The Massachusetts Young Democrats convened at the Marriott Hotel in Cambridge Saturday for the Coalition for a Democratic Future conference.

The people attending the conference ranged from Rep. Barney Frank '61 (D-Mass.), whose district includes Cambridge, to National Democratic Convention leader Neil P. Carpenter, to Pablo F. Lopez '02.

Frank spoke on globalization at the conference, while Lopez said he attended the conference to learn about the Democratic Party.

During the weekend, three Harvard students were elected to leadership positions within the coalition.

Erin B. Ashwell '02, former treasurer of the coalition, and Joseph N. Sanberg '01, president of the Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats, were selected as at-large directors. Kathryn R. Markham '99-'00, who is also a Crimson editor, was elected regional director of the Sixth Governor's Council District, which includes Harvard.

When asked why he felt it was important to attend, Lopez said he felt an obligation to educate himself.

"In this time of racism, violence, and fighting around the world, I realize that I am the future of this country and that my vote determines the direction in which it will go," Lopez said. "Quite frankly, I don't know what party I am so I'm here to learn what the Democratic Party is about. I eventually plan to attend a Republican function as well and figure out my political stance."

Attendees with more experience, such as Carpenter, a member of the coalition's board and a financial analyst for General Electric, who is also the political and legislative director of the Democrats of America, said he attended the convention because it was about the future.

"[This group of] people in some small way is going to shape, in the next 50 years, what this society will look like," he said.