The USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy, in partnership with the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania, and in collaboration with POLITICO, Ms. Magazine, and Common Sense Media, presents four days of open discussions on important domestic and international issues at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Scheduled from Monday, August 19 to Thursday, August 22, these roundtable discussions will feature leading journalists, international figures, historians, and notable political, social, and academic decision-makers. Inspired by the vision of Walter and Leonore Annenberg, the Annenberg Schools have held discussions on politics, media, and society at the national political conventions since 2000 in addition to one or both schools taking students for experiential learning.
Confirmed participants and guests to date include former Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner; Northwestern University Communication Professor Erik Nisbet; historian Douglas Brinkley; photographer David Hume Kennerly; historian Byron Shafer; VOA Director Michael Abramowitz; RFK Human Rights President Kerry Kennedy; former member of Parliament Jonathan Ashworth, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Kristin Kane, former CSPAN anchor and current Sirius XM host Steve Scully; Chicago Sun-Times reporter Lynn Sweet; POLITICO California Bureau Chief Christopher Cadelago, Washington Post reporter Michael Scherer, New York Times reporter Jennifer Medina; political strategist Simon Rosenberg; Univision Director of Polling & Data Sergio García-Rios, co-founder of Equis Research Carlos Odio, Telemundo anchor Julio Vaqueiro, VICE correspondent Paola Ramos, U.S. Representative Nanette Barragán, Ms. Magazine Editor Katherine Spillar; Georgetown Law School Professor Michele Goodwin; NYU Law School Professor Jennifer Weiss-Wolf; political strategist Celinda Lake; Common Sense Media Founder and CEO Jim Steyer; former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs; Leaders We Deserve Founder David Hogg; actress and activist Rosario Dawson; social media expert Annie Wu Henry; Gen Z historian Kahlil Greene, Harvard polling expert John Della Volpe; co-founder of WelcomePAC Lauren Harper Pope, former Pennsylvania representative Patrick Murphy, and Los Angeles Times legal columnist Harry Litman. Click here to view our agenda of speakers.
All events are located at the Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605.
When arriving at the Hilton Chicago, please use the entrance at 8th St and Michigan Ave.
RSVP and picture ID required for entry.
DAY 1
Monday, August 19
9 AM-10 AM: Fake Videos and Election Cybersecurity in the Age of AI
Join us to hear about workshops for election officials, campaign workers, policymakers, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and an overview of how to keep our elections safe in an age of AI and disinformation.
Featured guests include: Erik C. Nisbet, Adam Clayton Powell III, Jude Meche, and Michael Posner
10 AM-11 AM: Why History Matters
This panel will explore how important historical events – including the 1964 and 1968 DNCs – have led us to this current political moment and what we can learn from them.
Featured guests include: Byron Shafer, Geoffrey Cowan, David Hume Kennerly, Douglas Brinkley, and Kerry Kennedy
11 AM-12 PM: Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting
Join us for a panel discussion on American public diplomacy goals and International broadcasting with a special focus on human rights. Hear from leading figures in both the broadcasting and diplomacy fields.
Featured guests include: Michael Abramowitz, Kristin Kane, Kerry Kennedy, Adam Clayton Powell III, and Jonathan Ashworth
DAY 2
Tuesday, August 20
9 AM-10 AM: Politics & the Media in the 2024 Election: Shaping the Narrative with POLITICO
This dynamic roundtable discussion features top journalists and political strategists discussing the evolving media landscape and its impact on contemporary elections including the pronounced narrative shift surrounding the 2024 presidential election now that Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Featured guests include: Steve Scully, Lynn Sweet, Chris Cadelago, and Michael Scherer
10 AM-12 PM: Latino Voters. Latino Media.
This panel led by former lead anchor for Univision León Krauze will explore the shifting voting preferences of Latino voters in America and dispel the myth that they are a monolithic voting bloc.
Featured guests include: León Krauze, Jennifer Medina, Nanette Barragán, Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, Sergio García-Rios, Carlos Odio, Julio Vaqueiro, Paola Ramos, and Simon Rosenberg
NOTE: Discussion will begin at 10am with an extended conversation running until 12pm. Guests may appear for some or all of the panel.
12 PM-1 PM: Why Women Matter with Ms. Magazine
This timely panel will explore the gender gap and what is driving women’s votes in 2024. It will feature pollsters and prominent political thinkers as they untangle the role that women will play in the 2024 presidential election.
Featured guests include: Katherine Spillar, Michele Bratcher Goodwin, and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf
DAY 3
Wednesday, August 21
9 AM-10 AM: Two Parties? Four Parties? Intraparty Dissent in 2024
American politics is described as a duopoly despite the reality that roughly half of the electorate identifies as independent or unaffiliated and the reality of clear schisms within the major parties — between pro and anti-Trump Republicans and between moderate and progressive Democrats. Are these clear schisms reconcilable? Will the 2024 election result in a major party alignment?
Featured guests include: Lauren Harper Pope, Craig Snyder, Patrick Murphy
11 AM-12 PM: An American Plan for Families and Children with Common Sense Media
This panel in partnership with Common Sense Media will explore what the Democratic plan for families and children should be in the year 2024. What should a Harris presidency do to combat emerging threats posed to children online? How do the Republican and Democratic plans for families differ? These questions and more will be answered by an expert panel, who will also take audience questions.
Featured guests include: Rosario Dawson, Jim Steyer
12 PM-1 PM: A Conversation with Celinda Lake
Join the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy for a lunchtime conversation with renowned political strategist Celinda Lake. The conversation will be moderated by Kathy Spillar, executive editor of Ms. Magazine and the executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation. Audience questions are encouraged. Lunch will be served!
Featured guests: Celinda Lake, Katherine Spillar, Marjorie Margolies
DAY 4
Thursday, August 22
9 AM-10 AM: Gen Z and the 2024 Election
What is motivating Gen Z to be politically involved compared with past generations, how will their preference for receiving news on social media impact campaign strategies, and what issues will ultimately drive voter turnout? This panel will explore these questions and more while featuring a mix of young voices and political experts.
Featured guests include: Michael Tubbs, Annie Wu Henry, Kahlil Greene, John Della Volpe, and David Hogg
11 AM-12 PM: Does America Need a Landslide?
Join the University of Pennsylvania in conjunction with the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy for an insightful panel discussion exploring the potential of an electoral landslide to unite Americans and create political cohesion. The panel will delve into the history of electoral and presidential landslides and feature insights from leading journalists and historians.
Featured guests include: David Eisenhower, Marjorie Margolies