YES WE DID!

My throat is sore this morning from all the whooping and hooraying! After the speeches, we headed to Jack London Square to be a part of the crowd and celebrate. We expected a large crowd there, but we didn't expect the crowds along the way. As soon as we got to Shattuck Ave (less than a mile from our house), we encountered people on almost every corner. People leaned in to shake the outstretched hands of drivers and passengers. They danced and drummed and sang on the side of the streets, in the streets. "Obama!" "Yes we can!" Cars going every direction were honking. People hung out of their windows and sunroofs. Fireworks, crying, laughing... I've never seen anything like it.

I experienced something like this when I was a senior in high school and my world view was somewhat smaller (somewhat!). We organized a series of theater, modern dance, ballet, opera, music throughout Winston-Salem in protest of Jessie Helm's attack on the National Endowment for the Arts. I was new to North Carolina School of the Arts and fresh from the conservative world of Charleston, SC. My fellow students were from all over the world, and I was experiencing an awakening.  I felt as if my voice could be heard, that people were truly beautiful and damn if I'd ever seen anything as cool as modern dance! Ever since that time, I have been trying to replicate that feeling. Last night surpassed it.

Early in the day, Adeline and I went to vote. She pointed out all of the Obama signs on the way. "Barack Obama! Barack Obama! Barack Obama!" until even I had almost had enough. "No on Prop 8," I said. She looked closely at the man holding the sign and the sign itself. She pointed behind him, "Barack Obama!" 

I phone banked all afternoon at the Berkeley Obama headquarters. I was calling PA and Missouri. Calling swing states is enlightening. I didn't convince anyone and most people had voted. One guy screamed "I already BARACKED the vote and then I volunteered all day." That's what amazes me. Everyone I know has done something. Many, many friends drove to Nevada to help. People went to Florida and Pennsylvania. My mom called me from Rwanda and people giver her thumbs up and scream "Obama!" My step-mother called from Australia, where they were celebrating, as well. What is going on? 

We drove through much of Oakland, honking and screaming. No one laid off the horn. No one was immune to this huge change. We finally ended up at Jack London Square where we danced on a carpeted stage. I moved my head to the music and a black, older woman in a comfy chair watched me. She smiled and started to bob her head with mine. We were united. Tom experienced the same thing with the hand shake from the car. 

It was a party last night... around the world, but it hasn't sunk in yet. What hasn't sunk in? I'm still trying to work that out. It's not just the race thing or the change thing. It's something bigger and even more beautiful. One girl in Harlem smiled and said that she feels she would make a good president one day. Yes. It's the hope, the possibility, the common purpose. I feel as if America has found its voice again, can fly its flag again, can unite again... and it is beautiful.

Scenes of the night:

By the Cheese Board in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto

By Berkeley's La Paz

Outside Berkeley's Obama Headquarters (This becane a HUGE party later on in the night).

Brad, me, and Amy at Jack London Square

Jack London Square gathering

Peace and beauty in motion

Comments

[Lilo]

For the first time, we were happy to hear gun shots to the west in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Celebratory fire on election night. And lots screaming and whooping in our relatively quite neighborhood. On the TV, lots of footage of the huge crowds in Fr. Green Park, Harlem, Times Square. A truly amazing night.

[Hattie]

Oh, wonderful pix! Thank you so much. I am very happy for you that you are well enough to be out enjoying this victorious evening. I loved seeing the celebrants near my old family home in Berkeley.
It was rather quiet on our island in Hawaii, but we are really really happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!