Obama Out!

January 12, 2017Dana Pitts Armour

Farewell to an amazing era of service, class, unwavering perseverance to get the right thing done. I will miss the President, committed father, loving husband and that Obama Swagger! You inspire me to continue to love US as a whole for WE are ONE. We either rise or we fall... TOGETHER.

In writing this, I feel like I’m coming out of a womb with a big *whoosh* and breathing for the first time. Even though I haven’t physically died, there has been an undeniable experience of multiple deaths for me over the past year. I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard as hell to be back on this format but I’m keeping faith that after spending time in what Mother (my amazing 99 year old grandmother) refers to as, “The Closet” I’ve gained the strength to re-enter this world with a vengeance to succeed and the courage to follow my purpose. The messages I receive continuously reiterate my purpose: To love. Love unselfishly, fearlessly, without barriers, over mountains, between air-walls, across creeks, through the darkest tunnels, beneath the deepest seas, and lowest valleys. I want my love to reach and touch everyone I encounter. We were created as ONE in the Universe and we’re damn sure in this Earth game together. We’re here to see how we weather the natural elements that challenge us individually and TOGETHER. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and floods are inevitable. Do you think that hurricane-heffa Katrina was only out to get the Black Folks? We can only overcome catastrophic events if we survive and rebuild together. So I repeat the words of Rodney King (MHRIP) again, “Can’t we all get along?”

There are very few minorities in my field. Most of the time, I’m the only Black person in my role, in the meeting room, in the airport, on the plane, in the taxi line, at the hotel, in the city, at The Vatican…you get the picture. Basically, at times it feels like I’m the only Black person in the world. I strive to be accepted as the person I was designed to be with no limitations or worry. I strive to be free but today I wonder if our new regime will threaten all that had been prepared for me and promised to my daughter.

I have literally been absent from the history making moments being created before our eyes. I was under a political rock and completely disengaged from angry news and twisted media coverage of this breath-holding election. My upbringing and values are closely aligned with the Democratic Party but I never really had an interest in politicking and didn’t feel I could contribute to any political talk. I just didn’t care and it wasn’t a point of dinner discussion in my household. My opinion was no opinion. That all changed with the Presidential Election of 2008 and The Rachel Maddow Show held my interest tighter than a Reunion brawl between NeNe and Kim on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’. Initially, I was suspect over this Black man who claimed he could lead the American people. I was thinking, “Negro, how you gonna run the country? What game are you running? What do you know? You can’t take on these white folks and win!” Surprisingly, it took a minute for me to even consider a Black Presidential Candidate. Then that Obama swagger began to grow on me. He had me captivated under his platform with a genuine passion to help the common person succeed in this country. I was sure I’d end up applauding him and Michelle off the campaign stage and back home to Chicago. I would thank them for their outstanding efforts, displays of strong leadership, infinite class, and heartfelt desire to make positive changes for the regular guy aka ME. I saw the Promised Land through them but lacked the faith to believe it was a reachable destination. The track record and history of the United States kept me and most of us limited in our thoughts, as we upheld the mindset that there is NO WAY IN HELL we’ll ever have a Black President, period. Regardless of what the final outcome would be, simply seeing Barak with Michelle at his side gave me a sense of belonging I had not felt before. A community arose and I began to feel something new. It was Patriotism. For the first time politics became relatable to me. I also harbored a dark fear that it would all be taken away by some madman with a mission to put an end to all this crazy talk about a Black man tryin to be President. The Obama family had to be fully aware of the dangers in taking this role yet their regal presence continued to instill in me, that no matter the conditions I’ve suffered by having the skin of a Black Woman, I am a part of this country and can succeed beyond anyone’s expectations, including my own.

On Election Day eight years ago, I was working a corporate incentive event in Hawaii with about 40 Travel Directors (TDs), and together managed, hosted, and catered to a few hundred couples over the course of 12 days. In our role as TDs we are robots with big accommodating smiles, no opinions outside of our mastered roles, and we know better than to delve into conversations on religion and controversial political stances with clients. This can even be a sketchy subject to broach within our own crew, made up of a group of meeting-planning professionals from various parts of the country. I was extremely nervous about my comrades’ views and governing ideas regarding the election and vowed not to discuss it, even with my closest friends there. But just like great friends do, my girls Paige and Lisa were immediate pillars of strength for me and assured me I was safe to express my feelings.

On Tuesday, November 4th we were able to bring a television into our office to track the election. I went about my day, overseeing activities, and dispatching groups to dinner. Overall, the atmosphere in Kauai was quiet. I got a call from my girl Ashley in Nashville asking me if I was watching and that she thought Obama might have won. Of course a “Girl, you crazy!” flew out of my mouth. The sun was still out, how could they tally up the votes so fast??? I kept thinking she had to be wrong. I entered the office, a sea of my comrades were sitting theater style in front of the TV and facing towards me. They were studiously alert with their eyes on the coverage, but began to look at me with wide eyes. Someone said, “Dana, Obama won! He’s going to be President” and from this point you might need to source a witness from the room (Vicini, Drew, Paige, or Chris B, can you testify?) because I believe I was in shock and said “No fucking way! It can’t be true!” As I proceeded to my desk on the opposite side of the room, I continued to disbelieve until I looked and saw President Elect Barak Obama take the platform. In this astonishing historical moment, I saw a man with the same Islamic name as the man who partially raised me (yes, my stepfather’s name is Barak). My legs became week, I doubled-over and was overcome by a deep guttural emotion I didn’t expect to experience and even worse, couldn’t control. A huge wailing cry came out of nowhere, as tears began to rush with blinding force. I could not ground myself. My body shook uncontrollably. A flurry of confusion went through my being and I struggled between being a professional and acknowledging my Blackness. My mind swirled, “Bitch, what the fuck is this? You’re not a crier! Get it together! What’s happening? Are you seriously crying over politics? Holy shit, he fucking won! Please don’t nobody shoot this man!” It was out of character and horrifying. I wasn’t able to face anyone, I cried my way out of the office, and landed in my room to watch history with my mom on the line in St. Louis. I received excited calls/messages from friends and besties, including Cat and Titus who comforted me with the promise of an exceptional future for my 1 year old daughter Marley. From this point on her world will be drastically different from mine. The only White House Marley knows has a Black President, a Black First Lady and an admirable First Family. The reality is tho, the blackness that they happen to embody is insignificant to the supreme humanitarian spirit that drove them to fearlessly lead our country, WORD.

Farewell, Barak and Michelle. Cheers to a job well done and thank you for being exemplary leaders of our nation, and our world!