The Democratic National Convention (DNC), set to paint Chicago blue this August, is not just leaning on political operatives to prep for the big bash but is also turning to local Chicagoans with a new "neighborhood ambassadors" program. The initiative, detailed by the DNC’s Host Committee, calls on residents from all 77 of the city’s neighborhoods to step up as local leaders in the wind-up to the event, which hopes to attract some 50,000 attendees.
Plotting to both draw thousands of volunteers and scatter economic windfalls across the city, the DNC is seeking to ensure the convention's legacy will extend beyond the four-day political spectacle. Ambassadors will be tasked with recruiting at least 50 volunteers each, playing host to neighborhood happenings, and acting as a conduit for convention brass. To reel in these local connectors, an application process was launched on Monday, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The chosen ambassadors, although volunteers, are not to be left empty-handed. With cash rewards at stake, the top recruiters can also snag seats at the convention, along with exclusive volunteer gigs. The envoy output will yield neighborhood parties and the hallowed “bragging rights," as outlined by Mo Green, senior director of civic and community engagement for the host committee, in an interview with WBEZ.
In a bid to fully connect Chicagoans with the upcoming event, the DNC is also seeking out local businesses, relying on ambassadors to suggest vendors that should be featured in a directory for convention-goers. To further ramp up city-wide involvement, Maurice Green highlighted to Block Club that the ambassadors serve a critical role "to really give them an opportunity to lead sort of on a national stage."
Applications for those aiming to represent their neighborhoods are up for grabs on the hosts' website, with the window tightly closing on February 9. Ambassadors will engage directly with the host committee and mobilize their networks, requiring between five to ten hours of work weekly. Not just limited to city stompers, the program extends to select suburbs, looking to place 23 spirited Suburbans in ambassadorial roles. This ensures the program’s reach beyond the city proper, harnessing a broad slice of the region’s civic prowess.
