History Has Been Made

I don't even know where to start. I was so emotional last night, and I'm still emotional today. History has been made, and a country that I didn't have any faith in, made me believe again.

Barack Hussein Obama is the president. OBAMA IS THE PRESIDENT! This is a defining moment in our country's history for more reasons than I can count. But I have to tell you, our future is bright, and as a woman of color, I'm looking forward to finally getting some respect that I more than deserve.

This is a breakthrough that even a few years ago, wouldn't have been possible. This is a truly symbolic moment in the evolution of the United States' racial history, a history that has been fraught with ugly, dehumanizing events.

Obama is truly a phenomenon, and as I watched the votes in Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico come in, I realized that we have entered a new era. 143 years ago, Obama could have been owned as a slave. Today, he's our new president.

Last night, watching Obama's speech, I was emotionally and physically drained of all of the anxiety that had settled in me. Today I feel like a new person. In fact, I'm starting my citizenship process. That's right ladies and gentlemen, yours truly, after being a Canadian citizen for 24 years of her life, is going to become an American. The time is right. This is what I needed to see before fully pledging my allegiance to this country.

Watching Jesse Jackson wipe away tears in his eyes last night was such an important moment. I can only imagine what last night meant to him. As a man who stood side by side with Martin Luther King, to see Barack Obama elected as President must have been for him, a moment that was indescribable.

I can't fully articulate my feelings on what happened last night. I prayed for this to happen, I did what I could to show my support, but never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen. I didn't think that the United States could accept a black man as their president. I was too bitter from my own experiences with identity.

I was wrong. And I'm so glad I was wrong. Congratulations, America, we did it!

I highly recommend you watch this slideshow titled "Singing for Freedom" from the New York Times. It shows you how far we've come.

(And shout out to my mixed-race friends, yeah multiracial! It's for real now.)

Photo is from The New York Times.