Pride and Joy!!!

Wednesday, November 5th around 4am was the date and time that I learned Barack Obama would be America's next president, and first Black American president. The emotions that flowed through me are indescribable. Actually, I know I don't even need to try to explain them, b/c those of you reading my blog probably felt the exact array of feelings.

I am not what people would call "a cryer". But all that went out of the window early Wednesday morning when me and my friends (other PCVs) realized we'll be serving as Peace Corps Volunteers under President Barack Obama come next year. At the same time, I was crying tears of pride and joy. I'd never felt so proud before to be a Black American. I thought about the YEARS and YEARS of struggle that Blacks have gone through in America (and are still in many ways still going through). I thought of Martin Luther King Jr, W.E.B. DuBois, Fredrick Douglass, Malcolm X, Angela Davis, Huey Newton, Fred Hampton, Assata Shakur, Stokley Carmichael, my paternal grandparents, and my mother and my father. I thought of all the Black Americans who fought(and lost their lives) for The Struggle. The ideology and principal behind equality. It existed in law, but not in practice. The idea of a Black president was usually the punchline of a joke. Now its my reality. Our nation's reality. It's the proof that our country is moving in the direction of equality...and that, to me, is such a beautiful thing :)

President Obama may step foot in the White House next year and not change anything. It's possible (doubtful...but possible). But the fact that he worked his way into the soul's of millions of Americans to become president of the United States of America is worthy of adoration, respect, and now a place in the history books. I can't believe this day has come, and I've never felt so proud to be an American. I feel I can say that, because for all 26 of my years...I've never felt this type of emotional pride for my country. What a great feeling!

At the same time, I'm so proud to be a North Carolinian. All the voter registration drives, speeches, canvassing, phone calls (and begging) FINALLY paid off. Obama did the unthinkable...he turned North Carolina blue. Of course NC had to be one of the last few states to get there votes in. (Side Note: I'm actually not even sure its been announced the he won the state). I continuously checked up on the status of NC, only to receive the EXACT same outcome: "to close to call right now".

The whole world is watching America right now. Throughout the election coverage, I thought how fun it would be to be in my home state celebrating w/ everyone else. But then I thought about how amazing its been seeing the different reactions to Obama's election here in South Africa, by both blacks AND whites. As I bought a cup of coffee this morning, a white South African woman (I'm not sure if she was Afrikaans or English b/c I have a difficult time hearing the difference between the accents) walked up to me and my friend smiling. She actually walked up on us so fast that we thought we were getting in trouble for something. Strangers....well, let me be more specific..... white strangers don't EVER approach me here, so it caught me off guard. Anyway she noticed my NC for Obama t-shirt (I wore it three days straight) and wanted to congratulate us, and let us know that Obama has inspired her and the whole world and she can only imagine the emotions we're feeling. It was great! Just like that, Obama was the bridge between two strangers of completely different cultures/ethnicity/nationality/languages. It's an amazing thing.

On the taxi ride back to my village, a young Black male was reading a newspaper w/ the First Family on front and a few passengers started talking about Obama. He became the center of conversation for complete strangers crammed in a taxi heading into the rural depths of South Africa. How trippy is that?!?!

I look forward to watching this man evolve into an awe-inspiring leader of the United States of America.

till next time....