Dear Black Students…

Dear Black Students Wearing Obama T-Shirts,

It seemed that every time I turned my head yesterday, I saw another one of you. Some of you simply wore Obama's face, others had various slogans ("Hope" or "Hot Chicks for Obama," on an undeniably hot chick). You all looked so happy. More than happy -- joyous.

The entire campus crackled with that energy, on an unseasonably perfect fall day, with the leaves all red and gold and the sun beaming down, as if the very weather were conspiring to share and extend our delight. We had our fiction class outside, under a stunning yellow-leaved tree, and after class ended, we talked in quiet voices about our hopes for the future. In my literature class we discussed the election, the impact Obama's presidency might have on Asian-Americans. A student said that Obama's election meant that really anyone could be president -- an Asian-American, a woman, maybe even a Muslim. This presidency would open up so many possibilities for everyone in the room.

Black students, thank you for those t-shirts, and for sharing your joy with the rest of us. You brought tears to my eyes every single time I saw one of you. No matter what happens next, the world is different now.

1 thought on “Dear Black Students…”

  1. YES. I remember being young and wanting to grow up to be President. I remember finding out one day that my race would make it impossible. Realistically other things made it impossible as well, beyond race and gender and income. However it’s unreal to me, even today, that this is now possible for my children. I’m still in shock, scared to believe it.

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