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Today’s video of the day is extraordinary!
Today’s video comes from YouTube and features none other than Michelle Obama, speaking to an enthusiastic group of women in what appears to be a store-front church in Harlem:
This video is FABULOUS, and was provide by the talented AkinScribe5, a YouTube favorite. In this video, Michelle tells the audience that “she is married to THE ANSWER”, over the classic rendition of “Drop Me Off in Harlem”, by Ella Fitzgerald. It gave me goose bumps – this video shows Michelle Obama as the strong, black, articulate, independent woman that she is.
These days, the question of ‘what kind of first lady will [insert a name here] make?’ is almost as important as the presidential version of the same. Michelle Obama is a force in her own right, and yet she is comfortable and brilliant at being the supporting wife, mother, and backbone of her family. The sacrifice she has made to offer up her husband to our nation as ”THE ANSWER” to so many of its ills is as great a sacrifice as the one Barack Obama himself has made. Maybe even greater.
She is the very picture of courage and bravery; no doubt she’s had moments before and since her husband began his run for the White House where she had to wonder whether or not she would have to worry about the sick intentions of the crazed whackos out there that would do her husband harm just for being a black man who would dare to run for the highest office in the land – there’s no doubt about that. And yet the ferocity with which she speaks to these women in this video shows that despite her fears, or any apprehension she may have had, she believes enough in the greater good of an Obama presidency to lay it all down – her dreams for her family’s future, her fears, all of it, to stand by her husband as he goes about his work.
For that alone, she is my hero. Thank you AkinScribe5 for this fabulous video, and for the glimpse at the next First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama!
By Patricia Wilson-Smith
There is nothing more gratifying than to come together with people of like minds for a common cause.
This weekend in Atlanta, a large number of Barack Obama supporters have gathered to participate in “Camp Obama”, a training initiative created by the Obama campaign to introduce his many grass-root supporters all over the country to the tenets of his campaign, and to train them on canvassing, manning phone banks, and other community organizing methods. Camps like the one going on this weekend in the ATL have already taken place in cities all over the country, including Phoenix, AZ, Boise, ID and St. Louis, MO.
When I first heard about Camp Obama coming to Atlanta, I signed up immediately. As a staunch Obama supporter and founder of BWFO, I felt it was my duty to get all of the information available on how to be most effective for the Senator’s campaign. I made application online like everyone else, and received a call from the Southeast Field Coordinator several days later. I was put through a less-than-arduous interview, and then eventually informed that I had been accepted into the camp (I have no idea how many people were denied acceptance, but I’m having fun pretending that the number was in the thousands!).
When I signed up for the group mailing list to officially accept my spot in the Camp, I didn’t know that I would soon be inundated with enthusiastic emails from people from around the country who were just as excited as I was about the prospect of learning more about the inner-workings of the Obama Campaign. I mean, these people were fired up, and clearly ready to roll up their sleeves and get down to the business of getting the Senator elected, and from the sound of their emails, they are more than passionate and driven enough to do just that!
People like Freeman McNeal (not the football player), a Political Consultant who came in all the way from Cincinnati for Camp Obama. Or Cherry Vincent, who made the trip down from Norfolk, Virginia. Not to mention the legions of people from the local Atlanta area, many of whom have generously offered their time and assistance to the out-of-towners to make their trip to Camp Obama an easier one – the spirit of comraderie is flowing like, well, things that flow, and it’s infectious and really amazing!
Yep – there’s hope in the air people, and it makes you do crazy things. Not wanting to be out done, I contacted the National Campaign and offered sleeping space in my home for anyone that needs it, and as of this writing, I have two wonderful total strangers bunking with me (both of whom are last-named King - eery coincidence, or cosmic karma? I’ll let you decide). Despite what the media, the polls, or even your unenlightened next door neighbor might tell you, there is a powerful movement a-foot and there is more than enough reason for hope, as David Plouffe, Senator Obama’s brilliant campaign manager pointed out in an email on Friday that went out to Obama supporters:
“In mid-September 2003, a national poll put the eventual nominee John Kerry behind Howard Dean — and both of them behind the frontrunner in the polls, Joe Lieberman. Then Kerry won the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary, and that momentum carried him all the way to the nomination. The lesson: early polls don’t mean a thing and momentum in crucial early-state contests will win the Democratic nomination.”
Senator Obama’s campaign so far has been a study in what is possible when ordinary citizens band together. It is so very important that those of us who understand the importance of this election and the impact that an Obama presidency could have, continue to brush past the polls, the negativity, and the media speculators, and do all that we can to make it a reality. It would be SO easy to tell ourselves that the nay-sayers are right, that Senator Obama’s candidacy is a long-shot – the problem is, WE know what so many other people will soon know – that not only are Senator Obama’s plans for undoing the mess that the last few administrations have made sound and sensible, but they’re also good for all Americans, and good for the world. Senator Obama will invigorate the electorate, bring fresh ideas to old problems, and invoke a renewed spirit of cooperation in a way that recent administrations have failed to do.
