November 10, 2008 

As the end of Presendential Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speech drew to a close, I wiped my tears, whispered a prayer of gratitude to the heavens, and then smiled down on my sleeping child. I whispered in his ears "This is just the beginning". We as a nation and as black people have waited a very long time for a historical moment such as this. There have been so many times where we've felt like we've finally made it...like we've walked through so many doors. We've had so many firsts- the first black entreprenuer, the first black millionaire, the first black on the moon, the first black to win an Oscar, the first black to own their own production studio, the first black Mayor, and now we finally will have our first black President. So as the inaugural date rapidly approaches, I can't help but wonder...Are there any more firsts?

 My friends and I had a debate on the popular social website www.Facebook.com, where people didn't understand why we had to keep saying that "We finally have a black President". I understand my friends plight for American people to finally see past color and into the intelligence, the dignity, the genuineness, and the quality of president elect Barack Obama, and I want everyone to understand is that we do...I do. I didn't vote for Barack Obama JUST because he is a black man. I voted for Obama because I believe his promises to help restore the American people's faith in our government. I voted for Obama because I look forward to a more promising financial future. I voted for Obama because he didn't feed into the dirty politics. I voted for Obama because he is trying to bring unity back to America while understanding the adage that we are ONE nation under God. I voted for Obama because of his boldness to step out and risk his life for the sake of putting a country back together that has been divided by race for so very long...too long in fact. Obama isn't just a black man, his mother was white. Obama represents ALL people, not just black...but he will be the first president that does in fact represent blacks. There has been no other president that has been able to do that. And while Clinton may have come close, he can never relate to being a black person. I want the world to know that even though I am pro-black, it doesn't mean I am anti-white, anti-hispanic, anti-asian, or any other anti-racisms.

This is a very large feat for us. I have voted in two other elections, neither deemed worthy of reliving tales with my children and grandchildren. But this 2008 election will be passed down from generation to generation. It will be in every history book and will remain on the web (or whatever else people will be using in the future)for a long time to come. Obama represents change.I was proud of be a part of this moment in history, this legacy, and this movement.  I am proud to be a part of that change. Our generation was once labeled as Generation X. Our predecessors saw no promise for our future. I remember when Coretta Scott King died the older generations wondered who would keep fighting for the struggle, the cause, and the opporunity? They didn't believe that we were capable of doing it. But we have knocked down those stereotypes and instead have knocked on doors, and even opened them. Change is all around us. And even though it won't happen over night , we are still working on changing those slave mentalities of "he/she has pretty hair", "he/she is cute because they're like skinned", "I'm not THAT dark", or "I'm part Cherokee". We have to change our paths of self-loathing - and I mean that as a people. We have to love our black people. Like Barack said, "this country was built on the backs of slaves...stone by stone and brick by brick". So instead of tearing those bricks down and building walls between communities, people, and classes we have to stop asking for handouts and instead give hand ups. We need to pass along information and create opportunity. We have to raise our children to ONLY think, do, and be that which is positive. We have to support black businesses. We have to help each other succeed. Barack can't do it alone. It's never too late for change...for it's the only thing in life that is constant. Which one of you will be the first?