My thoughts on this short, but wonderful WH event on C-SPAN.

[quiet.american]

You’re a leader of a historically black college. You have spent a good portion of your career and
life impressing upon generations of students that their education and hard work could take them as
high and as far as they could dream.

You’re at a reception at the White House. The President of the United States is announced.
He is African-American, and when he steps to the lectern, he announces $850 million in funding for
historically black colleges over the next ten years, as well as the full support of his
administration to help black colleges increase their enrollment.

The Democratically-controlled Congress has already reformed the student loan system by
cutting out middle-men lenders, and as a result of that, your college will be the recipient
of millions of dollars in student aid that were heretofore being drained from education.

And now, the first African-American president has concluded his remarks and is
standing before you with a warm smile, his hand extended to take yours. “Thank you,” he says.
You’ve never had any doubt the day would arrive when the hand of the POTUS would be a
complexion very close to your own, but quietly admit to yourself that perhaps you didn't
think it would happen in your lifetime. You pinch yourself. You are not dreaming.

-----------------------------

That is what I imagine I would be thinking if I were attending the reception below, where Pres. Obama gave his remarks to
leaders of historically black colleges. (Video automatically starts after a few seconds).

http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2010/09/13/HP/A/38055/Pres+Obama+Remarks+at+Historically+Black+Colleges+Reception.aspx">Pres. Obama Remarks at Historically Black Colleges Reception

http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2010/09/13/HP/A/38055/Pres+Obama+Remarks+at+Historically+Black+Colleges+Reception.aspx">

[Cha]

1. It would be surreal and quite amazing!

I'm so happy that this day has come in my lifetime. Thanks for your thoughts on this, quiet.american~

[quiet.american]

2. Thanks for reading, Cha!

Obama states in the video that his goal is for the U.S. to significantly improve its rate of college graduates (right now, I believe he stated that we're at #15 in the world). I'm so glad to see that goal includes increasing enrollment across the board. Obama has many times said that one of the ways he is seeking to bring help to minority communities across the nation is by increasing access to education. I think $850 million over the next year to these colleges will certainly go a long way towards that!

[goclark]

3. I pinch myself everyday and appreciate

our President so much.
He makes me proud to be an American and proud to be an African American.

[goclark]

4. This makes me so proud to be an American

and proud to be an African American ~ :patriot: