Greetings from Nicole. Just writing you from the haze of my first week back in the classroom to begin the fall semester. And yet my week---like many of your weeks--- has also been framed by evening sessions consuming the Democratic National Convention as I listened to speakers making the case for Senator Obama's presidential bid culminating with Barack's amazing acceptance speech.
Now don't get me wrong: I am still reeling from the announcement of McCain's running mate, but it is too much to focus on right now---too fresh, too raw, too complicated to unpack at this moment. However, I will be posting on this issue soon.
I am better served at this juncture just to focus on my observations on the Obama campaign.
As I mulled over this moment, I must begin affirming the fact that God is indeed good and worthy to be praised. In different conversations with my mother over the last week, she has shared the heart-bursting pride and excitement of her generation. As a daughter of the American Depression, she is of a generation of African Americans who NEVER THOUGHT they would live to see such a campaign...or an African American individual reach such heights in American politics. So she is relishing EACH speech, magazine cover, newspaper article and publication she can find as she builds her personal archive of this election for future generations
Interestingly, as a young Black professional, this moment is without parallel for me, but it also challenging to me. Watching the Obamas---babies Malia and Sasha included (smile)---has been astonishing. It is so rare to see Black families intact in the American media. So to see a loving, affectionate, funny, emotional, attractive, STRONG African American family striving to become the 1st family of America is just food for my soul and spirit most days.
Then, on Thursday morning----the morning of Barack's acceptance speech---I was driving to work down SouthSide Boulevard in Jacksonville listening to Kanye West's College Drop-Out and the magnitude of it all just hit me. As a South Sider from Chicago, it all just hit me. I had been fairly cool about things all week, but "that thing" just dropped on me in traffic.
Ya ll, know "that thing"---the feeling of God's continued work in the world, HIS presence, HIS awesome power, HIS ability to protect his folks in the face of adversity, HIS reminder that HE can move and do and operate beyond all that we could ever think or hope or imagine...and "that thing"--- the overwhelming presence of God's glory---just hit me. Barack was accepting the nomination for the presidency of the United States of America later that day hit me. Then, the fact that I was driving to work to take my place as a university professor hit me. And then the image of lil' Sasha Obama saying "Hi Daddy!" and "What city are you in, daddy?" on the stage of the Democratic National Convention hit me. And I just got misty and emotional and teary in traffic---and had to pray to God to just help me "keep it together" so that I could get through my first class of the day without my emotions spilling over.
For me, the Obama campaign has just kicked down the door and just tore the roof off of what is possible for so many of us. Personally, my own ideas of what is possible in my own life and aspirations and future have just expanded exponentially. And it's so funny because I consider myself someone who has had a pretty broad vision for myself. I considered myself someone who lives "outside of the box" and has had an amazing range of opportunities to travel, study, see the world, get a great education, live and work among diverse communities, walk with the Lord and allow him to help me develop a professional life for myself that seeks to honor HIM etc.,. And yet---particularly over these last eight years---I have been fearful, discouraged, frustrated and felt oppressed by voter intimidation, stolen elections, ineptitude and injustice and domestic disaster mismanagement, war profiteering and urban despair etc.,.
So, even with all of my privileges and opportunities, I still felt limited and menaced and bullied in what I could hope to accomplish in the America I've lived in.
So, what Barack and Michelle (and their team) have done has LIFTED MY OWN HEAD back up. Their campaign has served as a model of PROFOUND COURAGE AND THE DAILY PURSUIT TOWARD CHANGING AMERICA AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS. They have lived before us EVERY DAY and been willing to withstand the attacks...and keep moving, to take the shots...and keep moving, to suffer abuses and indignities many of which we will never ever know about...and keep moving. This Black man and woman---Barack and Michelle--- have locked arms and held their children tightly and run on out in front to create a movement for the rest of us to join.
And certainly, they are the descendants of earlier couples who did similarly valiant work in similarly vicious times. I am just glad the the Lord saw fit to use them for THIS generation in this critical hour.
Now please don't get me wrong. There were some aspects of the convention that were underwhelming. As a young(ish) voter of color, the convention itself felt as if it was geared toward an older, white, suburban or rural voters who needed to be convinced that Barack was "safe", "one of them" and could be trusted. So the event included lots of winking, blinking and nodding in the direction of military might, security, defense and down home folk-si-ness that further strengthened by Barack's VP choice. So, much of the stagecraft and speaker selection was certainly strategic and geared toward that particular demograhpic, but did not resonate much for me---and had very few dynamic, empassioned moments sprinkled in.
So, I would have loved to see more young, PASSIONATE, fiery and diverse Democratic party organizers, activists and artists in prime time and understood their role and future in the party. It was ironic that the passionate, youthful dynamism that Barack himself brought to the 2004 was missing from his own nominating convention.
However, on the whole Barack Obama's candidacy has elevated the game fa' sho' and got all up in my personal affairs. So, now that we leave the mountaintop, we must now return to the valley, roll up our sleeves and do all we can to help Brutha Barack finish the race victoriously.
As they say at the end of Mama's church service each week at Bethany before the congregation is dismissed: "The worship is over. The service NOW begins."
Be well, stay encouraged and be a blessing when and where you can be, my dears!
---Nicole
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