I'm with her. (Image via video still)

Sen. Kamala Harris kicked off Night 3 of the DNC by urging people to have a voting plan:

When we vote, things change.

Hosted by Kerry Washington, the evening's first issue was common-sense gun control, and made use of footage of Parkland survivor Emma González shouting of arguments against gun control:

We call B.S.!

Testimony on the topic included passionate commentary from people directly affected by gun violence, including teenagers. A mom whose son was severely disabled following a shooting spoke movingly of how her life changed, strongly endorsing Joe Biden on the issue of guns and taking on the NRA.

“The child that I birthed is not able to live his dreams.” (Image via video still)

It was also deeply effective to see and hear from former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, who was shot in the head in 2011 and nearly died.

“I have not lost my voice.” (Image via video still)

A young man then recalled the time he was an intern in D.C. and was on the phone with his grandmother, who asked to speak to Joe Biden, who was walking by. He wound up speaking to her for 30 minutes, to the exclusion of everything else. Sweet story!

Biden is good with grandmas! (Image via video still)

Next up, it was climate change, with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico — a rumored veep before Kamala clinched it — touching on the topic passionately, saying we need to attack the crisis.

I found the definition of “the overview effect” — astronauts being overwhelmed watching the planet from space — to be quite illuminating and a great segue into our need to radically reassess how we approach climate change. Again, we were told we have maybe a decade before we can't do anything about the death of Earth. It was also nice to see very, very young people woven into the narrative, including this young woman:

Attacking climate change is “an opportunity to have a better life.” (Image via video still)

This emphasis on young people led to Billie Eilish trashing Trump and performing “My Future” live for the first time. “We all have to vote like our lives and the world depend on it — because they do,” she said. She must be one of the youngest celebrities at a political convention?

I was into Billie's song, especially when it transformed into a 1974 disco jam. (Image via video still)

The song is hot, by the way!!!

You'd need to have ice water in your veins not to find this child's letter moving. (Image via video still)

Kerry — who is superb as a host — talked personally about the importance of discussing race in America, and we were treated to a reading of a reading of a letter by a Latina child to Trump, decrying his racism, plus from a family who emigrated to the U.S in order to get health care for their daughter born with spina bifida.

A montage about how the U.S. is a nation of immigrants narrated by President Obama drove the point home. We used to love to say that we are made up of immigrants; now, it's a dirty word. Trump has made blatant xenophobia commonplace again.

Liked Dominican-American Prince Royce's Spanglish cover of “Stand by Me,” which Kerry noted was a shout-out to the Boogie-Down Bronx.

Trump's embarrassingly empty pardon of Susan B. Anthony had nothin' on the video package of feminist issues that showed women protesting for equal rights (including Nancy Pelosi tearing up Trump's shitty speech that time!) through the decades. Loved the acknowledgment of Planned Parenthood at this point, too.

So many great women elected recently, and an impressive array were shown.

Hillary attacked Trump, but mostly supported Biden/Harris. (Image via video still)

Hillary's speech was painful for me. I will never get over my feelings as I stood at her supposed-to-be-victory-party a few blocks from my home when it became clear she had lost. I hope she is right when she says of Biden/Harris, “This is the team.” She wisely underscored the fact that Biden/Harris are promising things to vote for, even if Trump is also a good thing to vote against.

Most memorably:

This can't be another woulda-coulda-should election.

She also harkened back to Trump's fateful question in 2016 about what we have to lose. As (almost) always, she was right when she warned us: OH, EVERYTHING.

“Who is standing in the way? Mitch McConnell ... and Donald Trump.” (Image via video still)

Speaker Pelosi's package was fantastic. I can never be bored learning about her. It was also nice to see her have a victory lap regarding her many wins against Trump. In her speech, she noted the presence of women, POC and LGBTQ people in Congress, even giving Stonewall a shout-out.

It was a great choice that she made sure to attack McConnell, as well as Trump, because we have to “remember in November!” to vote like hell up and down the ballot.

Her husband shot her and left her for dead. Hargitay has started a foundation on the topic. (Image via video still)

The women who have suffered sexual violence urging others to vote for Biden brought to the fore Biden's record, including the Violence Against Women Act. This was a deeply person segment, and included a plea from Mariska Hargitay. I think this segment was also to help persuade anyone thinking that the shaky allegation against him involving sexual violence should be believed. It doesn't track, his history, and that allegation. Nice flashback to the late, great Janet Reno.

She made herstory, and will again. (Image via video still)

Hilda Solis ushered in a very broad and well-considered segment on our economic downturn. It was another opportunity to hear from a woman, from a Latina and from the little guys who are working their asses off to no avail while Trump brags on the stock market.

I can't imagine having a new business now. (Image via video still)

I loved what the above business owner had to say — succinctly:

BAM! Here's COVID!

... and also that as a Black woman biz owner she feels:

How shall I say ... ? ALONE!

Farmers also got their due, and I think it was important to emphasize that Trump doesn't think of farming as a business, and that he is sacrificing farmers with his pointless Chinese gamesmanship.

Elizabeth Warren? Biden has to have big plans for her! (Image via video still)

Elizabeth Warren's speech reminded me that she is special and that there is no way she will not somehow play a major part in a Biden Administration (or as Senate Majority Leader?). Plus, she had an Aunt Bea! With a Pekingese named Buddy!

“Regardless of ego, ambition or political beliefs,” any president should fight for us. (Image via video still)

Getting a constitutional lesson from constitutional scholar President Barack Obama was a pleasure. Hearing him trash Trump for showing “no interest in putting in the work” was a reminder of reality in an increasingly surreal world. Loved hearing him say Trump has not grown into the job because he can't. This voice of reason also took time telling us about Biden, calling him his “brother.” He also said Biden made him a better president, and is a man of character and experience. And don't get him started on Kamala Harris! 

I liked that he threw in a bunch of stuff about the Obama/Biden economy, too, echoing that segment on the economy from earlier. Also:

Joe knows the world, and the world knows him.

Obama went on to say he is asking for us to trust in Biden/Harris, but also challenging us all to do more than sit back and vote:

Do not let them take away your power. Do not let them take away your democracy.

This may be the first time everyone is saying it's the most important election of our lifetimes — and it actually is!

Following Obama's speech — equal parts instructional and knee-capping — it was Kamala time! OMG, the gavel!

Kamala Harris's family members introduced her — and it doesn't get better than that! Her whole family is so “fierce, formidable and phenomenal.”

I swear, I was having flashbacks to Obama WINNING.

Kamala Harris — for the people. (Image via video still)

As soon as Kamala started speaking, she stressed the women, and the Black women, who came before her, embracing the history of this moment.

How she did not cry when stressing the role her late mom played in her life, I will never know, because I was teary when she said her name. The woman came to the U.S. from India to cure cancer — then died of it.

“There is no vaccine for racism.” (Image via video still)

When she said, “Kamala Harris — for the people, I believed.” For one thing, she spoke very vividly about how crazy this moment in history is, and then summed it up with, “It's a lot.” It is.

I kept saying I wanted Biden to tap Harris because of their great chemistry, and it was on display as Kamala advocated for Biden in her speech — nothing forced. She likes and respects this guy.

Harris wrapped things up by promising the building of a community in which we can all see ourselves.

VOTE!