The second annual San Luis Obispo County Democratic Convention took place Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo Guild Hall.
The convention is hosted by the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party and Cal Poly Democrats. The event is the result of a senior project by Cal Poly political science senior and event coordinator, Andrea Amavisca.
She said she was inspired to organize the convention as her senior project because of her friend, Annie Campbell, who planned the event last year.
“I just wanted to be able to continue that legacy she started to inspire Cal Poly students to grow more politically active,” Amavisca said. “I just wanted to give the community a day full of learning so it can spark interest in them to want to be more involved and care more about these issues.”
The convention focused on key issues such as immigration, labor unions, universal health care, climate change, criminal justice reform, homelessness and grass-roots organizing from campaign members of Yes on Measure G, according to Amavisca.
There were panels and workshops to inform attendees as well as keynote speakers State Controller Betty Yee, State Senator Bill Monning, County Supervisor Adam Hill, and John Laird who is running for State Senate, as well as Cal Poly professors and local community members. Mayor Heidi Harmon gave the welcome address.
Amavisca worked with Rosemary Wrenn, Chair of the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party, other members of the party as well as members and volunteers of the Cal Poly Democrats to host the convention.
“I was a little bit nervous taking on a role like this because I’m kinda new to this field and there’s people with a lot more experience than me,” Amavisca said. “But I just figured I should really push myself to do this because it’ll be really rewarding.”
She said she hopes that the younger community of San Luis Obispo, like Cal Poly students, will be motivated to stay politically active leading up to the 2020 election.
Profits from the event will be donated to the Cal Poly Democrats to help fund their trip to the California State Democratic Convention in May.