“Obama, Obama” said, the little white boy; as he pumped his fist in the air as to give the Black Power salute. I was stunned and startled at the hope that little boy had in this Senator from Illinois. I stood outside the voting poll, shivering in the cold Southern California weather, shaking my head thinking, I have just seen everything. I never thought I would see the day when a 3 year old white kid would cheer for a black man to become president. It was a scary time for me. I had hope and faith in Black America, but I had doubts in White America. Would White America look past his skin color and look at the character of the man? Would White America judge him qualified for the job based on his education and experience, or would they become color-blinded in vote based on race?
Even though President Barrack Obama has been in office for two years, it is still a surreal experience. I never thought in my lifetime, a Black man would rule the most powerful nation in the world. What does that say about the American people? From that day in November 2008, my life took on a new meaning. I don’t know what effect President Obama winning the election had on me, but my outlook on life has never been the same since that night. I knew if this can happen, then anything is possible in this world. It gave me hope in humanity. It gave me hope in life. It gave me hope for a new world.
However, lately, my hope is weathering the storm; since President Obama’s time in office. This is a time of rejuvenation for America; a time of creating a new sense of Pride in our values and beliefs. President Obama took on the hurricane American economy with people demanding an instant magical solution. The American people voted on hope. The American people trusted in President Obama’s words. They believed him and still do, but are beginning to get weary of his power and ability to keep his promises. Yes, we live in the Information Age, and due to generational social transformation our values have begun to take on a new meaning. With all these cultural revolutions stamping our way of life-one thing remains the same, “your word”. An American euphemism meaning; you make an oath, a vow to perform an action, a task for someone. These are not meaningless words-along with making this statement comes’ a responsibility to fulfill your promise.
The African-American women of the United States Armed Forces have waited for 2 years for President Obama to fulfill his promise to them. You made a promise; you gave “your word”, Our Black women are the largest population impacted by the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Many Black women come from low-income families and have few opportunities to attend college. Many will end-up working low-paying jobs. Unfortunately, many will become a statistic. We live in America, a cruel society that will not pay a Black woman a living wage. Many Black women enlist into the military, because it affords them the opportunity for social mobility, an education, a job with benefits, and the prestige of being an American heroine. Sadly, enlisting in the United States Armed Forces is becoming a lost opportunity for Black women. Black women on an average of 2 per day are fired by The Department of Defense, because of whom they love. I am still waiting for the Honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. words to become true, where we will live in a nation in which” the content of character and not whom we love” become the motto for being a solider in the American military.
I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to break your silence. I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to support Women of Color in the Armed Forces. I call upon the Congressional Black Caucus to meet with The Sanctuary Project Veterans, www.sanctuaryproject.org, a national activist outreach ministry headquartered at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, California, www.pilgrimucc.org. Together, we can create the opportunity to address the human rights issue of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the impact on the African-American community. The Women of Color Servicemembers, veterans, and their families deserve no less.
Currently, Women of Color are not represented by the LGBT community and its negotiations with The Department of Defense and The White House. The recent meeting between LGBT leaders and the White House Council failed to address Women of Color. This is unacceptable. I call upon you to rectify this omission.
Evelyn Thomas
Founder/Executive Director
The Sanctuary Project Veterans
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