What Our New President Means to Our Family
A few days after the election (and a lot of sleep to catch up from watching Tuesday night's returns), I think it is necessary to post briefly about this historic election. A family on the yahoo forum for our daughter's orphanage posed the question, to what extent will our new President make a difference. Here are my thoughts:
Lily will be 4 in two months and she has been home with us since June 2006. Last night we were looking at television and talking about the fact we will have a new President. She looked and said "He is like me!" I said "what do you mean?" She responded"He is brown, just like me!" and seemed very excited about it.
For about 6 months she has been pointing out other Asian people when we see them - "Mom, they look like me!" When I told her she is tan like me,she says, "no mom! You are gray!" (I am typical blond haired, blue eyed, medium skin color Caucasian person).
I have always valued diversity. I was raised in an integrated northern suburb of NYC. I was stunned with the vestiges of segregation when I went to school in Memphis 25 plus years ago (yes, I am an older mom!). I work as a lawyer and professor where the main law I litigate is the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I am a registered independent but you can probably guess how I voted. But, no matter what my politics, as a parent in a newly multicultural family, I am thrilled we will have a President who my daughter thinks in someway is similar to her.
A young person of color was interviewed on our local TV station Wednesday and he said "Today, I feel like I have wings!" I want all my children to always feel that they have wings and that anything is possible. And, that is the difference this new President may make.
p.s. - I am so proud of Marshall. He and his best friend Max and Lily came with me to vote. For weeks before the election we have been discussing he candidates, debating the issues. We disagreed about who would best be President but we respected each others' opinions, he understands the electoral college, the importance of voting and why this election was historic.
Lily will be 4 in two months and she has been home with us since June 2006. Last night we were looking at television and talking about the fact we will have a new President. She looked and said "He is like me!" I said "what do you mean?" She responded"He is brown, just like me!" and seemed very excited about it.
For about 6 months she has been pointing out other Asian people when we see them - "Mom, they look like me!" When I told her she is tan like me,she says, "no mom! You are gray!" (I am typical blond haired, blue eyed, medium skin color Caucasian person).
I have always valued diversity. I was raised in an integrated northern suburb of NYC. I was stunned with the vestiges of segregation when I went to school in Memphis 25 plus years ago (yes, I am an older mom!). I work as a lawyer and professor where the main law I litigate is the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I am a registered independent but you can probably guess how I voted. But, no matter what my politics, as a parent in a newly multicultural family, I am thrilled we will have a President who my daughter thinks in someway is similar to her.
A young person of color was interviewed on our local TV station Wednesday and he said "Today, I feel like I have wings!" I want all my children to always feel that they have wings and that anything is possible. And, that is the difference this new President may make.
p.s. - I am so proud of Marshall. He and his best friend Max and Lily came with me to vote. For weeks before the election we have been discussing he candidates, debating the issues. We disagreed about who would best be President but we respected each others' opinions, he understands the electoral college, the importance of voting and why this election was historic.
posted by Our Family at
12:28 PM
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