I couldn’t sleep the morning of November 4th. Awake and bright eyed at 4 AM, I rose out of bed, showered, dressed, made breakfast, and fixed myself some hot green tea. Today was a brand new day, and after what seemed like a political eternity, I was finally able to vote and hope that others would too.
Our polls opened at 7 AM, and as I walked to the polling station I had an undeniable sense of urgency and hopefulness. Inspired is a word that has been thrown around so much during this process, but it wouldn’t be used if it were not indeed true. Today, my vote would matter. Today, WE would help to make change indeed happen, and hopefully elect Barack Obama as the president of the United States of America. When I arrived at Qwest Church, there was a line already formed of about 40 people. The polls had just opened and apparently I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait to get in line and exercise their right to vote. The line moved very fast and soon enough my ballot was in the machine and I was on my way back home. The line outside the church had disappeared as had the rain. Today was shaping up to be a beautiful day.
As we all know by now, Barack Hussein Obama did in fact win the historic election of 2008. As the father of a 5 year old son who goes to daycare in very racially diverse setting, and as the father of a 2 year old daughter who was adopted by a mixed race (african-american/caucasian) family, I bask in the glow of victory for some very personal reasons. My children will never understand the struggle that so many African-Americans went through to see this day actually happen. My children will grow up in a world that is not seen through the filtered lenses of skin-color, but will instead be blind to that and just see people for the measure of the man. That is a beautiful thing.
Today, is very much a new day, but we still face many of the same challenges we faced 3 days ago. I just pray that with a new direction, a new hope, and a new sense of what it’s like to be an American that we will change this world for the better.
Jake
Jake is a hairstylist at both VAIN downtown + Ballard. Check out his full profile on vain.com.
I still cry every time I read a personal story of why someone voted for Barack Obama. This election is so different from elections in the past. I’m not hearing stories like “I voted for him because I’m a Democrat.” His words have resonated with so many people across this country and the world as a whole.
There are so many transcendent qualities about Obama that will hopefully help us move past partisan bickering. It’s probably an unrealistic hope, but I will hold onto it. Obama will hopefully be a great leader, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this moment; this movement.
We, as Americans, have voted for change. Now that the election is over, I hope everyone is willing to put effort into bringing about that change with hard work. There’s a lot of work to be done, and as a country we just self-corrected to get us going on the right foot again.
After closing up the Ballard shop on election day, I ran screaming down the street, jumped in my car, picked up my girlfriend and sped to my sisters house in Kirkland…We arrived right after my sister explained to my four year old nephew that one of the reasons why everyone is so happy that Obama just won the election is that his “skin color is brown”, she elaborated with “that is special because no one with brown skin has ever been president”…He asked “why not?…and “when can we eat cake”? (my sister bought a cake to celebrate to increase the chance that he might remember election day when he is older)…When she told me that story, I smiled and realized that he too is and will be blind to color…
I share your sentiment Jake and I too am so proud that The United States of America is on its path to becoming what it was always meant to be.