Youth Radio's Brandon McFarland and Summer Sewell are still reeling from Obama’s win, and thinking about what it means for their own ambitions as a young African-American man and biracial woman.

The following entry is not a transcript of the audio, but a web extra to the radio story.

By Summer Sewell

One night, my friend Eve and I jumped into a cab for a short ride that would leave a disturbing thought lingering in my head.  Our cabby was overly talkative, to the point of annoyance, and I immediately tuned him out and let Eve deal with his mindless rambling. But I was fully alert after he told us a joke that haunts me to this day:

“OK, so what does God ask Obama when he get to the pearly gates?” (“What…?”)
“How was your first 10 minute of being president?”And he laughed, eerily, endlessly, as Eve and I shared a frown and got out of his cab at the next corner.That was months ago. Looking back, it’s bizarre to me that the idea of Obama becoming president, only to get assassinated before officially entering the White House, hadn’t crossed my mind until the night of that cab ride. Since then, I haven’t been able to get an animated image of Obama on January 29th , ending a strong acceptance speech, raising both arms triumphantly, smiling, the crowd rejoicing, then turning dead silent as his body is blown backwards by a sniper’s bullet.

As I sat through Obama’s victory speech, my mind was divided- half jubilant, half overwhelmingly anxious. I was an awkward mix of emotions as happy tears welled up in my eyes, and hostile butterflies made laps in my stomach. I looked around the room at faces expressing pure bliss, uncomplicated by the tinges of fear I was feeling. Why couldn’t I share in this joyful, monumental event without my anxiety eclipsing it? As I watched his older daughter stand tucked beneath his arms, while they both smiled and waved to a sea of supporters, I struggled to pull my mind away from the visual of Obama’s wounded body spread out on the steps of Capitol Hill.Obama’s campaign slogan has been “Change”, and maybe that’s all I’m afraid of.
My fear makes it seem easier to just consent to another four years of disguised tyranny, instead of grasping the positive change I’m sure Obama will bring to the White House with both hands.What would Obama say to me if I was able to tell him how I’m feeling? Probably that I should let him handle not only my anxieties, but the nation’s. That he can take care of himself, and do his best to take care of us. And to rejoice in the fact that his supporters have made history, no matter how long it lasts, from this day forward. Pushing my fear aside, I can say, I hope it lasts for as long as possible. 

---