Posted by student SANFORD JOHNSON – My bags are packed, I’m fired up, and ready to go!! Along with two of my Obama-backing buds, I’m heading to Denver to hear Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field. We will drive all night, and we hope to get to Denver sometime before lunch.
Such a road trip isn’t out of the norm for me. I drove eight hours to Houston (with my future father-in-law) to propose to Amanda at a jazz club that we went to as Teach For America corps members-in-training. I’ve also taken several road trips around the southeastern U.S. to cheer on my Auburn Tigers. When opportunity knocks, I open the door, and turn the key!
There are two major reasons why I’m so excited to make this trip. For starters, I’ve never been to a national convention before. I’ve always wanted to be in the convention hall to see the political leaders, cheer for the speakers, and put as many buttons on my shirt as possible.
Secondly, and most importantly, Obama’s acceptance speech will be a very important moment in American history. In recent years, we’ve celebrated the anniversaries of the Brown v. Board decision, the desegregation of Little Rock Central, and several other important events. Forty-three years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, seeing an African American accept the nomination of a major party was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up. I’ve often asked my parents and other relatives to share their involvement or reaction to historical events. One day, I’ll have the honor of telling my kids about the time I went to Denver to see Barack Obama accept the party nomination.
And off I go…
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