David Lewis
Special to the Sun

DENVER—Two first-time delegates representing Bakersfield and the Kern River Valley are sharing a special excitement at the Democratic National Convention here in Denver.

When Democrat Barack Obama accepts his party’s nomination Thursday night at Invesco Field at Mile High in front of 75,000 attendees and millions viewing on worldwide television, Uduak Ntuk said he will take pride in his own multi-racial background, similar to Obama’s.

Bernita Jenkins and Uduak Ntuk, of Bakersfield, traveled to Democratic National Convention in Denver. A first for each, they agreed, “It’s a trip of a lifetime” and exciting to be part of such an historic convention.

And when Obama refers to Martin Luther King and the 45th anniversary of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Bernita Jenkins said it reflects her journey that began as an African American in Bakersfield’s segregated public schools. She was born just before the historic 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision and remembers the voting right act and other steps toward racial equality. Tuesday night marked the 80th anniversary of women’s right to vote.

“Everything is a highlight here, but Thursday night will be the crescendo,” Jenkins said. “His speech, and his nomination, represent the realization of the values and dreams of a more perfect union.”

Jenkins, a former educator who now works for a non-profit organization was the Obama campaign’s Kern County organizer. As a community activist, Jenkins adds that Obama is much more than the first major-party candidate of color.

“He has a different view, he really listens,” she said. The Democratic policies on issues like health care, education and comfortable, affordable retirement are ones that she believes will resonate with Kern River Valley residents.

Ntuk pointed to his party’s position on important Kern River Valley issues like rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. “The Lake Isabella dam is rated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the most at-risk dam in the country. We need to heed the lessons of Katrina and fix things ahead of disasters,” he said.

He also pointed to the importance of developing wind as an energy source. “Tehachapi is the #1 source of wind power in the country, and wind is good for our area, American and the environment,” said Ntuk, a petroleum engineer for Chevron and a part-time graduate student.

Ntuk spent his vacation time campaigning in California, Nevada and Texas for Obama. He and Jenkins were chosen to be delegates by winning their elections in the Obama caucus.

On Monday, about 300 demonstrators gathered at a park in front of the state Capitol and marched through busy downtown streets to the federal courthouse, where they held a rally against torture. Dozens of police in riot gear followed the demonstrators, warning them to stay on the sidewalks and not block traffic. But demonstrators acknowledge that there is reluctance to spoil the nomination of the first black major-party presidential candidate in history, a man who was once a community organizer.