A national convention aims to offer a space for a political party to unify — to hone its message, set aside internal divisions and move forward toward a shared adversary. As Republicans sweep up confetti and try to forget the Ted Cruz-Donald Trump flame war, Democrats pack their bags for Philadelphia, hoping to unite their own badly split party.
It's easy to say the divisions that surface in a major election year are somehow worse than the one before, anger and divisiveness compounding but with little change. The political rhetoric stays the same, year after year: "... We are going to fix the system."
During her week in Cleveland, photographer Gabriella Demczuk explored the ways that people are embracing and challenging the Republican Party's mission in this election — both from inside and outside the party. Here is a selection of what she saw.
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![Light falls on the American flag at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7d554ef/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3798x5703+0+0/resize/880x1321!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frncfinals03_custom-a19e19ca55043670dd3fb6401e52e7145a02b1cb.jpg)
![The day before the convention officially started, police monitor protesters — including those marching with the Black Lives Matter movement — as they work their way through the streets of Cleveland. Meanwhile, delegates line up for an official convention party (right).](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/324dd6f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1466+0+0/resize/880x430!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frnc-demczuk-02_custom-56fcc21af29a4f39ddfa3948af51b30b443564da.jpg)
![A woman listens to a speaker at the People's Justice and Peace Conference at the Ohio City Masonic Arts Center.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4488db3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1998x3000+0+0/resize/880x1321!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frncfinals11edit_custom-85d99f81d46137fba6b2c4072ee07893757e1ade.jpg)
![Attendees take in Wednesday evening's program at the convention hall through different screens.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4ea23cc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1466+0+0/resize/880x430!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frnc-demczuk-01_custom-8ab6e4917dd43be824a9e66532073bc94b1b6db5.jpg)
![An anti-Hillary Clinton sticker lies discarded on the floor at the close of the convention.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e42a958/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1998x3000+0+0/resize/880x1321!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frncfinals135edit_custom-3ce1f07aadab4fad0f45626895ab2706a020d8a0.jpg)
![Accepting the Republican nomination for president, Trump speaks at the close of the convention.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/69189e8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4007x6016+0+0/resize/880x1321!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2016%2F07%2F22%2Frncfinals146_custom-2c1175d154a7e097203e7b9a008827e4a4cc84e5.jpg)