FORUM
An American, Finally
Julianne
Malveaux
Guest
Columnist
Every morning when I
wake up I have a conversa
tion with God. This practice
goes back about 12 years, to
a turning point in my life
when 1 realized that only rec
ognizing a higher power
would make my life work.
Being the contrairan I am,
however, I was not prepared
for ritual. Instead, my morn
ing with God is as casual as a
talk I'd have with a friend.
Morning, God, 1 say. It's
Julianne Malveaux. You
know. The sister who tries to
serve you.
It's good to be alive
today. And then I do some
Bible reading, listen to some
gospel music and simply
Pray
On November 5, I
changed my conversation.
For the first time, I acknowl
edged my nation, praying,
"It's good to be alive in the
United States of America
today."
Yes, it is good to finally
consider and enjoy the perks
that go into being an
American
A man who looks like me
will have his face in a history
book. An elegant sister will
preside over all those state
dinners. Two little Black
girls, with grins like those of
my godchildren and baby
cousins, will roll their eggs
over the White House lawn
on Easter Monday.
It will be our house, not a
remote house, accessible, not
unattainable. As I saw my
face in the mirror called vic
tory, I felt like an American,
finally.
In honesty f have never
felt much like an American
before. An African
American, certainly, but not
flag-waving. Mount
Rushmore-embracing, hit the
Monument loving American.
For all of my life I've
been an American, reluctant
ly. Came here in chains.
Advanced by my brains and
by the legacy of struggle and
dignity. I sing, "Lift Every
Voice" as if it is rap because
it is history, poetry, poignan
cy and a capturing of every
step African-Americans have
taken. How can you sing,
"stony the road we trod" and
feel fully American? How
can you put your mouth
around the phrase, "treading
our way through the blood of
the slaughtered" without
wondering about the demo
cratic integrity of our nation?
The very lyrics of the
Negro National Anthem belie
the notion of a level playing
field. And still. Senator
Obama won.
This election, in and of
itself, will not close racial
economic gaps, clean up the
environment, address the
gender gap, provide health
care to everyone, end the war
in Iraq, or do anything else.
Electing Senator Barack
Obama is simply a step in the
right direction. All of us who
have held back our faith,
belief, enthusiasm, and hard
work now need to embrace
the Obama team with all of
our energy.
They want change. We
want change. And the elec
tion of Obama makes me
want to be a better, and more
productive citizen.
So my alter ego. Sister
Cynic, is on break for just a
minute. She is going to sit on
ice while the joyful soul lifts
up and embraces this possi
bility of change.
It is an exciting possibili
ty that was affirmed by a
greatly collective vote. 1 real
ly thought "they" would steal
Florida and Ohio and that the
Bradley effect would have
put Pennsylvania in another
column. So I'm wrong,
wrong and gleefully wrong.
There has been magic in
the air, despite a plummeting
stock market and grim eco
nomic indicators. We know
that President-elect Obama
did not cause this mess, but
we know the mess is real.
At the same time, I am
observing people greeting
each other with kindness and
civility, recognizing all that
which may happen as our
nation moves forward. While
it is absolutely clear that dif
ferences remain among
'"Americans, aspects of the
atmosphere suggest that we
are attempting to mute at
least a few of our differences.
There is much work to do,
but there must be a moment
of celebration. And so, as 1
send Sister Cynic on vaca
tion, and put my inner ana
lyst on suspension, I am
among those who embrace
and admire this moment of
history. There is joy in the
Obama victory, for the
nation, and for me. I am
unbashedly proud to describe
myself as an American, final
ly
Noted economist Dr.
Julianne Malvetiux is the
president of Bennett College
for Women.
Obama aide reassures Black America
George
Curry
Guest
Columnist
Many African-Americans
are asking: Now that Barack
Obama has won the White
House, will he be so eager to
govern from the center that he
will forget about his obliga
tions to Blacks?
Valerie Jarrett, a long-time
friend and one of his closest
advisers, gave an emphatic
reply to that question on
Sunday - No.
