For islander delegates, 8,000-mile journey to history

Delegate Janet King is staying at a Marriott in Lansdale, Montgomery County, a good 35 miles from the Democratic National Convention in South Philadelphia. But what's 35 miles when you've traveled more than 8,000 miles through 10 time zones to get here, when you live so far away that at midmorning Thursday here it's already Friday back home?

And what is any distance when you are making history, as King is?

She is one of 13 delegates from the Northern Mariana Islands, the newest U.S. territory, which is sending representatives to the Democratic convention for the first time. Their Republican counterparts went to their third convention last week.

"We are exercising an important right of American democracy," said King, the delegation chair, at the Courtyard Marriott on Thursday morning. Islanders, along with residents of all other U.S. territories, do not have the right to vote in the November election, however.

"Slowly, as history evolves, I think that will no longer be the case, but we have to start somewhere," said King, 39, who is of Pacific islander and Korean ancestry. She did get to savor a crowning moment Tuesday night, standing up proudly during the convention roll call, along with a majority of the delegation in matching flowered shirts and adorned in flowers from their homeland.

"Because of Hillary Clinton, I decided to jump right in," King said. "I'm an attorney, and I have two young children. . . . There are moments in your life when you have to participate."

The delegates have found both Philadelphians and their city to be warmer than expected. And, yes, they've eaten cheesesteaks. But mostly they've been working.

Stephen Woodruff, one of two Mariana delegates who voted for Bernie Sanders, came early to participate in the platform committee meeting - the first time the islands had a voice there as well.

"It's the one way that we have of having a voice, an actual voice, in the choice of the next president," said Woodruff, 64. "It's an indirect voice, but we actually have a voice."

The local chapter applied for recognition by the national party after the 2012 convention and was accepted. Then local party leader Brian Flaherty, 39, planned the first-ever caucus, drawing on experiences in his native state, Iowa.

"It was great because we had greater-than-expected participation, considering the function of it was entirely about the presidential race and yet our political subdivision of the United States doesn't get an electoral vote," he said. They had about 200 people participate from the three islands, where the population is a little more than 50,000.

Immigration is a huge issue for islanders, said delegate Angelo Villagomez, 37.

"It's the opposite of the United States - we actually want them to stay," Villagomez said. Delegates say they would like to see changes to current laws that might make the islands' legal immigrants - who outnumber U.S. citizens - susceptible to deportation.

National security also is a major concern for the islands, delegate Herb Soll said.

"The strongman in North Korea has mentioned that Guam is within his missile range," Soll said. "We're closer to Korea than Guam. Any recklessness on the part of the president, or lack of diplomacy, it could lead to conflict."

Mona Manglona, 19, who came here from the islands to study at Philadelphia University two years ago, said she tries to educate people every day on her heritage.

"I hope that people can be more informed about who we are. . . . Everyone is more than welcome to visit the islands," said Manglona, a pledged Clinton delegate. She's been home once in the last two years, so having the other delegates in town has been "a little taste of home," she said.

Delegate Joe Hill, 74, had his own taste of home this week. Originally from Oklahoma, Hill remembers taking the bar exam with both of the Clintons in Little Rock in 1973 - five years before the Northern Mariana Islands became a U.S. territory.

"I know no one else who said they sat and took the bar exam with two - well, what will be two - future presidents," Hill said. "That's my special connection."

gtoohey@philly.com

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