Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf of Krewella, Billboard‘s own live streaming correspondents from the the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, took a minute to speak about their experience at the historical event on Thursday (July 28).
Looking out over the packed Well’s Fargo Center, the sisters reflected on what has clearly been a moving event. For Jahan, one of the most memorable experiences was speaking briefly with Jesse Jackson, she said.
“We were talking about it and our generation is not going to get a voice like that sadly to say 30 years from now, so I think it’s really important to use the media and use social media to hear what he’s preaching,” she said.
Jahan continued, noting the importance of education reform.
“There’s so much in my history classes that I didn’t learn that’s given me so much context today,” she said. “That’s probably one of the most important things to be a more open minded nation is having context and understanding historical background and the atrocities we have committed against other people, minorities in this country, to understand we haven’t given people an equal playing field in this country.”
As well, she noted that while the DNC can feel like one massive party, it’s important not to lose sight of the reason behind it.
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“It’s a celebration and it feels like one massive show and it feels like a party, but at the same time I think it’s so important to think about what we need to do to work and to move forward as a country to feel more progressive,” she said.
Yasmine said she was been moved by the message of unity and seeing how important it is that we as people take time to understand each other. “People are just stronger together, divided we fall,” she said.
As an example, she pointed to their interview earlier that day with Officer Shafiq Abdussabu, from New Haven, Connecticut, a black Muslim father who works as a police man.
“He had so many important things to say and share with us that we would have never learned because his perspective is so unique,” she said. “So we just need to approach people with a lot of love and open ears and I think that’s what I’m coming away from today with.”
Watch the full segment here: