizza and their families are not eligible.
See, I'm always getting Kids in the Hall and New Kids on the Block and Kids on the Block mixed up.
Just to play it safe, I refer to all of them as "those handicapped puppets."