Obama Inauguration Inspires Courage during Financial Crisis
By Lauren Heinz
Christine Amber Williams doesn’t like being called Christine. She one day wants to be referred to as Madam Secretary or Mrs. President but for now she chooses to go by her middle name, Amber.
The 20-year-old political science major and former student of American University joined the estimated one million people who attended the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, on the national mall on Tuesday.
Amber Williams is going through many changes in her life, which is one reason why she is an Obama supporter and believes that change can be good. A political issue of importance to Williams is more affordable tuition for a college education. Recently due to the ongoing financial crisis, Williams could not take out enough student loans to attend American University, her school of choice where she wishes to pursue a career in government. As a result, Williams is now taking classes at Montgomery County Community College until she returns home over the summer to attend a state school in California
Despite going through a difficult time in her life, Williams bragged about arriving on the national mall at around five in the morning, after getting on the second train that passed through the Tenleytown metro station. The California native was not a big fan of the cold weather though.
“I’m not used to the cold, but I’m wearing many layers and lots of warm toasty stuff” Williams said.
. To Williams, this inauguration means more than a new president; it means that her vote, like the millions of other votes for Obama in the very close 2008 presidential election, is being represented.
“I am so proud to have voted for him and my voted counted...he's my president” Williams said.
For Williams, the worst part about having to return home in a few months is the distance from the political atmosphere of Washington DC. The young and enthusiastic Williams has taken advantage of the political opportunities of being in our nation’s capital by attending one of Obama’s speeches pre-election, the more recent Proposition 8 protest that was held back in November, and also the peace march that occurred in September of 2007.
“It’s good to return home to my family in Cali, but I’m leaving behind my friends here who have become family to me,” Williams said, “but I’m glad I got to be here for this historic event.”