Black Is The New Possibility!

I’m sure everyone remembers where they were this Tuesday at noon.  I was sitting in Fox and Hound surrounded by a room full urban professionals for our OnyxLouisville/Red Carpet event. I was full of emotion simply because of the history that was being made.  That level of pride increased as I looked around the room at the wonderful faces that were present.

We came out, we were proud and the tissue box made it’s rounds.  This was the moment we had been waiting for and the applause at the end of his speech was tremendous. Barack Obama is our president!

Jessica Taylor, Red Carpet Events, thought of a celebratory idea to have a toast. Of course!  I know nothing about the bubbly but know this event is toast worthy. I stood on a chair and asked if anyone wanted to give the speech – there was silence all around.  Crap.  I love to write, but now must speak! Obama told me change was coming, I just didn’t know it would be so soon!

So I held up my champagne glass which held one small gulp and said “This is for the past, present and the future.  Barack Obama is now OUR president”.  Plain. Simple. Yet, oh so true.

Driving home, I thought about what I would have said if I really had time to prepare.  Maybe it would have been the following:  ”This is a toast to our past. Our ancestors fought long and hard to make sure that our people progressed.  They never settled for less and encouraged us to keep moving forward.  This is for those remarkable individuals who, although not physically here, stand with us proud today.  This toast is for the present.  We did this!  Each of our voices and votes made a difference.  Obama has been named our leader, but we must be willing to be followers. This is our commitment to being agents of change.  This toast is for our future – that our current and future children and grandchildren will grow up with the reality (and not the dream) that they honestly can accomplish anything that they set out to do!

I encourage you to click on the link below and share you Inauguration experience and hopes for the future.  Whether in DC, Louisville or in between – if you remember the moment, it’s a moment worth sharing!

Black = possibility!

M.Y. January 2009