We all joined Senator Obama's campaign for a simple reason - we wanted to work with the Senator to make our country a better place to be. I'm sure many of us felt the same sense of despair and helplessness as we watched one of America's great cities inundated by floodwaters, then watched in shock as the citizens of New Orleans waited days amidst those waters for help. One of Senator Obama's greatest strengths is that he not only asks us to believe in him, but to believe in our own ability to make a difference.
It is in that spirit that we've organized a national meeting of Generation Obama members from across the country in New Orleans, Louisiana. Partly, we want to have the chance to finally meet the people we've spoken to on conference calls, the people who have helped send members across the nation to canvass and phone back. But mostly, we wanted to come together to spend a day in New Orleans, doing a small part to help rebuild a city that still needs our help, some three years after Katrina.
We're excited to announce our national GO retreat and day of service from July 18 -20 in New Orleans, Louisiana. For those GO groups who cannot make it to NOLA, we encourage you to find a worthy project in your community that same weekend to help us send the message that when it comes to making our country stronger, we are willing to roll up our sleeves and make it happen.
August 25 marked the official start of Generation Obama nationwide and, for those of us fortunate enough to have heard Senator Obama speak at Mansion, our mission has only become more clear: put all our considerable energy and creativity into making sure Barack Obama is our next president.
As I looked around the packed room, I not only saw a huge crowd of people who had come to show their support for Barack Obama, but I saw the Senator's vision for a united America reflected in the crowd iteself: there were African Americans, Latino Americans, men and women, students who had barely decided their majors standing elbow to elbow with some of the most accomplished professionals in Miami. We were all there to hear Barack speak of ways to move our country forward, to move past the divisions which have riven our country for most of our adult lives, and to make a fundamental change in our country.
Senator Obama spoke to us, with great passion and great humor, of his vision of a strong America, not afraid to speak to enemies as well as friends, of a nation that will provide for its citizens, from expanding early childhood education to reforming our health care system. He spoke of ensuring that no one misses out on college because they can't afford the fees and of working to ensure that we send more young Black men to college than prison. He spoke of an America where we take care of each other and where we restore our standing in the world. In short, he spoke of hope.
At the end of his speech, he told us of a local councilwoman in a small town in Greenwood, S.C. that made a crowd of twenty feel to the Senator like a crowd of 2,000, leading her town's members in a chant of, "Fired up, ready to go!." I don't think a person in the room that night didn't take that call to heart. We're fired up and ready to go. We need Barack Obama in the White House in 2008. And we're ready to work hard to put him there!
I can't imagine a better way to officially launch Generation Obama Miami than by welcoming Senator Obama to Mansion on Saturday, August 25 starting at 6:00 p.m. I don't want to distract anyone from the most important order of business - making sure the Senator sees our support on the 25th. Please be sure to talk to everyone you know about the event at Mansion and bring anyone who is interested in hearing Senator Obama's message of hope and change. We are helping Sen. Obama build a movement - together, we can change our country for the better. Please go to My.BarackObama.com/gboMiami to get your tickets
We'll see you on Saturday!