In a private meeting with
the Trotter Group, an organiza
tion of African-American
columnists, Jarrett fielded
numerous questions about
Obama's commitment to
Blacks. And, in each instance,
she left no doubt that the pres
ident-elect, who has a straight
A Senate rating from the
NAACP, will remain true to
his past.
Jarrett, one of three chairs
of Obama's transition team,
was asked why so few
African-Americans are being
mentioned in speculation
about future cabinet posts. She
replied, "There isn't a single
name on that list that you've
heard from President-elect
Obama. There's not a single
name on that list that you've
heard from me, or from John
Podesta or from Peter Rouse,"
she said, referring to the three
co-chairs of Obama's transi
tion team.
"Or, now from Rahm
Emanuel. So the five people
who actually do know the
names on the list, you haven't
spoken to them. So what I
think you see in the newspaper
is what everybody speculates.
I haven't seen the list but my
guess is they're speculating on
the people who are most com
Valerie Jarrett with N.C. A&
recent Trotter Group gatheriri
monly thought of."
Some of that speculation
has centered on Jarrett. a
Chicago real estate executive.
Soms have suggested that she
might become Secretary of
Housing and Urban
Development or head the
Commerce Department. But
there are news reports out of
Chicago that she is the front
runner to replace Obama in the
U.S. Senate. In her meeting
with journalists, Jarrett said
she would be willing to serve
in any capacity that Obama
sees fit.
On the question of
Obama's commitment to
diversity, Jarrett was unequiv
ocal.
"President-elect Obama. as
should be no surprise to any
one in this room, would like
his cabinet to be diverse - both
in terms of race, in terms of
perspectives, in terms of party,
in terms of geography," she
said. "So he is looking to have
a cross-section of America.
Spending the amount of time
with him as I do, I can assure
you this is something front and
center of his mind. Not
because it's the politically
expedient thing to do, but
because he would make better
A&T Photo
T's DeWayne Wickham at the
<g
*
decisions by having diversity.
He really believes in that."
Asked the most surprising
thing about Obama, she
replied: "I'm not sure people
understand how pragmatic he
is. ...He really wants to get
things done."
Jarrett recalled staff meet
ings where the tone was set by
Obama.
"In that room, there's a cer
tain element of pragmatism:
Let's make sure what we are
trying to accomplish is doable
and is actually going to change
the lives of the American peo
ple. Let's not just be idealists,
but let's be realists. I think
that's the part of him that will
make him an extraordinary
president."
In the don't get mad, get
even world of politics, Obama
is an anomaly, according to
Jarrett.
"I can remember after the
primaries, some people had
been very strong Clinton sup
porters - including some
members of my own family -
said to me, "How's Senator
Obama going to respond to
me? I wasn't with him.' I said,
'You all don't get this. He is as
inclusive as he could be. He
does not hold grudges."'
Jarrett is close to both
Barack and Michelle Obama.
In fact, she met the president
elect through Michelle, when
the couple was engaged. She
had hired Michelle for a job in
City Hall. The three went out
to dinner and a strong bond
developed between Jarrett and
the couple. Obama said he
speaks with Jarrett everyday
about a variety of issues.
According to Jarrett,
Michelle is focusing her atten
tion on Malia, 10, and Sasha,
7, preparing them for the
upcoming move to
Washington. D.C. and finding
the right schools for them.
Michelle revels in her role as
mom-in-chief and has no inter
est in serving as her husband 's
co-president.
That does not mean that,
like every first lady, she will
not have her pet projects.
The First Lady-in-Waiting
has spent a lot of time with
military spouses who try to
balance a career with mother
hood while their husbands
serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She has also been part of the
volunteer movement and has a
deep interest in education.
But the question upper
most on my mind when we
met with Jarrett, the daughter
in-law of the late Vernon
Jarrett, an icon in journalism,
was whether Obama can keep
his promises in view of the
Wall Street debacle, fighting
two wars simultaneously, high
joblessness, unprecedented
deficits and record home fore
closures.
Jarrett's reply was as self
assured as Obama's demeanor:
"We can't not do this."
