Celebrating the Inauguration (a week late)

I know our inauguration was a week ago, but my friend Jenn sent this to me today and I loved it, so I wanted to share it with all of you. She is a kindergarten teacher and she said the 1st grade class in her school had this up being displayed, which I just think is awesome.

Rosa sat
so
Martin could walk
so
Barack could run
so
All children can dream.

I DO think it is WONDERFUL that we have a president who is not a white male. For white males out there, this may not make a ton of sense, or it may take a bit to wrap your minds around this, but there is something powerful about seeing yourself reflected in the face of those who are leading you. If all we see is one type of person in the most powerful position in the world, we internalize the message (whether or not we consciously recognize this) that that type of person is the only kind of person who can effectively hold that particular office. I experienced that growing up in the church. As a young girl, I never got to see anyone who 'looked like me' leading, preaching, serving communion, or making key decisions in the church. And that caused me to internalize the message that "girls don't lead in the church, they can't." When I was in college and encountered the message that they could lead in certain churches, I couldn't handle that--it felt wrong to me because it was so contrary to the message I had believed for so long. But the more I saw women preaching, serving communion etc, the more I felt something resonating deep with in me. I realized I might be able to do that some day too. And I think, ok I know thanks to research, that the same happens with people of various ethnicities--when we see ourselves reflected physically in our leaders it gives us more encouragement and inspiration to believe we too could aspire to a similar position someday. America has always prided herself on being a 'melting pot' or a 'place for all people,' yet that is not often reflected in her leadership. America isn't made up of white males, yet that is the only demographic to ever have held the highest office. I think it is absolutely amazing that we finally have a president who looks differently on the outside because I think it is about time that we have a leader blacks can look at and see themselves in. If we are going to use the rhetoric about America being a place of equal opportunities for people, then it is about time our leadership start reflecting that. I am so proud to have Barack Obama as our president, and I look forward to the future of politics that may look a bit different.