Taking My Mom

I received an email message yesterday notifying me that I had been selected to receive two credentials to Barack Obama's Acceptance speech at Mile High Stadium (Invesco Field) on Thursday, August 28, 2008.

I sat for a moment in my cubicle, staring at my monitor, absorbing the moment, feeling the tears well up in my eyes, listening to my heart beat as the lump rose from my chest to my throat. Memories of studying U.S. history and traveling to the east to stand for moments where it all happened raced through my mind. I have studied history, read about and analyzed events and social movements but at this moment, I realized I am not studying, reading, or researching - I am experiencing this absolutely monumental historical event.

When I had submitted my "application" for credentials, I was also allowed to submit a request for an additional credential. As I began to fill out the form I thought about who I should add. At first I began to type in my husband's name but I hesitated. I realized I needed to bring my mom.

My mom is 62 years old. She was a migrant farm worker as a child and achieved a 6th grade education. She attended segregated schools in Crystal City, TX because she spoke Spanish and she is brown. She was married at 15 and had her first child at 17 but throughout her life, my mom shared her political views with us and stood up for change and social justice.

She fought for farmworkers rights and access to healthcare. She advocated for an increase in the minimum wage and held her representatives accountable. There are times when I come home and I find Senator Salazar's number scribbled on the back of an envelope and I think to myself - poor Senator Salazar probably got a earfull from mom. In English or Spanish; she voices her opinion and never hesitates to stand for what she believes in and knows is right.

It is because of my mom and her passion for doing what is right that I am a Democrat. She has helped form my beliefs and I am honored to have my mom accompany me to Barack Obama's acceptance speech.

Mom, thank you for being true to yourself and to God. I love and admire you and I am honored to be able to be a part of history alongside you.

Beyond Our Racist Past

Yesterday I was teasing my conservative friends posting Barack Obama 2008 campaign pictures on their myspace comment boards and bulletins later to hear Obama swept Iowa.

My mom came upstairs to share the news with a slight smile. I could see it in her eyes. The doubt she held had dissipated. There was a brief moment of introspection quickly followed by a sigh of accomplishment. For that moment I could see she felt all the years of activism had finally paid off. Our country had moved beyond it's racist past and voted for a Black candidate based upon his values and promise to make a change.

I went to bed proud of my mom and proud to be her daughter. She has raised a liberal who has often felt the frustration of continued efforts to persuade apathatic and ignorant Americans. But the evening was ours.

I turned on Jay Marvin this morning to hear my fellow liberals discuss the Iowa results and couldn't help but burst out in a loud hoorah. I whooped and hollered to myself as I drove to my carpool and absorbed the moment. I held back tears that seldom fall.

Today is ours. Every liberal activist who has spent their lifetime educating others about racism, diversity, and multiculturalism can smile today and know our work has made a difference.

My faith has been restored. I will put my boots back on and pound that pavement once again to educate and inform those I had given up on.

Thank you Iowa.