George E. Curry, former
editor-in-chief of Emerge mag
azine and the NNPA News
Service, is a keynote speaker,
moderator, and media coach.
He can he reached through his
Weh site,
www.georgecurry.com .
The Chronicle,
the Choice for
African-American Newt, is located at
617 N. Liberty Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-722-8624
Fax - 336-723-9173
newsQwschroniclexom
www.wschroniclexom
The Chronicle was established by
Ernest Pitt and
Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974, and is pub
lished every Thursday by Winston
Salem Chronicle
Publishing Co., Inc.
The Chronicle is a proud member of :
National Newspapers Publishers
Association *
North Carolina Press Association ?
North Carolina Black Publishers
Association ? Inland Press Association
Chronicle a
o YES, Please send me The Chronicle
Home Delivery Subscription Order
o 2 years: $40,95
o 1 year: $30.72
o (rmonths: $20.48
c?r
Enuil
OVISA
O Mastercard
0 American Express
O Check enclosed
C zif
o Please hill me;
Expiration Da*
Send to: The Chronicle. P.O. Bo* 1636, Winston-Salem, NC 27102
Signature
Bmiiim Office 72)4421, ext 100 Paiiette Moohf
Bum i?j Office 12)4421 ext 101 Andhea Moses
Jessie Draft & Associates LLC
Jessie Draft/Broker
CRS GRI REALTOR
RNJDRAFTfeMSN.COM
3750 Beeson Dairy Rd
Winston-Salem. NC 27105
(336) 403-1254 Business
(336) 748-0871 Fa*
e MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PRODUCER
ELLISON
Eric S Ellison
Attorney At l aw
? Residential
Real Estate
? Traffic Offenses
? Child Support
? Divorces
? Misdemeanor
Criminal Law
1 12 North Marshall Street
Winston Salem, NC 27101
Must Sorih of I si Street)
Plume f 336) 723 7370
rax (336) 723 7 Ml
ellisotdaw <s earth link net
__ &
"Dedicated To Providing You The Best Service.
L
-
Eric J. Sadler, DDS
Wl WELCOME
N t W P A I I I N I s
Our office provide* lh?- following wrviitv
-fywinr ? Whjtr ?uik;v .* 1- ;s}s|?|{\- ?(''?o* Oft' 'A H-i-.li;* -,
? K.vt( ?v ( \u.'l li; I; Dcftfttr : s ?JXsvaj i
4U('P< mosl IIIMtMtUl
Saturday appointment*. avatUblr
(336) 744-1300
v-maii: c^dler&ihad .rr.com
5801 Indiana Avenue
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
S. Wayne Patterson
Attorney At Law and Certified ADR Mediator
?Immigration ?Serial Security 'Civil Rights
?Ef-(X' Claims ?Non-Profit/50 lc( 3j
?Employment Discrimination
1 235 Peachtree St. 8 West Third Street
Suite 400 Suite 220
Atlanta. OA 30303 Winston- Salem. NC 27101
1-877-SWF-4LAW
oiolnc.il number
(336)714-8858
huh. vn ii \neputterson4io\\.n>m
BANKRUPTCY
Legal Help For Your Debt Problems
DONALI) R. BUlE.
Attorney At Law
Donuid k. Buk www.donaldrbuie.coin
( ? i ? 1
o
The l a? Office of
Ikutald K. Hiiie is a
Federally designated
Debt' Relief Ageno
under t itle II I nited
States ("ode Section
528iat. We help peo
ple ftlc for bankruptcy
relief under the
bankruptcy code.
? Free Initial Consultation *7 "7 1 1 JAO
# Stop Repossession & Font-closure / / J" I ??70
8 W. 3rd St. Ste. IflO
Rep. Larry Womble
NC House of Representatives
7 1 st District
Tel (336) 784-9373
Fax (336) 784-1626
E-Mail: LWistm@aol.com
Home Address
1 294 Salem Lake Road
Winston-Salem. NC 27107
\l/l?eim? i \ Dim jsf Striki-> V not her \tncrican Family.
When will it end?
r; : ? " ' ' y< H "i! >? in
Clarksburg. Maryland 20871