Chicago, Ill. — Peggy Chase remembers how moved she was by Geraldine Ferraro’s vice presidential election nomination in 1984, which represented a historic victory for women in America.

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, a woman can do anything,'” said the former Onondaga County lawmaker.

Four decades later, Chase said she saw a powerful continuation of that progress as she watched Vice President Kamala Harris’ nomination as one of New York’s 307 delegates for president. The memory of Ferraro’s candidacy, coupled with the hope of electing the first female president in November, is a powerful reminder of how far women in this country have come and how much further they still have to go, she said.

At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, the party made history by nominating Harris as its presidential candidate—the first black and Southeast Asian woman to win the nomination. For the first time in the DNC’s history, the convention was not about men, but about women, some of whom were from New York, where the women’s suffrage movement began in 1848.

“For me as a woman, it means everything to see women take their rightful place in leadership,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I can’t tell you how many women have stopped me in the last few days and just grabbed my arms and said, ‘We did it. We did it.'”

On the first night of the DNC, former Secretary of State and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered prime-time speeches, all endorsing Harris. Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New York’s 14th Congressional District, received nationwide praise for her speech.

New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs praised the participation of Ocasio-Cortez, Hochul and Clinton on the national stage, calling it a great night for his daughter, granddaughter and all women who want to elect the first female president of the United States.

“The time is now, it’s not yesterday, it’s not tomorrow,” Jacobs said Tuesday at the New York delegation’s breakfast. “Three women, three generations, three strong women who will help lead (New York) forward.”

Grace Meng, another female state lawmaker, also spoke Wednesday evening.

New York Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said New York serves as a model for the rest of the country for the effectiveness of women in leadership, pointing to politicians like herself, Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. She added that when women are in charge and aligned, “anything is possible.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re shutting our men out, we’re not doing it because we need them,” Peoples-Stokes said. “It’s just time for them to understand that they need us too.”

Speaking about the growing role of women in political leadership, MP Michaelle Solages shared the experience of a former colleague who had to deal with the lack of a women’s toilet in Parliament. She noted that such stories show both how women have been historically excluded and how important their participation in leadership positions is.

Solages noted that decision-making has historically been dominated by men. Even as more women take on significant political roles, New York’s male politicians, such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who next The Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives continues to wield considerable influence in the state.

Several female New York delegates said the presence of female leaders at the DNC, coupled with Harris’ historic nomination, reflects the progress and potential of women, particularly black women, in leadership positions. Chase said Harris’ unique blend of assertiveness and kindness will bring a “necessary” female perspective to the White House.

Adams said she was the first black speaker of the first female-majority New York City Council and that the prospect of having the country’s first black president had personal significance for her.

“When I look at Vice President Kamala Harris, I see a lot of myself,” Adams said. “I see the prospects for our future children and the generations to come. I see future daughters, mothers, grandmothers living through her.”

Debbie Louis, a delegate from New York and director of the New York Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, said Harris’ role as a black woman in the nation’s highest office will inspire more women to get involved in politics and seek leadership positions at all levels.

Harris is an example of black women finally being allowed to sit “at the head of the table,” Adams said, shifting the focus from historically male-dominated perspectives. Peoples-Spokes added that electing a diverse president would “change” global perceptions and increase respect for America on the world stage.

“Now it’s our turn, we as black women were the strongest and most vocal voice … on the Democratic ticket,” Peoples-Spokes said. “I would have been enormously disappointed in the party if she hadn’t been the nominee.”

Louis said Harris’ nomination and her political success were a breakthrough for women, but also served as a call to action and to keep going.

“Our hour has come,” she said. “This is a defining moment for our country and for New York … and if we don’t work together, we can destroy what our ancestors have fought for for years.”

Samantha Olander is a junior in journalism at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. She is part of a group of student journalists covering the DNC for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard.