Childhood Dreams Becoming Reality

Last week was truly a moment in history. Regardless of any person's political affiliation Barak Obama's official nomination as the Democratic party's Presidential nominee was a defining moment for America and the rest of the world.

As I watched all of the various speeches during the Democratic National Convention that led up to Senator Obama's acceptance speech, I pondered on those childhood memories of encouragement and esteem building. I can recall my mother, teachers and family members always reminding me as a child that I could be "anything". I could be a lawyer, a doctor, the first black "female" Supreme Court Justice and even the first black President.

I don't know that it's possible for me to express how overwhelming it was to watch Michelle Obama and Senator Obama deliver those speeches. I had moments when I laughed, cried, smiled and just sat in amazement as I marveled at how this childhood dream was manifesting into a reality right in front of my eyes.

I felt a sense of pride and belief as I watched Michelle's speech with my mother. In that moment I looked at my mother and realized that what I once considered to be her childhood rhetoric towards me was a childhood dream becoming a potential reality for so many people. I was Michelle Obama, my mother was Michelle Obama and every other African American woman that we know. The moment was simply beautiful.

I don't know that I believed I could be the first "Black President" when that message was spoken to me as a child. While watching Senator Obama's speech I became teary eyed as I processed that fact that this childhood dream that someone spoke into my life was now a possibility in arms reach. That my friends was an awesome moment.

As a African American woman it is my responsibility to encourage my students and the youth I meet to dream VERY VERY big. Twenty years from now when we read of Senator Obama's historic moment in the history books, I can't wait to tell someone my memories of living in that moment. My hope is that when I tell youth that they can be "anything" that they remember my words when that childhood dream becomes a reality for them.