Walking with the Crowds

(Image Credit: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/06/04/midday2/

I remember in Philadelphia, as a volunteer for the Obama campaign, arriving at the volunteer office just blocks from the Community College of Philadelphia on Spring Garden Street where I had once worked. I returned to Philadelphia after hard break up with the city. There were things about it I couldn't master and things I refused to face. It was something like the way people refer to New York City when they say, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."

I returned to the city with mixed feelings. Obama brought me back. But it was also time for me to reconcile my differences. My assignment from the volunteer office was to knock on doors and ask people if we could count on their support. I started out with a friend, and as we walked through the streets with our Obama gear, I began feeling better about the city.

Of course there were dissenters, Republicans, and the like who did not support Obama. But overall, there were a lot of people who believed in the promise, that thing we call "change" moving along quietly, with that feeling that reporters called in their news stories "momentum." Reflecting upon that time in the face of an inauguration, I see how time and place can profoundly affect a person's attitude.

The Friday before I went doorknocking for Obama, I had attended one of his rallies in the downtown area. It's in an historic district, just on the other side of Chinatown and minutes from the waterfront on Columbus. What's most amazing was the commonality I felt between myself and the thousands of other supporters who had gathered that day. That was a feeling that had been missing when I used to reside there. Today, I stood at 6th and Market, paces from the Liberty Bell, and squinted out over the crowds. I was part of a huddled mass of supporters, mile upon mile strong, shoulder to shoulder, north to south, friend and stranger gathered to support a campaign that transformed me, my attitudes, and this country.

I share this episode because in spite of the barriers you'll face on your way to D.C., whether personal or logistical, know that your journey will be worth it. It is a monumentous thing to stand and be a part of history. That is what it will feel like as you walk through the crowds. It won't matter how close you get or how far down the Mall you are, just being there, being among other supporters will make your journey to D.C. a remarkable one.

For more travel stories, please visit my travel website at MidAtlantic USA at BellaOnline.com.

Obama Inauguration 2009 Writing Contest

Since readers are usually writers, I'd like to pass along this information to my blog viewers. If you know of a young person in the DC metro area, you may be able to go with him or her the Barack Obama Inauguration January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. Here's a letter from the presidential inaugural committee:

This Inauguration, President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden are calling on all of us to renew America's promise. They believe that this renewal begins with service to our own communities, service that can begin at any age.

Do you know a student who's active in the D.C. community? What about one who would like to attend the inaugural parade and have seats right in front of the White House?

You can help him or her be there.

We're asking students throughout Washington, D.C. to answer in 500 words or less, "How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?"

Submit that student's essay and he or she could be among those selected to attend the inaugural parade.

Here are the basics: the essay must be written by a D.C. middle or high school student. It should be 500 words or less, and the student's parent or guardian must submit the essay by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 11th.

We will select over 100 essays that offer interesting ideas on service. The student, a parent or guardian, and one other guest will come to the inaugural parade and sit in prime seats: in front of the White House, right next to the presidential reviewing stand.

At every inaugural, after the swearing-in, the new president joins a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, from the Capitol to the White House. He invites marching bands, dance troupes, military units, and other organizations to be part of the parade.

It's a tradition that illustrates the best of America -- people from across the nation coming together to celebrate the promise of the next four years.

Help a student in your life be there to see it by submitting his or her answer to the question, "How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?"

www.pic2009. org/dcstudentess ay

To comply with legal guidelines, we ask that you be sure it is the parent or guardian who submits the essay on behalf of the student.

The day before the Inauguration, the Obama and Biden families will join other Americans in renewing a commitment to service in our communities. Thousands of students will be part of that effort.

Help a student get to the inaugural parade, too.

Thank you,

The Presidential Inaugural Committee