Barack Obama is MY president!

It's hard to truly express how I feel now that Senator Obama has accepted the nomination to be our next president. After his speech I was proud, I felt secure and safe, I felt satisfied that he addressed the smears and then went on the offensive! And I felt a renewed sense of motivation to volunteer for the campaign again--I took some time off to work on a little thing called my thesis dissertation.

I also appreciated how Senator Obama spoke clearly and directly to the American people. He clearly outlined the policies that will be a priority in his administration. He clearly described that he would pay for it by ending the tax-break policy for the rich and by going through the national budget line by line to cut out the fat. Now this statement really resounded with me because we are paying 10.25% sales tax in Chicago to be able to pay for our politicians relatives to have a job and for police brutality settlements that are in the millions! I know that my local and national governments are not spending my tax dollars correctly so it makes me glad to know that atleast one of them is going to get an audit!

So from now on, I am attributing any claims that "He lacks substance" or "He can't pay for it" to either failure to listen--pay attention America-- or shady attempts to distort his policies for low-information voters.

Last night I witnessed history. I saw Barack Obama become the Democrat's Presidential nominee "not because of the color of his skin, but because of the content of his character."

And for the first time in my adult and young life, I am proud of my country. You see, being raised by Nigerian parents (who are now also US citizens) have instilled in me the need to be proud of my heritage. And despite all the drama, corruption and lack of infrastructure that plagues Nigeria, I am proud of my Nigerian heritage. I've gone home to Nigeria three times now (as recently as this summer) and each time I'm reminded that there is a place that I call home where I will not be discriminated against for my skin tone and that I feel like I am mainstream.

I've never felt that way in the US. I've always felt like African-Americans have been the exception and not the rule in mainstream America. And this feeling is not because we do not make up the majority of the population, it's because the mainstream culture of this country is completely ignorant of what it is like to be Black in America.

But last night, and actually from the day that I started volunteering for Barack Obama, I've actually felt like I was working to improve a country that was mine too. I've met people from all walks of life and we have been unified through our main goal of working to elect Barack Obama as president of the United States of America.

So now, I am proud to be a member of a country where I previously felt like I didn't belong. I'm proud of the citizens that realize that we have a choice and that choice is to make our government work for us, the people.

Thanks for reading this really long post! Please take some time to share your thoughts. Sincerely, Chi-Chi (:

Michelle Obama is my role model and my hero!

Growing up, I've had wonderful role models in my mother and older sisters and in close friends that I've grown up with. I've also had heroes like FloJo who, with her beauty and talent, made me want to be just like her as I pursued track in school. I've also had heroes in my Graduate Dean of students, a female scientist with a family and others. But in this election, I've added another hero/role model to my list. When I first saw Michelle Obama speak last summer, I felt a strong sense of inspiration to do better. She made me feel like nothing is better than devoting your life to the service of others and I was truly inspired by her. Last night she did it again! Unfortunately, the online press is not acknowledging her greatness and so I'm compelled to do so here. Please take a minute to watch her speech again and tell me how you were affected too.

Take care,
Chi(: