It did not sink in until yesterday that Barack Obama will now be our new president. I must say they I have never felt more activated in a Presidential election. When I returned to work on Wednesday many co-workers came up to me and said they where thinking of me as the entire process unfolded. I even received a voicemail from a superior Wednesday morning letting me know that he chooses to not confirm his political affiliation at work but wanted to let me know that he was excited about the years ahead. I did not realize that I was known at work as a political person. I often engage in great conversations with like minded colleagues, but I was a person that had an Obama bummer sticker on my car almost 2 years ago.

I was most inspired by Obama because of his years in community organization. This is the career path that I have chosen. I never got caught in all the so called negative affiliations that came to light through out the elections. (eg. William Ayers, Rev. Wright, ACORN) I must say of these examples Rev. Wright was the one that most struck a cord with me, but I would never want to be held accountable for the words of another person. I also see that when a person works in community organization and development they will have many interactions with various people from various cultures. I have worked in two very different inner-city communities in the city of Houston. The current neighborhood where I work is most populated by people from middle eastern countries. I often visit their great businesses and enjoy the great food in the restaurants. I feel enlightened each time I discover a new food or great establishment. I even bring my friends to the neighborhood on the weekends to share these amazing cultural experiences. The business owners and community members often remember me and greet me with a great smile and send me in farewell with a handshake and thank you. From my lenses this is the true America. Some people are caught up in affiliations and color of skin and fail to realize that there are many people in America of various colors and cultures. I encourage them to open their minds and set aside their differences and exchange at the human level. This also makes me think that if I were to run for president, would my current interactions be mistaken as “palling around with terrorist”.
When instead the kid that I spend my thirty minute lunch break with each day teaches me small talk in arabic because I want to learn a misunderstood language. The current reality is that this student is a legal immigrant that has been lucky enough to escape war. He shares scars and memories that most legal Americans will never understand, and wants to join the US military to help translate for our country. He is also a very devote Muslim that practices Ramadan with great disciple. I remember being on a field trip with the student and showed concern when he chose not to eat lunch. He quietly let me know that he was fasting. I have never been able to keep my fast during Lent, so the discipline he represented created a great admiration.

Tonight at dinner over Vietnamese Pho Soup my thoughts give a new hope. I hope that 30 years after we end the war in Iraq I can have dinner in a part of town that offers many Iraqi restaurants. I hope to not think twice about the owners and will enjoy the great food they have to offer anyone willing to eat at their establishment. As I looked around the Vietnamese restaurant 30 years after the Vietnam war I notice a table of white men, an african american cop eating by himself, a hispanic family, asian families, and me with my friend Charles. Knowing that we have came this far in thirty years gives me Hope.

On Tuesday night I danced in the streets and shouted YES WE DID…Today I want to shout YES WE WILL….I am hopeful that America is in a new season…I encourage everyone to stand up and be an active person in the progress that lays ahead.