And so, all of the hopeful, buoyant men and women who previously were just emails and voices over the telephone, have descended on Morris Brown College this weekend to report for duty. It will be our jobs as residents of the Southeast to get the training we need to make an impact in the state where we’re needed most right now – South Carolina. Black women for Obama has already established a chapter in South Carolina, and we’re committed to making an impact across the nation as the Obama army marches on through the first round of primaries. If you, or someone you know is in one of the states on our Chapters list that does not yet have a director, and you want to be part of a dynamic movement to inform, enlighten and empower, holla at us!
With scant few months until the important first primaries, we are definitely, smack dab in the middle of “The Countdown to Change”. To quote a beloved musical legend, I’m ready to make it “do what it do” – are you?
Today’s “Obama Video of the Day” was produced by none other than the ladies of Black Women for Obama Atlanta!
To celebrate our first official meeting, we met at my house, strategized, organized, and engaged each other in a dialogue – one of the most important things that took place that day. There were some of the most intelligent, powerful women in Atlanta in attendance, all eager to join forces to do the work to ensure that Senator Obama becomes our next President:
We’ve taken the opportunity with this video to introduce you to our stance on one of the issues that is most important to our organization – the War in Iraq. We’ve captured moments from our meeting, and also shared some of our favorite images from the struggle to move our nation forward.
In the coming days and weeks, we will continue to chronicle our movement, our experiences, and share with you what’s on the minds and hearts of the women of BWFO. Until then, if you haven’t made up your mind about who you will support this campaign season for the Democratic nomination, we encourage you to dig, dig, dig – find all you can about all of the candidates, and then make your choice known! Voting is a sacred right, and one that far too many of us take for granted!
Stay tuned for more “Obama Videos of the Day’, and much, MUCH more from Black Women for Obama!
Patricia Wilson-Smith, Executive Director
Black Women For Obama
Today’s video is as inspiring as it is entertaining!
We found this video on YouTube as well. In this video, You Tube user Akinscribe5 has compiled footage of both ordinary citizens and elected officials, celebrating the candidacy of the Senator, and also speaking candidly about why it is so important that Senator Barack Obama be the nect President of the United States.
The video shows an exciting 4th of July parade in Jersey and the Bronx Dominican Parade juxtaposed with remarks by Mayors Cory Booker, Jerramiah Healy, and Jun H. Choi. This is one that everyone needs to see:
The spirit of the Obama campaign is everywhere! If you haven’t made up your mind about who you’ll support as the Democratic Presidential nominee, now’s the time to educate yourself, and learn why these people and the women of Black Women for Obama are so excited about an Obama presidency!
There is SO little time before February 5th, and we have SO much work to do! Join our ranks, or find another organization to join, but get involved in the political process! The future of our nation is at stake…
Ipods and Sneakers: The Miseducation of Oprah Winfrey
August 31, 2007 in Commentary, Issues, Oprah Winfrey | by bfwo | 3 comments
The last thing I wanted to do on a cozy Sunday evening here at home with my son staring over my shoulder is write an article that I’m certain some will view as a pot-shot at one of the most beloved women of the modern age, but I just can’t help myself. By now, it is common knowledge that just recently the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened its doors to 450 deserving South African girls who were hand-selected by Oprah herself. The new luxury facility which boasts a beauty salon, computer and science labs, and modern dorm rooms, is situated on 52 acres in a remote community south of Johannesburg South Africa.
It was only just now that I discovered what Oprah said in a recent Newsweek article, in which she explained why she chose to build the state-of the art campus for the children of South Africa rather than for needy school kids here in the United States:
“I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn’t there,” she says. “If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don’t ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school.”
Source: http://www.Racialicious.com, 01/03/07
As a middle-aged black woman who grew up in the inner-cities of the Midwest, my sensibilities are offended by Oprah’s assessment on so many levels that it’s hard to put it into words; however, despite my discomfort at questioning the actions of a woman who is so beloved, and who has clearly done so much for so many, I have to try, because this time Oprah’s sincere but misguided evaluation of the wants and desires of inner-city youths proves once and for all that being rich and influential does not always translate to being socially or even culturally responsible.
First a point of clarification – I have been and will likely always be a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey’s. Her philanthropic activities throughout the United States and the world are legendary, and I for one believe that history will one day portray her as a modern day saint not at all unlike the late Mother Theresa. Her rags to riches story, the ultimate self-made woman tale is an ever-present inspiration to me as a black woman, and I would defend her right to spend the money that she has worked so hard to make in any forum. No – the problem here is not how she has chosen to spend her money, but how in doing so she has irresponsibly cast an unfair light on a population of defenseless and in most cases underprivileged children.
