With election day passed and a couple of days worth of rest, what do I do now? For more than a year I have volunteered for the Obama Campaign and served as the state organizer for Obama Pride North Carolina. Where do I go from here?
The greatest experience of my entire life, being a part of history, helping deliver North Carolina for Barack Obama. We hosted voter registration drives in gay clubs across the state, hosted house parties, block parties and took part in the states gay pride parades and festivals.
We worked with our local campaign offices in canvassing, phone banking and raising money. Of all the excitement of this campaign my most memorable moment was when I stood next to an older African-American female as she sobbed uncontrollably as they announced Barack had won.
My own emotions were very overwhelming as I stood there with her and held her in my arms, she told me of a story which I will never forget.
When she was a young woman back in the early 1960's, while on a freedom march in Charlotte, NC, a white woman spit in her face. She stood and took it because that was what Dr. King had taught, not to fight back.
As tears poured down her face she thanked me and all the other young people in the room, which was filled with a diverse group of people under 40. I could not imagine the feeling she had and will never know how it must feel to finally see a man of color, an African-American in the truest meaning, become the 44th President of the United States.
We have been a part of history and it is over whelming. But young white people, like myself, cannot know what it is like for those who suffered through the civil rights movement.
I know how overwhelming it is for me to know, we in the LGBT community, will have a true friend in the White House. I believe Barack Obama is the real hope we have been needing. He will help bridge the gap in relations between not only race, but sexual orientation.
Next week I will begin to find something else to keep me busy. I just wanted to share these thoughts with you.
The 13th Annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival was a huge success this year and I would like to thank the Obama Pride Durham team for setting up the Obama Pride booth and volunteering at the event. We were able to register voters and sign up new volunteers for Obama Pride!
On Saturday I was able to meet up with Thao Vo and Mandy Carter from Obama Pride Durham and plan our strategy for Obama Pride during the NC State Pride Festival and March on Sept. 27.
We have photos from this past weekend posted on our Obama Pride North Carolina Facebook group!
CHECK IT OUT!
http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18173287311
Sign Up to become a Volunteer with Obama Pride North Carolina! Contact Wade Boyles if you are interested.
Volunteer opportunities include: Voter Registration Drives, Canvassing, Phone Banking, Working the Obama Pride Booth during NC State Pride Festival and Parade and other pride events across North Carolina.
Email glbt@ncobama.com (will soon change to glbt@ncforchange.com)
Thanks for taking a moment to check out my blog. I just wanted to update everyone on the Obama Pride outreach in North Carolina. So far we have a great network building on MYBO and FACEBOOK!
We are all set to have a great turnout at the NC ANNUAL PRIDE FESTIVAL AND PARADE on Sept. 27th. If you haven't signed up to attend this awesome event, please do so!
Our listserv for the Obama Pride North Carolina is growing everyday as is our friends on FACEBOOK.
We will need volunteers to help with Obama Pride at the Festival, so please let me know asap if you can help.
Thanks again for everyone who is helping Obama Pride in North Carolina!
Our organizational meeting went well on Thursday night. We enjoyed good drinks at Speakeasy Jazz Club and had 17 folks turn out. We signed up some volunteers and some folks registered to help with canvassing. I felt great about the evening. We have a Barack Your Block party planned for April 26th.
This has been an exciting election season and my first time involved in the political scene. I am learning as I go and also meeting some wonderful people along the way! Thanks to everyone who has stepped up to help us with our group!
YES WE CAN!
Today's event in Winston-Salem was great! There were hundreds of Students from the colleges, lots of Obama Supporters and various Obama groups participating in the event. Though it was hot and I am sun burnt, it was an awesome experience.
In addition to having a great time with the march and being on TV (3 different channels)... I proudly cast my vote today for Senator Barack Obama!
I encourage everyone to go and vote early! This way you don't run the risk of having any issues with your voter registration and having to cast a provisional ballot on Election Day!
Wade Boyles
Obama actually spoke to me as I'm sure he did millions of other Americans. I am a bitter American, though I may not cling to guns or religion, I'm bitter over not having health care and not being able afford it. I'm bitter that I have to pay $3.29 a gallon for gas and George W. Bush got us into a war that we should have never been in. I personally know Americans who are bitter and who do cling to their religion and their right to bear arms, for those are values in which they cherish.
But, just like myself, those folks feel like we have been left stranded with no assistance from our government. Washington is out of touch with most of America and our only hope is found in Barack Obama.
Barack Obama has built his campaign from grassroots efforts. Raising money from over 1,300,000 people all across America. Barack has a way of uniting the majority of people and is definitely not an elitist.Hillary Clinton and John McCain each represent old Washington politics and if Americans want a real change in our government and want our integrity restored in this world, then the majority will elect Barack Obama and he will be our next President!
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_id53285.asp
Senator Obama is awesome! The article which appeared in the Advocate today is well worth the read and explains so much.
Barack Obama is the best choice for the GLBT community and the best choice for America.
href=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9503.html
Obama's response that he takes the cause to the mainstream should be applauded. He speaks to the entire nation concerning the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. He has denounced homophobia and spoke out against it to leaders of the Christian faith, even those who support him.
Barack Obama is the only candidate who will fight for the equal rights of all America's citizens!
On Wednesday the Obama Campaign was very organized and professional. As my partner and I arrived to Volunteer, we were greeted with smiling faces and a very well prepared group of campaign workers. We were instructed on what to do and were treated extremely well. Senator Obama gave an excellent speech and answered all the questions with confidence. As I have stated before, he exceeded my expectations.
On Thursday, Senator Clinton was in Winston-Salem, my hometown, and an opportunity came up which allowed me to go see the former First Lady and our opponent. I'm glad I did! The Clinton campaign was much less organized and we had to wait over an hour and 1/2 for her arrival.
Now, of course I was excited to see a former First Lady and all that, but the message was the same which I had heard before. My feelings of inspiration, hope and real change are not found in Senator Clinton. I still believe, without a doubt, that Senator Barack Obama will be our next President.
What really ticked me off about the unorganized event and the fact that there was only one way in and out the venue. It was hot as hell and I had to wait for well over an hour to hear her, which made me late to the Triad West Organizational Meeting where more than 400 people turned out for Senator Obama, and he wasn't even there. You do the comparison! There is none!
Senator Obama's campaign is well organized, much more so than Clintons and he doesn't use that same old Washington politics style. All I can say is YES WE CAN!!
Sincerely,
Members of the FCDP met Tuesday night at the headquarters building, 1128 Burke Street, Winston-Salem, NC to hear from our North Carolina State Party Chair, Jerry Meek. The meeting was enthusiastic and dozens of people attended the event. He shared with us the excitement of this years race and how Democrats plan to win and win big in North Carolina!
I would urge any of you who have not signed up for e-mail alerts from the Forsyth County Democratic Party to do so! www.forsythdemocrats.org
Also, for all you 18 - 40 year olds, the Young Democrats will be meeting this week on Thursday night at 7pm at the FCDP headquarters, 1128 Burke Street. We will hear from Dr. David Coates, professor at Wake Forest University and Author of "A Liberal Tool Kit: Progressive Responses to Conservative Arguments." We will also discuss the upcoming Young Democrats State Convention. Sign up for e-mail alerts at www.ydfc.org
I encourage all Obama supporters to get active with the local party, help Get Out The Vote and sign up to volunteer!
Thanks,
