Sen. Obama speaking about the loss of his grandmother.

I felt an enormous since of hope and pride with the announcement of Senator Barack Obama as our Democratic Presidential Candidate, which I have never felt before in my entire life.  As a young woman, I have longed for a national leader whom I could embrace fully and who could create the change in the public that we need as it relates to African-Americans in leadership positions.  I also longed for a better platform and view of multi-racial children and interracial marriage.  Barack has created that international dialogue that America has been waiting for and motivated us to strive for more of ourselves.   In regards to his loss, many of us love him deeply and it is truly painful to watch him lose the matriarch of his family.   He has said that she was his motivation and his maverick for change, and we all owe her a great debt of gratitude for being so instrumental in raising such a prolific and visionary young man whom we all love to call Barack Obama.

Sincerely,

Latrivia S. Nelson, average citizen