Wow, today is truly an exciting day. So many of us thought that we will never in our lifetime see a Black person in the ‘White House’ and that day has arrived. The question for me is ‘if we thought that was impossible’ then what else is possible? Is it possible to have a Black woman in the White House? Is it possible to have a Feminist President? Is it possible to live in a world where all women live in peace, security and equity? I think the answer has to be ‘Yes it is!’
Personally the importance of an Obama victory in the US elections is significant because of the powerful symbolism he represents. I have to confess at the start of his campaign for the Democratic Party ticket I thought ‘he doesn’t have a chance!’ I thought even if he succeeds in winning the Democratic Party ticket he is highly unlikely to win the US elections. I thought Hilary Clinton was a safer bet for the Democrats and she was a strong woman candidate (a positive attribute in my opinion). Well, I been proved so wrong and I am thrilled about that. It is a great thing to be wrong when you have lost hope in humankind. It is a great thing to be wrong when you fail to anticipate that record numbers of young people, women and people of diverse ethnicities will turn out to vote for a mixed race male whom they perceive to symbolise hope, diversity and a new world.
The Obama victory reminds me that the feminist battle may not take as long as we think it might. The Obama victory reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point, which emphasises that the right context, a few key individuals and creativity can result in change occurring within a very short period of time.
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer (Fundraising & Communications)
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