On September 18, 2024, in a conference room full of enthusiastic and civic-driven attendees, Andrew Yang, founder of the Forward Party, spoke at the Independent National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Yang opened his speech with a touching, personal anecdote about his dissatisfaction towards current partisan politics. This set the stage for his central message, which highlighted the urgent need for problem solving and legislation that will serve everyday people–a refutation of the highly partisan nature of contemporary politics. He posed a question that reverberated around the room and beyond: how does one fix the current political landscape in the United States?

Almost immediately, Yang highlighted the “corporatized behemoths” of the RNC (Republican National Convention) and DNC (Democratic National Convention), which far too often prioritize corporate interests over the will of the people. As he gestured around the “room of truth” where the conference was held, a stark difference appeared between traditional partisan politics and the genuine concerns of the audience. He brought up an instance where a friend ran on the Democratic Party ticket for Congress in Tennessee's 1st District. Although she asked the major political party for money, they refused to financially assist her campaign. However, Yang emphasized that unlike this unfulfilled need, the strength of the Forward Party is its ability to put money in important, local races, and connect candidates with volunteers that are eager to improve their communities.

Additionally, Yang briefly spoke about his childhood, and how being the son of immigrant parents influenced his passion for simply wanting good things to happen to good people. As a result, he explained that he is not set on holding office, and is much more interested in local politics. As mentioned, unlike the two major parties which do not truly care about local offices, the Forward Party directly supports grassroots campaigns and candidates that work across the aisle in order to implement policies which will visibly improve their communities. He emphasized, “there are good people, altruists, patriots who are trying to fix....the infrastructure that keeps us locked in place.” Consequently, Yang also talked about supporting ballot initiatives in six states that could open up the primary to vote for anyone–the states are Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota. He called upon the importance of people to support and invest in these ballot initiatives, which are critical towards improving the infrastructure of the current political terrain.

Towards the end of his speech, Yang roused the audience into bursts of laughter as he quipped that he could jump back into the race any time by uploading a video with #YangGang or the like on any social media platform. Yet, this humorous moment was pinned back by an explanation of why he has not yet expressed desire to hop onto the campaign trail in the near future. Once again, Yang explained his disdain for political tribalism. Thus, he elaborated on his authentic desire to engage in politics for people and not political power, because “people recognize when they matter.”

Ultimately, Yang closed off with a reminder of why a third-party system is viable. He exclaimed that it is not only possible but also already in the room. Currently, 51% of voters in the country are independent voters, and it is important to harness this political energy in order to give all Americans a voice. It is easy to disregard the will of the people when one does not care enough to break with convention, like the two major political parties have often demonstrated. However, there is a crucial need to understand facts and data-driven solutions in the modern world–hence the mission of the Forward Party. As Yang gestured around the room, attendees smiled and nodded, showcasing that there is a growing coalition pushing for unity and change in local politics and the broader political landscape.