Here’s the thing: if children in inner-city schools are not getting the message that their educations should be the most important thing in their lives, there are many reasons why. Conversely, if there is a sense that education is more important than iPods and sneakers in South African schools, there are also reasons why, and it is these reasons that Ms. Winfrey seems to have completely disregarded in making her very careless remark.
Firstly, and most obviously, children in inner-city schools, even in areas where the tax base cannot even ensure decent plumbing in their school buildings all have access to one thing – the almighty-fantasy-generator we call television. That purveyor of all things pleasurable and lofty, that ’spewer’ of dream images, chocked full of beautiful and flawless people – men, women, boys and girls with perfect hair, bodies, and teeth seemingly all carrying brand spanking new iPods as they run effortlessly through some picturesque suburban neighborhood somewhere in the latest high-fashion (and high-priced) sneakers without breaking a sweat. That television. Most inner-city kids have these images force fed to them day in and day out. Is it any wonder that our children would come off as mindless iPod or Air Jordan zombies when asked by the richest woman in the world what their fondest wish might be? Can they honestly be blamed if they can’t resist the constant barrage of instant gratification messages targeted at them on a daily basis by the media? To add more fuel to the ridiculousness of Oprah’s statement, the fact simply can’t be ignored that many of the mind-numbing, glossy, you-gotta-have-this now ads that permeate the free-viewing airwaves are coming from some of the very corporations who produce some of the products whose colossal advertising budgets have made a great portion of Oprah Winfrey’s immense fortune possible.
Secondly, Oprah’s is an absolutely unfair comparison. In a nation where the black children are only a generation removed from the ravages of the Apartheid struggle, and where as recently as the early 1990’s the entire nation of blacks was routinely suppressed from participating in the national economy, it seems polly-anna to believe that the day to day wants of the nation’s children would have yet evolved beyond an equal education and the bare necessities that so many of the girls selected to go to the school have to do without on a regular basis. Oprah, of course they don’t aspire to fancy shoes and iPods – do they even have computers? Internet access? I admit I don’t know the answer, but it’s a good bet that Apple’s market penetration into the outer provinces of South Africa probably leaves a bit to be desired.
Finally, it is patently irresponsible for a woman of her broad influence to make such a sweeping statement in the media about a population of children that are so in need of everyone’s help. The sad fact of reality is that when anyone in the media says inner-city, most Americans hear minorities, and the low-income minorities in this country are having a difficult enough time as it is keeping the money flowing into their public schools, and can at this point still only expect to get a second-rate education for their children at best. I literally cringe at the thought of the legion of middle and upper-class soccer mom’s who comprise Oprah’s core audience, who upon reading her comments will all be out there clicking their tongues at ‘those poor misguided inner-city youths, who don’t even have enough sense to value education over material things’ as if rich kids are any different. Putting that notion out there at a time when some seem to be working overtime to widen racial divides is just plain reckless.
The icing on the cake? The new Leadership Academy’s website (http://www.oprahwinfreyleadershipacademy.org) asks you to make a donation to continue to support the school. What?!? Now don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with wanting to help these children at all, and again, I acknowledge with all the respect in the world the great work that Oprah Winfrey has done with her Angel Network charity and so many others, but I’m not going to send one thin dime to South Africa to make sure that those students have hair gel in their new luxury salon when I know there are students here in the United States using text books that were written in the nineteen-sixties.
But – I can’t help but wonder what would happen if Oprah erected a website called SupportAmericasSchools.com to solicit donations for our public schools, complete with a gorgeous photo of her surrounded by the many children who live in areas where their schools have been abandoned, forgotten, and left to fall into disrepair. I’m guessing that without writing a single check herself, if she wanted to, she could start a flow of money into America’s public school systems that could make a real difference for those communities in need, and perhaps go a long way towards the goal of providing equal education for all children here at home, because Oprah wields just that much influence here. And I say, if there is a chance that she could make a difference here then she should, because I’ve always been told that to whom much is given, much is expected. I’ve also always been taught that charity begins at home. If the most powerful black woman in the world can’t see the problems inherent in America’s education system, how we got here, and why our children might need a little help with their perspectives and setting priorities, well, then as a society, we’re in big trouble.
Ms. Winfrey, with all due respect, it is okay to acknowledge that our kids have issues and need our help, but it’s not okay to ’stop going’ as you put it. If our kids don’t have the sense that they need to learn, then it is the job of every adult in this nation to give it to them, including yours. But it is also not Oprah’s job to do alone. By not doing the work ourselves to build a solid foundation for our children’s futures here at home, we’re all ensuring that a nation that has always been generous to a fault with giving to those in need abroad might one day not be as well equipped to do so.
If you want to help even in a small way, contact a local public school in your area and make a donation to their PTA, or volunteer. Do something. Do anything. But don’t give up on our children, because we just can’t afford to.