An Open Letter to White America...

Or
An open letter to lefty liberals
Or
An open letter to lefty white liberal America who has constantly seen their existence validated in the political process
Or
Have some context my European-American brothers and sisters
Or (and very possibly)
A reality check for my marginalized and of color 'manos y 'manas who are impatient and not being realistic

He is not. Yours. He never was. While he may have been raised by people who share your complexion He is not yours. While he may share your political party He is not yours. While he may share some of your beliefs or political opinions He is not yours. While he may have attended your Ivy League school He is not Yours. While he may have met your criteria in order to become the first marginalized person in US history to make it past the primaries He is still not yours.

and in reality he may not be ours. but what he is holds more significance then who he is.

You may find yourself disappointed with what he has. Or has not accomplished. Over the past two years. We Are just happy He still breathes.

You see, that man’s face. Inspires. More than his actions ever will. Why do you think the t-shirts were so popular? An entire generation of young men of color who see themselves validated on the court, field, or music video. But never in their schools, doctors offices, courtrooms, and most definatly not. The White House. Well, those men question their existence and ability more now than 3 years ago. Opportunity seems like a word that now applies to them. becuase of that man. becuase that man has a face like theirs. has a face like the 10.4%+ of black/african american men in our prisons. because they still make monkey comparisons of his wife. because his daughters wear their hair natural. because his existance questions the innate racism of the media. .

So you and I can have a discussion about health care, foreign policy, bail outs and social security. But my 5 year old can pick out a picture of Barack in heart beat. And name him. And my 3 year old, he says, “ 'Rockabama looks like my daddy”

So when you speak of disappointment I DON’T CARE. Would it have been nice if he had been a great savior? A great change? Yes it would have been nice. But I tell you, from the text of the Haggadah, DAYENU*! Had we voted and elected a black man to be president of a nation founded on racism. DAYENU! And it is.

The idealist in me is always looking for and creating change. So, would it have been nice if he had done more of that? Yes. But his face is sufficient. His skin color is enough to change a generation.


During election year my 4 year old son’s class had a mock election. They made a poster board and pasted pictures of the two presidential candidates on the board and let the kids vote for who they liked better. In a daycare in a part of Albuquerque once called “The War Zone”
(now known as the “international district” shout out to Reyna Luz Juarez) my sons class full of little multi-cultural, melting pot babies, voted overwhelmingly for a man who they could relate to. If he has that effect on 4 year old before he was president imagine the changes he makes every time he gives the state of the union address. Imagine when he has his pictures in text books, on book covers, place mates, dollar bills. He spoke of “hope” and “change” and while politically he hasn’t represented much of either his existence does.

So I tell you stop. Stop telling me how YOU are now disenfranchised because Barack didn’t SAVE this nation. Stop telling me about all the hours you gave to that campaign and how now YOU are disappointed. Because next time I’m going to tell you to go show Eli a picture of our President then my 5 year old can show YOU what “change” looks like.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayenu