As I write this, the
nation is celebrating President’s weekend. In years past, I never gave much
thought to the significance of this holiday. After all with the exception of a
few presidents like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy
and Abraham Lincoln; I really did not see how any other president impacted my
life or my ancestor’s lives for the better. Of course, during the past four
years, my view on this holiday has changed since an African-American man was now
my president. So I would be remiss if I did not take the time to talk about my 2013
Inauguration Day experience once and for all. This is for my favorite president—Barack
Obama.
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| (L-R) MzCEO, CNN Anchor Don Lemon and Stephanie on Pennsylvania Avenue for Inauguration Day 2013. |
I woke up on the morning of January 21, 2013 feeling
refreshed and excited. Later on that morning President Barack Obama would be
publically sworn into office for a second time. To add more excitement, I was
in Washington DC; I was as close to history as I could have been.
What a feeling! Emotions of pride, humility, hope, gratitude
and happiness ran through my entire body.
.
Then all of this took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A
man who was killed in the name of equality and justice for all people. He must
have been in heaven smiling.
For it meant that all the marches; all the fear felt by
families when their house windows were broken by bricks or when burning crosses
were placed on their lawns courtesy of the Ku Klux Klan; all the physical pain
felt by little kids after fire hoses stung their skin; all the doubt that must
have surfaced in minds of people who spent time in a jail cell; all the
beatings; all the killings and all the tears shed in the fight for equality were
not experienced in vain.
Nearly forty-five years after King’s death, a semblance of
a “beloved community” elected a Black man to lead the United States of America.
A sampling of those people surrounded my sister, Stephanie, and I as we waited
an hour to get through a check point on the corner of 7th and E
Streets NW.
There were African-Americans, Asians, Caucasians including a
couple speaking French, Hispanics, War Veterans, young and elderly, sisters and
brothers, aunties and uncles. That beloved community grew larger as we made our
way over to Pennsylvania Avenue to view the parade.
Anticipating a real-life glimpse of President Barack Obama and
First Lady Michelle Obama, Stephanie decided the best place for us to stand along
the parade route was in front of the Newseum. Stephanie said that four years
ago, that’s where they first got out of their limousine.
Speakers were placed along the parade route and through the
glass windows of the Newseum
I saw Kelly Clarkson sing “My Country Tis of Thee,” Richard
Blanco read his poem, “One Today,” and Beyonce sing the national anthem.
As I waited for the parade to begin, I listened and at times
danced to a hodgepodge of music genres such as hip-hop, Latin, country, pop and
R &B. Alicia Key’s “New Day” played repeatedly which was appropriate
considering the occasion. Then I asked several people around me about their
feelings on this significant day.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
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| Front Row Family Members Nadine and Valencia. Back Row Aliesha, Demetria and Valarie. |
Valencia of Daytona Beach, Florida who arrived on the parade
route at 8 a.m. that morning with her aunt, niece and cousins said that when
she first arrived “I was thinking to myself, ‘am I really gonna stand here for
six hours?’ Then I realized it’s worth it.”
Valencia is a teacher for 7th and 8th
graders and she was anxious to see President Obama in real life and share the
experience with her students.
“In four years some of them are gonna turn 18 years old and they’ll be able to vote. I’m taking notes for them. I
know some of them are gonna be like ‘whatever’ but I want them to understand
what this is all about and how important it is to vote.”
Rosemary Stokes of Anniston, Alabama believes we are lucky
to have President Obama in office for another four years because of his empathy
for all of God’s people.
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| Rosemary and Billy Stokes. |
“The president is a great guy and he sees the world as a
free world. He sees no difference in people and wants to make sure we are all
treated fairly. He works for the poor, middle class and rich. I pray for him
every night so that he can make the best decisions for God’s people,” said Stokes
who was there with her husband Billy, a retired serviceman.
Dave Rucker of Philadelphia is a photographer who said he
took over 400 pictures that weekend at various historic sites like the Arlington
National Cemetery, the National Mall and the Capitol building.
“I’ve been out here since 7AM. It’s just a big party and its
fun out here. I’m looking forward to hearing the bands. But most of all I’m
hoping that President Obama walks out of his motorcade right in front of me.”
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| Dave Rucker and his friend Melissa. |
Unfortunately, President Obama and First Lady Michelle did
not walk out in front of us. However, I did see First Lady Michelle wave to me,
yes in my mind she was waving only to me, from behind her limousine window. LOL.
For now that will be as close as I get to one of this nation’s historical
figures. Then several marching bands and folk dance groups from across the
country performed on Pennsylvania Avenue.
During this President’s weekend, I’m thankful for all the
people including Black and White people that paved the way for President Obama’s
time in office to be a reality. It is my hope that the beloved community —and I
am not counting me out— who elected President Obama will continue the work to
keep America a place where opportunity exists for those who are willing to work
hard for it regardless of who you are or where you came from or who you love.
