I Can See across the Great Divide

For the second or third time in my life, I had a conversation about race with an African American. She and I were waiting in our dematologist's office. I broke the ice with, "That was quite an evening last night," and the conversation went on from there. Truly, something has changed. My African American grand-niece really can become President of the United States. America thought the unthinkable, and voted for a new way.

Importantly, white Americans recognized the moment, too, because they voted for Barack Obama. But clearly, Obama won because he reached out to all of us, whoever, whatever, or wherever.

The women at the Dr.'s office were pinching themselves. This is a defining moment in their lives, and in the lives of the rest of us. We have a lot of hard work to do. But we can do it. We woke up this morning to a changed world; I believe a profoundly changed world. This is not about the Democrats. This is not about President-Elect Obama, this is about you and me. I believe that. This is a new day.