Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., appeared in a virtual speech during the third night of the Democratic National Convention to discuss the struggles of childcare in America, especially amid the coronavirus crisis.
“Childcare was already hard to find before the pandemic. And now, parents are stuck — no idea when schools can safely reopen and even fewer childcare options,” Warren said from a childcare center in Massachussetts, before drawing on her own experiences of juggling childcare while working.
But as Warren addressed a topic that Americans have been struggling with on both sides of the aisle, another message popped out at viewers, as observers noted on social media.
Lining the background behind Warren as she addressed the Democratic National Convention were block letters inside cubbies: B L M [Black Lives Matter].
The display comes amid months of protests and division within the U.S., following the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man, on May 25 while in police custody. The protests, which at times have turned violent, and ensuing debates over defunding police departments, have become a major topic of the 2020 presidential race.
Warren’s speech came just before Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president on Wednesday night, becoming the first female Black and South Asian American to run on a major party ticket.
“That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me,” Harris tweeted after her acceptance speech.
“Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all. They organized, marched, and fought—not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table,” she added.
Warren, who dropped her presidential candidacy in March, hosted another event earlier this week as a part of the DNC for the Native American Caucus. But the virtual event’s messaging feature was inundated with trolls mocking the senator, forcing the organizers to shut down the chat feature, 30 minutes prior to her speech.
Posters sent messages, including the slur “Pocahontas” and other posts that mocked her distant Native American ancestry – a tactic that has been spurred on by President Trump.
Trump recently brought up the offensive nickname he has bestowed on the senator, after Harris’ nomination for vice president was announced, saying “I was sort of hoping he [Biden] was going to pick Pocahontas…she’s another beauty.”
Though Warren did not name Trump in her Wednesday night address, she said, “The devastation is enormous. And the way I see it: Big problems demand big solutions.
“Joe’s plan to ‘Build Back Better’ includes making the wealthy pay their fair share, holding corporations accountable, repairing racial inequities, and fighting corruption in Washington.”
