Photo Gallery: Day 1 at the DNC in Charlotte, N.C.

Opening night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, revealed a strikingly diverse audience of delegates, activists and guests cheering even for the earliest speakers of the evening. Leading up to the night's scheduled main event -- a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama -- the speaker lineup was filled with women (including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi), Latinos (including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the convention's keynote speaker) and Indian-American actor (and former White House staffer) Kal Penn.

Opening night at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, revealed a strikingly diverse audience of delegates, activists and guests cheering even for the earliest speakers of the evening. Leading up to the night’s scheduled main event -- a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama -- the speaker lineup was filled with women (including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi), Latinos (including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the convention’s keynote speaker) and Indian-American actor (and former White House staffer) Kal Penn.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

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Follow along as Editor Steve Appleford reports on the local side of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

First Lady Michelle Obama

Inside the Democratic National Convention hall Tuesday night, First Lady Michelle Obama made a sometimes emotional speech on family, women’s rights and raising children in the White House, while urging support for another term for President Barack Obama. “Today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are - it reveals who you are,” she said in her speech, which closed the first night of the three-day convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Oakland delegate

Jacqueline Collins, a delegate from Oakland, California, listens intently to the speech of First Lady Michelle Obama, who described her husband as a committed family man and spoke of his commitment to health care and tax relief for a majority of Americans. “In the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political. They’re personal,” she said.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stopped by the seating area for the California delegation at the Democratic National Convention following his speech Tuesday night at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he led a diverse lineup of women, Latinos and others.The mayor said he was here “to say hi to my friends.”  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Governor Michael Dukakis

Located right beside the California delegation to the Democratic National Convention was the Masschussets delegation, where former Governor Michael Dukakis, the party’s 1988 nominee for president, applauded the speeches of Michelle Obama, Julian Castro and others at Time Warner Cable Arena. Dukakis, known to history as the man who lost to George H.W. Bush that year, is a frequent visitor to Southern California as a visiting professor at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Campaign buttons

Official and unofficial campaign buttons did brisk business inside and outside the DNC in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Valerie Jarrett

Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett during an interview high above the convention floor at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Michelle Obama was about to speak.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Texas delegates

The Texas delegation reacts to San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the keynote speaker at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

California delegates

The California delegation, inside the Democratic Convention during a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

'NOT BACK.'

Inside the convention during a speech by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, keynote speaker at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Texas delegates cheer for Julian Castro

The Texas delegation reacts to San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the keynote speaker at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Kermit Franklin from Lancaster

Kermit Franklin, a delegate from Lancaster, sits with the California delegation, inside the Democratic Convention during a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Delegates listen to Julian Castro

The crowd listens intently during the speech by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, the keynote speaker at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Listening to First Lady Michelle Obama

The California delegation listen to a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Watching First Lady Michelle Obama

California delegates watch First Lady Michelle Obama speak.  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)

Convention signs

After a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama, thousands of delegates filed out of the convention hall on the first night, leaving behind mountains of campaign signs. The messages of the evening included “Opportunity,” “Not Back” and “We Love Michelle.”  (Steve Appleford / Times Community News)