The Beginning
More then half of America tuned in to watch President Obama deliver his farewell speech on Jan. 10, 2016 to the nation in his hometown Chicago, Ill. This heartwarming speech was dedicated not only to the nation, but also to his family who stood by him all these years. Though his speech was so poised and so personal, society could not see past Sasha Obama being absent.
In the last eight years, the nation wanted to get rid of Obama. Well, I guess the nation got what they wanted. Obama has done what any other president in the past has done---he tried. Above anything else Obama represents hope. He represents a figure in every little black boy and girl life as a demonstration that you can be anything you want to be.
During the 2008 elections I was in ninth grade and did not understood why it mattered so much that Obama became president. The rioting, the crying, all the stress the elections caused. I remember watching people on the news cry when Obama was elected. Crying not from sadness, but from joy. It's been a long time coming for us to receive a president such as Obama. Even then I don't believe we ere ready for him.
He took on a job no one could ever prepare for. He was called every horrible word in the English dictionary. I don't think people understood what Obama meant to this nation so, I'll say it.
A Letter to Obama
Dear Obama,
As a young woman of color, I would like to start by saying thank you. I will not begin to say I know the resilience this job took because I don't. When I was 14 years-old you became my president and I didn't know you would make it this far. I was rooting for you then and I'm rooting for you now. I want you to know what you mean to me as a black girl, a student, a citizen, a daughter, and a person with a conscience. You are a black man, but black is not all that you are. You are strong, willful and gave me a voice. Your spirit is what I admire. You are a God fearing man and I know it had to be God that brought you to us. Now I am not a religious person, but I know what God is capable of. I feel as if I was your distant cousin wanting to push you further in life because I knew your potential. This nation was spoiled with your perseverance for creating a change in this nation. People stopped asking why and began expecting handouts. Black people believed because you were black they had a upper hand in the world and they were wrong. If anything it meant we needed to work harder not less. Your presence showed us what it means to be ambitious and what it means to go after what you want in life. There are no courses in college that could prepare you for this cold world we live in. The hate in the hearts of people can be too much to bare at times and this recent presidential election proved it. People would rather look past a prick in a suit and tie because he's hilarious. Well, humor me. I know for a fact humor is not going to take this nation to the next step. People can say what they want about you during your candidacy but what they can not say is that you did not do your best. I watched your hair from afar turn from a dark brown to a gray strand from the stress and weight of this nation. No one could've asked for a better president and I pray you go down in history like our four fathers before us. I want little black boys and girls fifty-years from now to see your picture in the history book in class and discuss your presidency. I want them to know that you can over come anything if you work for it, because there is beauty in the struggle and there is a warrior in all of us. One day I want to wake up and not have to bat an eye about putting my hands in my pockets or a hood over my head with fear in my heart. I want people to stop clinching their purses when I walk by. I want people to see the person that I am rather than the color of my skin. I know this is asking for a lot but God said it himself, "Good things come to those that wait." So, that's what I'll do I'll wait. That's what this nation will do--we'll wait.
Sincerely yours,
A person with a conscience
The Future
This is not the end my friend, not even close. We are the change Obama was referring to in his 2008 presidential campaign the "Change we can believe in." It's up to us America to be the change that we seek. No one can do it for us. Every day we have the option to see the change and take it with force, because like Obama said, "Yes we can."
