I had the best time of my life, volunteering for the President Elect Obama campaign in my hometown of Ypsilanti, Michigan. This diary is to describe the day of fun and excitement I had.
It started early for me. My brother-in-law decided to stop by at 9:00 A.M. without calling. I was suppose to go into the Obama Headquarters for the GOTV effort at 9:00 A.M. but, do to surfing on the internet Monday night everything Obama, I did not get to sleep until 4:00 A.M.
Regardless, thanks to that brother-in-law, I got up at 9:30 A.M. I decided to go down to the Obama headquarters at 1:00 P.M. to volunteer instead, and stay pretty much all day, until the election results started rolling in. I noticed the day was excellent in Michigan for a November morning. It was about 65 degrees!!! The sun was shining and it was a day to pull out the Sukuki Burgman Maxi Scooter that I brought in May of this year. My Maxi-Scooter, riding, in November, in Michigan....it was going to be a good day.
Around 10:00 A.M., I ran into the first of canvassers in my neighborhood. A kind African-American lady that asked for my husband to see if he voted. I was excited to tell her that both of us had voted absentee last week. She kindly stated "Thank you for your vote" as she looked at my Obama/Biden campaign sign in the front yard.
Next, I went in the house, got dressed, made my coffee and bagel and then pulled the Maxi Scooter out of the garage. As I was taking the dust off my bike, white young college students, wearing "Obama 08" tee shirts (with no jackets) walked by and asked me if I had voted. I told him both my husband and I did and I would be stopping by the Ypsilanti campaign headquarters to volunteer myself at 1:00 P.M. They said "Thank You" and walked away.
Went on to breakfast at the local Coney Island restaurant. What I noticed was how busy the place was on a Tuesday morning. Almost every booth was full with people wearing the "I Voted" stickers on their shirts, jackets or business suits. As I walked to the cashier to pay for my check, the waitress stated today was so busy that they did not prepare staff wise for it. I stated to her that at least it is good for business and she replied back, yes...it has been so slow around here, it is nice to do something for my kids with the extra tips today. President Elect to be Obama was already helping the Ypsilanti, Michigan economy and he did not even know it yet.
Just to let you know about my little hometown in Michigan...I have been here all of my life. A small college town with a major state university, Eastern Michigan University, union pride with formerly three auto plants, now down to one, a regional hospital St Joseph Mercy that is on par with the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor and a diverse population of lower to middle class Americans.
Ypsilanti founded in 1837, has suffered alot of losses lately. The closures of the formerly Ford and Pontiac auto plants over the last 10 years put many people out of work or "brought out". The spirit of the little town with the major state University has been hurt by the economic climate of the state mounting foreclosures, job losses from the decline of the auto industry in other industries. We helped build the WWII Bomber Flight Planes that defended out country during that time. We are a proud people of a small town that are just looking for a little hope.
On to 1:00 P.M. as a parked my bike in the parking lot of the Obama headquarters. A older white lady pulled up at the same time to talk about my bike and if I enjoyed riding it. After that small discussion, she stated that we are "Going to make history today". I stated, I think so.
Everybody was friendly and busy at the headquarters. People of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages was walking around getting ready to canvass, hit the road putting up campaign signs, working the phones or bringing in food. I walked up stairs to gather my assignment, canvassing my neighborhood. I was joined by two other women, one name Gloria that I believe will now be a life long friend.
We walked on five different blocks, knocking on door after door asking people if they needed a ride to the polls (we had a number for that) if they had voted (surprisingly about 50% of the people hit the polling place early). I remember while walking on the street running into a young African-American man if he had voted. He told me that he do not vote and I asked him why. He never gave me a direct reason so, I asked him if he did not vote because he did not believe in the system. He stated yes. Then I told him that your family members before you fought and died for your right to vote today. He placed his head down and stated that he would at least tell five of his friends to go vote today. I felt I received a small victory in this case.
On the first canvass of the day, we talked to many people that either voted for Obama or was going to vote later in the evening. I was so proud of being able to offer a older lady a ride to the polls that did not have a way there but was determined to cast her vote. It was starting out to be a great afternoon.
We took are paperwork back to the Obama headquarters and was immediately offered something to eat and drink. Gloria made a "date" to meet me back at the headquarters at 9:00 P.M. for the results and I stayed and chat to the many people expressing their hope for change. It was time to put up the bike (it was going to be dark soon) but the young headquarter organizer stated that he needed people to go back out at 4:00 P.M. for more canvassing. I told him, that after I put up by bike, I would be back...promise! He looked pleased and gave me a hug.
I came back at 5:00 P.M. and asked what I could do. I meet a young White teacher at the University of Michigan named David that was my "partner" for evening canvassing. David volunteered for the Kerry campaign and told me that he did not remember so much excitement in the people working with that campaign. On the ride to the neighborhood we were going to work he spoke on his young wife from overseas that was now going to gain citizenship here after watching the campaign of Obama.
David and I knocked on many doors into the night asking for votes. One older white couple we ran upon stated to David, "We voted for McCain". I was in the back so, I figured that if I knocked at their door, they might have told me to go away. Still, I looked at their home, a trailer in a area that I would say was economically depressed and wondered why would they vote against their interest and could not understand their vote.
MORE TO COME LATER TONIGHT about the moment Obama won, the victory excitement at the headquarters and the coming together of many people for one cause of hope in Ypsilanti, Michigan.