An experience of a lifetime:

I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Hussein Obama. What a remarkable and historic event to experience.

I had been blessed with tickets in the west standing center area, behind the seated ticketed area, to witness first hand the amazing swearing-in ceremony on Inauguration day.

A good friend of mine from Idaho and I woke up at 4 a.m. just to get ready, eat breakfast, and then get in the line early for our designated gate into the ceremony. When we got out the door of the place where we were staying, mobs of people were everywhere walking and crossing the streets near 3 Avenue. A huge banner gave us the directions we needed to get to our gate.

I remember walking and just thinking how lucky and blessed I was to be there, right in the middle of history in Washington, D.C. After working on this campaign since the summer of 2007, I felt this was exactly where I needed to be.

“I was colder than past days in D.C., but it didn’t matter. I knew that I was going to be a witness to an historic moment in American history,” my friend Vince Sanchez said.

I felt exactly the same. I was also thinking how incredible is was going to be to not only tell my kids about my experiences as a National Delegate for Barack Obama and the fight that got us to this point, but about how incredible it was to be in D.C. to see the fruition of my journey.

While waiting in line, there were mixed feelings from the people. Many were very grateful, very impatient to get into the gates, and confused about if they were even in the right line. In a few, very rare incidents people got angry at each other.

I knew that by the time we got into the gates everyone would snap into reality and strong emotions would run high for this moment. I knew that stress of standing in line for hours, early in the morning and in the cold, with different walks of life around would cause each person to respond different from those around them.

For the most part, people were very happy to

be there.

I’m a patient guy and had no reason not make this one of the most positive experiences I

could have.

We finally got into our designated area. My friend and I both thought that standing near any Black Americans would be incredible since this moment, presumably, would mean so much to them. I’m a multi-raced young college student, and standing there I was also reminded that I could do anything I set my mind to, regardless of my heritage.

As the ceremony began an amazing, positive and euphoric rush of energy took over my head and body. This feeling could be seen by the smile on my face – a smile I couldn’t

shake off.

I was even happier to hear President Obama reaffirm that “we will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.”

I’ve been on this page for many years regarding our wars, so it showed me he wasn’t going to forget about these values he

also held.

When President Obama put his hand up to take the oath of office, I felt relieved – relieved that this country has not only come so far in our positive development and self awareness, but that we now have a president that can get us even further as Americans.

Right then, I felt this was the beginning of a great path of building real change within people, that might just cause them to have more dignity within themselves. To anyone that doubts this, I say: have more hope and know that anything is possible, as this Inauguration has

clearly portrayed. ˇˇ

STEVE MERCADO
Arbiter Journalist

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