For the first time, a national political convention provided special credentials to social media content creators, with 200 attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August. I had the privilege of being one of them. 

This summer, I worked as a fellow with Civic Influencers, a national nonpartisan organization focused on getting out the vote, especially on college campuses. My role was to create engaging social media videos to inform peers about the voting process, with a focus on teaching about mail-in ballots. Through this organization, I applied and was selected to attend the DNC as an official nonpartisan content creator. 

The energy at the DNC was electric. People across the country filled the convention center with excitement, wearing t-shirts, hats and pins dedicated to their most important causes. The room was also filled with well-known political figures, two of whom I met: Jack Schlossberg, grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, and Anita Hill, a trailblazing feminist and activist. 

As a digital media student, being surrounded by media outlets and fellow influencers was especially thrilling; I learned a lot from their techniques and styles. 

My generation consumes most of its information through social media, a change from previous ones who relied on traditional media like newspapers, TV and radio. To explore this shift, I interviewed politicians and influencers about social media’s role in engaging young voters. 

Indiana Massara, an actress and TikTok influencer with nearly five million followers, emphasized the importance of authenticity when engaging youth. “It’s really important to engage the youth naturally and organically. That’s why I’m here. I’m covering the DNC as organically and truthfully as possible to the youth. I think that informing them in a way they can grasp quickly, without too many voices or things going around, is super important,” she said. 

Rep. Sara Jacobs, one of the youngest U.S. House of Representatives members, also spoke about the impact of youth in politics: 

 “I honestly never thought I would be in Congress… I was told that if I wanted more young people or women in office, I had to do it myself. It’s easy for young people to think ‘that stuff doesn’t impact me,’ or ‘nothing I do will change it,’ but that’s not true. Young people’s voices are the reason we passed the biggest investment in climate change ever and the first gun violence prevention legislation since I was in elementary school. Young people made their voices heard, and we got things done as a result.” 

On the second night, I attended an influencer afterparty, complete with a wall of photos featuring figures like former President Barack Obama and athlete Jason Kelce, banned books chained up on display and gimmicks like reproductive rights-themed condoms that read “F*ck Project 2025.” There were also games like spin-the-wheel, a claw machine and a boxing arcade. The night’s highlight was meeting and collaborating with TikTok influencers like Claudia Conway, Mattie Westbrouck, Vidya and Grant and Ash, creators of the viral “Panera” song.  I also met political figures such as Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, and David Hogg, co-founder of March for Our Lives. 

I am incredibly grateful for this unforgettable experience. You can check out videos and photos from my DNC journey on Instagram @dani.digitaldiaries and TikTok @dani.radosh.