Introducing the 44th President Elect of the United States...

I had decided since I was working Tuesday night, I would go home and take a bath and go to bed and wake up with the reality of my new President. However, as I was giving my aunt her eye drops a picture come on the television of Barack and the words, “Our 44th President”. I went to hooping and hollering and badly administering my aunt’s eye drops. I felt the warmth of my tears as they streamed down my face and still I was in awe.

No words can ever convey to me the enormity of America’s decision. Nothing can completely express how I felt at that moment. My sister was speechless. I was still in a stun stupor. We had done it. Yes we can prove Americans were willing to follow the road to change.

Later after I had my celebratory dancing, crying and a shot of Patron, I cried again harder this time. My uncle would have been ecstatic. Mr. Moore would have been in awe. Two men of differing races would have seen what no history book could have predicted. I have heard there were markers discerning that our President would be Obama. I heard it was in Bible about a Barak who would lead this country or those prophesied it happening or the fact Robert Kennedy predicted this country would be run by a black man. All I know is God had a plan for Obama and I know it was His divine will. I cried because of OUR history as black folks and when folks would say American would never elect a black President, I would always respond, “If we can’t have a black man as President, I need to pack my bags and get out of America, because America was built upon the backs of black men and women it is our ancestors sweat and blood cultivated in this land and I’ll be damned if a black man can’t be President." I cried harder because I knew I champion Obama’s cause, sometimes unsuccessfully, but I unwaveringly believed in him and donated for change.

I kept wondering if anyone got a candid picture of him when he was told he was the next President. I want to know if anyone captured the belief and I am sure a small moment of enormity of his task ahead. I wanted to see the happiness, grief, strength and determination in one picture. The picture of him crying made me know this man is just that a man. However, he is one who wants to take this country beyond segregation politics to one of hope and change for all Americans no matter what race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or any other separatist issues.

Barack Obama has the weight of our expectations on his shoulders. He is going to try to do his best, but he will not be perfect. There will be times we are going to question him, but he has promised to listen to all us. He wants to make this country better, and frankly the country is better for electing him. He crossed all the lines. We must support him through the good and bad times because he has a lot to do and it can’t be done without each of us doing our part. Remember, Yes We Can!

To my friend who didn’t believe he could win, I say to you, ‘Yes he can and he did!’. To my friend who refused to vote for a black man, you didn’t have to other’s did. To my friend, we are still friends.

I am so proud right now. I stand in awe of this man. I know I had a part in making History and to all those who followed this man’s dream you are part of History. To those who didn’t, he is part of your History now.

Barack Hussein Obama the 44th President of the United States of America.