Update: The Republican National Convention officially ended early Friday morning after Donald Trump formally accepted his party's nomination for president in a speech at the Quicken Loans Arena. Refinery29 was there throughout the week to capture the sights and sounds of the convention, and we've added more women's voices from Cleveland here.
This story was originally published on July 18, 2016 at 7:45 p.m.
With the bang of a gavel, a pledge of allegiance, and a call to prayer, the 2016 Republican National Convention officially kicked off in Cleveland on Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have descended on the city for the four-day event, including delegates, elected officials, activists, and protesters. Presumptive nominee Donald Trump is expected to officially claim his party’s nomination on Thursday, and his pick for vice president, Indiana governor Mike Pence, will take the stage on Wednesday.
But the delegates themselves are on display, too. Buttons, pins, elephant jewelry, homemade Trump outfits, and bedazzled cowboy hats were all on view as Republicans from across the country gathered at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena.
Ahead, hear what Republican women have to say as their party's convention officially begins.
Refinery29’s News team is on the ground covering the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. Follow along @R29News and check out our full coverage of the 2016 race here.
Delegates gather on the floor ahead of the start of the convention.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Nazly De La Hoya
Texas Alternate Delegate
"I’m excited about the speakers and being able to vote on the platform. Trump is bringing new people into the party, and he’s not afraid of leadership. I see it at the state and county level, too: People who didn’t care about politics before now like Trump."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
De La Hoya grabs some food before heading to the convention floor.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Katie Frost
Georgia Delegate
"I was really excited at the prospect of a brokered convention," Frost told Refinery29. "I’m not for Trump, but I’m #NeverHillary, so if he’s the way to keep her out of the White House, then so be it."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Frost wears a pin from her home state of Georgia.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Teri Galvez
Washington, D.C. Delegate
"Trump wasn’t my first choice, he wasn’t my second choice, but now he’s the choice and I support him."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Ann Lee
Texas Alternate Delegate
"I'm pleased about Trump, even though Rand Paul was my first choice," she said.
The 86-year-old, who helped found Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition, said she came to the convention to push for legalization.
"It’s been an uphill battle, very much so, but I am determined…I will do anything that’s not immoral, illegal, or indecent to promote this issue."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Lee said she took up the cause after her son, then 28, suffered an accident and used marijuana to alleviate the spasms resulting from his spinal-cord injury.
"In August of 1990, he looked at us from his wheelchair and said, 'Mom and Dad, marijuana is good for me,'" Lee said. "If there was anything I didn’t want to hear, it was that, because I had fallen hook, line, and sinker for all the lies and propaganda that my government put out about marijuana. After a lot of research, prayer, and belief in his integrity, we realized we had been duped big-time. And that’s what started us on this journey."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Donna Lowe
California Delegate
Lowe said she's here to support Donald Trump because of his "honesty" and the fact that "he's a great leader."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Lowe shows off an American-flag necklace.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Corrin Rankin
California Delegate
"I'm excited to nominate Mr. Trump as the party nominee."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Cheryl McDonald
California Alternate Delegate
"I think Trump is the best thing we’ve seen since Reagan. He has a lot of Reagan’s principles, number one, and he’s doing this out of the goodness of his heart. He has all the money he needs. He doesn’t have to do it because he needs the money. All of these other politicians come into office broke, and they go out filthy rich. He’s coming in rich and taking nothing from us."
McDonald showed off a bedazzled "I'm a Trumpateer" hat, which she said she started making after the candidate told her he liked them.
"We are known by Trump as the ladies with hats for Trump."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Sandy King
New York Delegate
"I'm excited to be nominating Mr. Trump. I've been with him since Day One."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Cynthia Blake
Republican From Ohio
"I'm excited about rekindling and getting back with some of my GOP friends, people I have taken legislative classes with in the past five or six years, people who have the same concerns about the urban policy agenda. I'm excited about attending classes and being in networking sessions with them."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Blake showed off her elephant-themed jewelry.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Kassandra Colon
Souvenir store employee
"I'm most excited about Hillary."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Colon rocks buttons while selling RNC merchandise at the Quicken Loans Arena.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Barbara Wyllie and Corky Haynes
Grassroot Grandmas Organization
Haynes said the pair have been stopped multiple times by people who want to take photos of their outfits. She said she bought her dress for $9.88 at Walmart and paid a friend $18 "to bling it."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Barbara Wyllie
Grassroot Grandmas
"He’s going to make our country great again, and there are three reasons to vote for him: Supreme Court, Supreme Court, Supreme Court."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Wyllie showed off her "It's okay to say Merry Christmas" button.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Corky Haynes
Grassroot Grandmas Organization
"I love Trump because he’s going to fight for us. He’s a warrior. He’s not doing it for the fame, he already has that; he’s not doing it for the money or the notoriety. He’s doing it because he loves this country. Why else would he put himself through it? He’s a blue-collar millionaire. He knows what we’re going through."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Serena Coyler
Kansas Alternate Delegate
"I’m excited about seeing in what direction the party is going to go and unifying to make a difference in everyone’s lives so we can actually have a voice."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Theresa Hill
Trump Supporter From Florida
"I'm excited about getting Donald Trump elected as a nominee to make America great again, because he's the only man that can do it."
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Eleanor Wilkerson
Founder, National Women's Prayer and Voting Army
“I started NWPVA to educate women voters and get them to vote. If every Christian conservative woman voted, Donald Trump would win easily. Women outnumber men, and we can win this election. There are more conservative women than liberal. But the liberals speak out and always have. Now we are finally speaking out. I think it will be a landslide for Trump.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Wilkerson shows off her Republican elephant necklace.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Dorothy Crockett
Arkansas Delegate
“I've been a Trump supporter from day one. I'm proud of my candidate. His whole family speaks for him. I love his family. A man that can raise a family like this is a good man. What The Donald will do is he will appoint people with the expertise in every department.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
A close-up of Crockett's dazzling elephant pin.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Nelda Epps
Texas Delegate
“I'm very happy, and looking forward to eight years of Donald Trump.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Cecilia C. De Baca
New Mexico Delegate
“I was really upset with Ted Cruz’s speech. As a Christian, I was really sad. I was thinking that, Gee, Trump was right the whole time, Ted Cruz is a liar… He's Lying Ted — he holds up the Bible, then puts it down and he lies! The fact that he says he's a Christian, and then he lies and he doesn’t forgive, says it all to me. As far as Ivanka, I think she's actually amazing…She's brilliant; she speaks six languages, and of course, she's gorgeous.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
De Baca proudly shows off her Trump earrings.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Omarosa Manigault
TV personality
“I'm really proud to be working with my mentor Mr. Trump to help make America great again.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
Mary Jane Avery
Texas Delegate
“I love Ivanka. She's so beautiful, well spoken, I love her fashion. This dress I'm wearing is an Ivanka Trump dress. When I say I bought an Ivanka Trump dress, you would think it would be in a high-end boutique. I bought this for $30 at Stein Mart. As far as Ted Cruz, I'm disappointed. He had an opportunity to be a statesman, a unifier, to be a part of the build-up for tonight — and I'm a Cruz delegate! And even this morning he had an opportunity to fix it, and he doubled down! This is devastating for him. His political career is done.”
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
A close-up of Avery's decorative necklace.
Photographed By Nathaniel Welch/Redux.
…And her bracelet, to match.
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