Arizona woman among speakers at Democratic convention

PHOENIX — A woman whose father’s coronavirus death made national news is among the Arizonans scheduled to speak during this week’s Democratic National Convention.

Kristin Urquiza will speak about her father’s story during the COVID-19 portion of the first day of the convention, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Arizona time.

Urquiza’s father, Mark Anthony, died June 30 due to the virus.

In his obituary in the Arizona Republic, Urquiza blamed her father’s death on a lack of action by political leaders.

“His death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of this crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk,” the obituary said.

Urquiza created Marked By Covid, which brings light to preventable coronavirus deaths, following her father’s death.

So far, Marked By Covid has featured four virus deaths in the Latino community.

Urquiza is one of four people with Arizona ties scheduled to appear during the four-day convention.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez will speak Tuesday night as part of the keynote address.

Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is scheduled to speak Wednesday.

Jeff Jeans, a Sedona man and former conservative Republican who supports the Affordable Care Act because he said it saved his life, will speak Thursday.

Michelle Obama, whom Gallup determined was the nation’s most admired woman last year, is delivering the keynote address Monday night. She is following a collection of elected officials and ordinary Americans that highlight extraordinary political and racial diversity.

The scheduled Monday speakers include plenty of Democratic politicians: Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who is the highest ranking African American in Congress; New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Alabama Sen. Doug Jones; Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and two former presidential contenders: Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

However, there are also four high-profile Republicans featured on the convention’s opening night: former Ohio two-term Gov. John Kasich, California businesswoman Meg Whitman, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman and former New York Congresswoman Susan Molinari.

With no live audience, the Democrats were forced to get creative to generate a sense of enthusiasm.

The campaign is hosting drive-in viewing stations in six states, much like drive-in movies, where viewers watch on a big screen from the safety of their vehicles. There are also many online watch parties featuring celebrities and elected officials to make the experience more interactive.

It will be impossible to engage the total viewership on the first night. Broadcast TV networks plan to show the final hour each night live, cable news will show both hours and many viewers will stream the event from Joe Biden’s website or on social media.

The speakers will outline Biden’s plans and positive vision for America, which will “stand in stark contrast to the lack of leadership and the chaos we’re seeing from Donald Trump,” said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. “The convention tonight, it’s about Joe Biden, it’s not about Donald Trump.”

Yet Trump is ensuring he’ll be a part of the political conversation.

The Republican president was making two swing-state campaign appearances on Monday, first in Minnesota and then in Wisconsin, which was to be the location for the Democrats’ convention before the coronavirus outbreak.

Tune to KTAR News 92.3 FM nightly at 7 p.m. for special coverage of the Democratic National Convention.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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