Gooden's conservative message transcends raciallines. And many young Republicans here say theirsupport for the GOP is not based on race orminority status. Instead, they stand behind theRepublican platform its right-wing economics andits emphasis on family values.
"I don't see myself as a minority," explainsSalman Mitha, a sophomore at the University ofTexas. "I look beyond that."
Twenty-year-old Anthony Leatherman, who isBlack, predicts that in four years, the Republicanparty will be far more diverse. the BaylorUniversity sophomore is a Republican because hesupport the platform's emphasis on the family."Until we start in the home, until values aretaught," minorities won't get anywhere, he says.
"The Democrats and Clinton are trying to pleaseevery group that comes up, and you can't always dothat," says 17-year-old Vanessa O. Ezenwa. Ezenwa,who is Black, said she came to the convention tolearn about the Republican party and the politicalprocess.
So did Mai T. Phung, 17. She doesn't thinkabout minority issues a lot--she concentrates onthe other platform issues. "I think the Republicanparty reflects on more of the ideas that my familyhas and I love," Phung says.
Alternate Delegate Melvin L. Woods, who isBlack, says that the black, community holds astigma against Black conservatives.
"You get a bad reaction generally amongBlacks," says Woods, assistant whip of theCalifornia delegation. "Most of them areDemocrats, and find it difficult to accept adifferent point of view."
Although Brownlee says she thinks "there aresome closet Republicans in the Black race," thecommunity overwhelmingly opposes the GOP. Brownestimates that 90 percent of Blacks voteDemocratic.
Many other minority groups tend to endorseDemocratic, not Republican ideals. Within theirethnic communities, minority Republicans, youngand old, are minorities themselves. And if theyare outspoken enough to lead their communities andcome to their party's convention, they have toface that reality.
"It takes a fair amount of courage to bedifferent," Woods says