I was watching the television in Suede Lounge inside the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles with my husband, some friends and about one hundred others about to play "I feel good" by the late James Brown when it was announced that Barack Obama had become the 44th President of the United States. Where were you?
I still cannot truly believe what has happened in America. Yeah I know we had all been pushing for this (at least everyone I know was). I feel as though participating in this election has been the first truly unifying event for my generation. We all hoped, even with the sting of Gore being robbed of the presidency fresh in our memories and the everlasting debate over the electoral college that takes place in every classroom from eighth grade government on through Poli Sci courses in the university, we all hoped and we all took action! OK maybe it was just the majority of us but saying all sounds so much better, In Los Angeles I've met only one person who was actually planning to vote for McCain and she was a birdbrained cocktail waitress arguing with a bartender that she would pay higher taxes with Obama as president. Well after I chimed in (as usual) that I doubted that she was in the tax bracket McCain was most concerned with, she stormed off; apparently miffed that the bartender and I didn't believe she was a multi-millionaire. Maybe I should've stayed quiet but I really wanted to have my aperitif BEFORE dinner.
This was the first election that I had participated in beyond showing up and voting. I deejayed at two fundraisers, I volunteered to register young voters and I, Sonia Almanza de Gambaro donated! Somewhere there is a pig with wings flying. Actually my husband and I donated money to this campaign together and he is new to this country! Not even able to vote! Yet he felt as strongly as we all have that this country must change, that this world must change and this man is our hope. I listen to black people my parents age say how they never thought that they would see and black man as the president. Hell, I never thought I'd see the day either and I am 26 years old. I have much much more to write but I am still in a bit of shock, this day has been a happy haze.
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