I’m ready

I spent election night at an Obama party in Brooklyn, watching streaming CNN.com projected onto one of the walls of a large crowded room. I watched a balloon float down from the ceiling, catching the projected CNN announcer on one side, casting a shadow on the screen behind it and falling towards the floor before being punched back to the ceiling by a guy sitting on a couch.

Outside in the hallway, a hand-drawn map of the United States is colored in with red and blue markers as states are called for McCain or Obama. The excitement is palpable in the air and I am disappointed that I did not bring my camera.

A stressed-out girl diligently silk-screens her way through a large pile of blank T-shirts, which come out sporting a smiling picture of Obama and “My President” in block letters underneath. I wonder if the design is better suited for an Obama loss rather than a victory and hope it won’t serve as a bad omen.

A young, smiling redhead is halfway through coloring in blue Ohio when the crowded room erupts into chaos as the large screen projects the election for Obama. She drops the blue marker and leaps into the air.

It is impossible to understand the historical impact of Obama’s win and I didn’t really think about it during the campaign. But it was hard to miss now; he stood in Grant Park in Chicago, site of the famous 1968 Democratic National Convention 40 years ago and spoke to a huge crowd, desperate for change, about the possibilities of America. Millions watched around the country and world; a mixture of races, men and women, old and young, transfixed, as the candidate became their leader. A black president, did you ever think you’d see it?

I was in my roommate Mark’s car listening on the radio when Obama delivered his victory speech. I enjoyed hearing his voice mix with static and crackle through the Subaru speakers. It conjured up my high school American History class and I pictured PBS pans and zooms on grainy black-and-white historical photographs of Obama.

Some have raised the question of whether or not America is ready for a black president. I say only that it matters little whether individuals feel ready. It happened. And everyone, ready or not, will have to change the way they think about race and politics. And together, we will all grow and America will have the chance to continue to be the land of opportunity, constantly pushing the limits of what is possible.

Late that night, I checked my e-mail and found that I had received a message from President-elect Obama. “Zachary-I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.”

I starred it in g-mail and wondered how Obama will use the Internet and technology during his presidency. The Presidential blog? Presidential text messages? The Presidential youtube page?

“We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.”

For the first time in my adult life, Mr. President, I’m listening and ready to help.

- Zac Stuart-Pontier