Rep. Robert Garcia addresses Democratic National Convention on first day

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Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, was among the speakers at Monday's first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, discussing his mother and stepfather both dying in the summer of 2020 due to complications from COVID-19.

Garcia said he will "never forget" when Harris called him after his parents died, and how she told her own story of losing her mother.

"We all know that later that year, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were elected president and vice president, and what a difference they made together," Garcia said.

"They got people vaccinated, they got the virus under control, they safely reopened our schools and they passed the American rescue plan -- a historic economic package that helped small businesses and created jobs across the country."

President Joe Biden was Monday's keynote speaker, with first lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee also set to speak.

Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo also is attending the convention, which runs through Thursday.

Los Angeles City Council members Bob Blumenfield, Monica Rodriguez, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price and Heather Hutt are also attending, prompting cancellation of this week's council meetings.

Blumenfield, a member of the Democratic National Committee and vice president of the Democratic Municipal Officials, an organization of Democratic local elected officials across the nation, will serve as a "super delegate."

Blumenfield told City News Service that he's attended Democratic National Conventions since 1980 in various roles. He recalled attending the convention as a youth journalist and later as a commission staffer, volunteer and elected delegate.

"The Democratic convention has changed a lot over the years -- much more radically from the '60s," Blumenfield told City News Service.

"The convention is still a platform to activate the campaign in the final push toward the general election, to get the party and Democratic activists excited, and the convention itself is technically a meeting of the party."

Blumenfield said he was excited to be part of the energy at the convention.

"It's always nice to connect with a lot of folks," Blumenfield said. "I'll be seeing people from across the country."

Blumenfield said it was great that Harris, who has a home in Brentwood, is the party's presidential nominee because she is "close to many of us in the L.A. delegation and understands our issues."

"I think that's going to be a great benefit to Los Angeles," Blumenfield said.

Hutt is a delegate in the category known as "party leaders and elected officials," notable local elected and party officials, though not governors or members of the federal government, said Devyn Bakewell, her communications director.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis is also attending the convention, her communications director, Kimberly Ortega, told City News Service.