A year later, the first African American President!

I watched today as Barack Obama grasped the power as America's first black president. I couldn't help but hope for change and progress in America. It was a year ago this month when Uela and I sat in a waiting room for my daughters ENT doctor where a little boy about 6 years old told his grandmother that he didn't want to play Lego's with Devyn because she is black! His grandmother was so embarrassed and quickly apologized. I remember my heart stopped the moment I heard those words come out of his mouth. I sat there with tears running down my cheeks. I was so sad for this little boy because I knew no one that young would know color without hearing or seeing this behavior at home or school. My nieces and nephews are all different ages, and I know they don't see color at all. I also was in tears looking at Devyn so innocent and carrying on in the play area with no clue to what had just happened. I didn't want her to go through anything like this. We've come a long way from the black and white days, but we still have such a long way to go. It is night and day coming from Laie where you are the majority and making the transition here where my homeroom teacher in high school told me he was surprised to see my name on the national honor list. What did that mean? There were many times I was faced with discrimination, especially with school. Being judged because of the color of my skin is the worse thing for me. I find myself always on the defense and I hate it. I fear Devyn will struggle with the same things, but today with President Obama's inauguration, was I guess you can say a sign of hope, progress and acceptance. He declared the nation must choose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." So today I choose HOPE!