Obama's success so far has inspired young African-Americans

Samara Kalk Derby  —  10/29/2008 4:07 am

America could be looking at its first black president in a week, and the full weight of that fact is still sinking in for many black young people.

Asked whether Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is her role model, Valencia Collins shouts "yeah!" as she slams her hand on a table.

And why? "Because he's black and he's doing something positive," says the 14-year-old, who was hanging out with friends on a Tuesday evening at the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County on Madison's south side.

Walk into the community center and ask young people there whether they look up to Obama, and responses like Valencia's are common. A few will say "he's black" and that's all they know, but the majority will tell you that while they may not be following the election closely, they are nonetheless inspired by the self-described "skinny kid with a funny name" that means "blessed" in Swahili. Obama is the biracial son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother from Wichita, Kan.

Valencia follows the election in school because she has to, adding that she wouldn't know how to follow it on her own. Yet, she watched one of the three presidential debates and said Obama impressed her. Like several interviewed for this story, Valencia said her only role model until now has been her mother.

James Golden, 16, was pretty matter-of-fact about Obama.

"He's probably going to make history. He did make history," said James, barely looking up from the NBA game he was playing on an XBox 360 at the Boys and Girls Club. "I'm just glad that he got to where he is."

Other than his mother, James said, his only role model so far in life has been Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant.

As engrossed in the video game as he was, James said nonetheless that Obama has had a big impact on his life. James has watched two debates and has been impressed so far. "He's setting a positive example for a lot of people."

Mitchell Pearson, 16, who attends West High School, said that other than members of his own family, Obama is the most influential. The 2008 presidential election has caused him to pay more attention to the news via newspapers, television and the Internet.

Obama is following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, who paved the way for black civil rights, Mitchell said. "It makes me feel good that somebody is stepping up and trying to do better for us. He's African-American, he's intelligent, and he knows what he's doing."

Obama's success so far has done more than create good feelings for some young African Americans, who say the candidate gives them the feeling that they can do anything they want to do and has made them see themselves in a new light.

Kweku Brewoo, a junior at West High who was contacted by phone, said Obama's influence inspired him to take a leadership position in his school's poetry club.

"He has really shown something to minority kids by stepping up and pursuing running for president. A lot of minorities around West High School are really looking up to him and saying, 'Well, I can step up and be president of this club, or president of that,' " Kweku said.

Before Obama came along, many minorities at West had an inferiority complex; they worried that if they took leadership roles, they might get ridiculed, Kweku said.

Kweku himself has taken the Obama mantra, "yes we can," to heart.

Underclassmen regularly approach Kweku and ask for advice about how they can better prepare for classes and extracurricular activities, he said. "And I finally decided to say, 'Yes, I can help you out, and this is what I think you should do.' I used to never do that until recently."

Wayne Canty -- vice president of 100 Black Men of Madison, a group dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people in the black community -- said an Obama victory could give more young people the same sense of purpose that Kweku has gained.

Canty said Obama's example is especially important for young kids "of difference -- be it race, physical ability or economic status." It shows them that if a person works hard, they can achieve anything.

"Kids like that have always been told that if they study hard they can be president. Obviously, there was never anybody in that position prior to Obama, so I don't know if they really believed that," Canty said.

"Now to actually see it and believe it, and see it coming so close, I think these kids are hopefully recognizing the importance of it and that they truly can achieve goals based on hard work," he said.

Canty, a senior human resources manager for Oscar Mayer Foods, said he's not sure kids as young as 10 or 11 are recognizing the historical significance of the moment. He said he would hope that teenagers understand it, but even some of them could use a reminder.

It's important for adults to make sure all kids recognize the significance of what is happening, and not just for black kids or other kids of color, Canty said. "All kids should recognize the importance of working hard, setting goals, that kind of thing."

But the sons of MaryAnn Willgrubs are an indication that black kids as young as 5 are energized about the possibility of a black president.

"It's an exciting thing for our kids," said Willgrubs, who is white but adopted two black children as infants.

Her sons, Harold, 7, and Isaac, 5, have read children's books on Obama and can talk at length about him, Willgrubs said. Harold has studied Obama in school at Lindbergh Elementary on Madison's north side.

"He strikes us as a good role model in being able to achieve such great things. It's a great opportunity for our kids to watch," she said.

The family has books about King and the great Negro League baseball players, but Obama signs and pictures are everywhere, which sends a contemporary and positive message to her sons, Willgrubs said.

"Martin Luther King gets attention once a year," she pointed out, while the Obama phenomenon is pervasive.

The boys were excited when the Obama campaign left automated messages from both Obama and his wife, Michelle, on their answering machine during the primary in February and scolded their mother for erasing them, Willgrubs said.

"They are adamant he will be president. They really want to vote for him," she said.

But Canty said the reality of a black president is still distant to many students of color. The adults around them -- teachers, parents, pastors -- need to help kids understand that Obama is important not just because he's a black man, but because of his life story and his dream to take the country in a new direction, he said.

"I think we need to help the kids see all of that ... Because it would be a shame if Obama were elected and we don't see kids saying, 'Wow, I can do that, but I have to make some changes," Canty said. "I think a lot of the kids think everything is handed to you. It really is about hard work and preparing for it, so when you get it, you are ready for the challenge."

Nestic Morris, 23, a student at Madison Area Technical College who works at the Boys and Girls Club, called the potential election of Obama "a very big deal" to African-American kids.

"Around here, there aren't too many people of color they can look up to and who can set good examples," she said. "Around here, there are only two ways to get out of the hood, and that would be playing basketball or rapping."

Morris said the fact that Obama came from a single-parent home and was able to achieve so much in life says a lot for him.

"The reason why I'm voting for him has nothing to do with him being black," Morris said, adding that she supports Obama because he is trying to help the lower class and provide health care to all Americans.

"The fact that he looks like me," she said, "is a plus."

Samara Kalk Derby  —  10/29/2008 4:07 am