The People's Convention Draws More than 400,000 Views. Attendees Cast Historic Vote to Build a Major New Political Party Free of Corporate Money and Influence

Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life joined The People's Convention yesterday, sending it rocketing to #2 trending nationally on Twitter and keeping it top trending throughout the full 5-hour program. The digital Convention was viewed over 400,000 times on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. At the conclusion of the program, an overwhelming 99 percent of viewers cast the historic vote to form a major new political party in America in 2021.

Speakers included former Bernie 2020 Co-Chair Sen. Nina Turner and Harvard Professor Dr. Cornel West, Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, and political commentator Jimmy Dore and Host of Amped Up Ryan Knight.

They were joined by speakers representing the mosaic of America: students, labor leaders, a poet, nonprofit leaders, activists, comedians, former Democratic congressional candidates, independent media leaders, and a climate scientist. Former Bernie 2020 staff, surrogates, delegates, and organizers all spoke.

They met in the wake of Democratic and Republican conventions that erased the needs of poor and working people in a time of mounting national crises--a raging pandemic and health crisis, an economic depression, a police brutality and racial justice crisis, a housing crisis, breadlines and record child hunger, endless wars, and climate breakdown.

Sen. Nina Turner electrified the Convention as she decried the "racist, bigoted system" that oppresses Blacks, the poor, the working poor, and the increasing rates of near-poor.

Saying we need to "slay the dragons of neofascism and neoliberalism," she called this a "revolutionary time" for which MPP is answering the call. She closed her powerful address with, "We gonna get to work on a people's party with these hands. We are on the move."

Dr. Cornel West said, "The People's Party is a prophetic fightback." The Harvard professor and author said that as he helps MPP build a people's party, he is bringing with him the musicians that have spoken for so many revolutionaries such as Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and Nina Simone.

Referencing the 1963 March on Washington, Dr. West said, "That next morning young brother Dr. Martin Luther King told America about a dream that he had, which was not the American dream, but a dream rooted in the American dream, and it has everything to do with the Movement for a People's Party."

Former New York Times journalist Chris Hedges said that Trump is a demagogue but that the election of Joe Biden will ensure that "far more competent demagogues get elected." He reminded attendees that in America "you are only allowed to vote against what you hate," not for what you want. "We need to overthrow the system, not placate it."

Former Gov. Jesse Ventura talked about his experiences as an independent who defeated both major parties. "We need a third or fourth entity to step in," he insisted while lauding MPP's efforts. "The lesser of two evils, is still evil," said Ventura.

Best-selling author, spiritual leader and former Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson gave a historical background on how the civil rights and women's movements brought forth policies that are now being unraveled. She said that MPP worked in the rich tradition of people who have "taken the wheel and pushed back against oppressive forces and did what was necessary to get this country back on track."

Labeling our government a system of "legalized bribery," Willamson called on Americans to "step in" to a people's party, adding, "I'm proud to be stepping in with you." About the convention, she said, "This is big stuff. This is good stuff. This is historic stuff."

The Movement for a People's Party now dives into organizing local hubs across the country that will form the building blocks of state parties and get ballot access. The party will run for Congress in 2022 and for the Presidency in 2024.