It has been an amazing eight years for America under the watch of Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States. In so many ways, his administration has been groundbreaking, and citizens from all walks of life have taken the opportunity to share their favorite Obama moment in a new video that bids a fond farewell to his time in office.
Many of these people are ordinary everyday folks, from the little girl who wrote him a letter in third grade and was thrilled to receive a response to the elderly man who never thought that he would live to see a man with dark skin like his occupy the White House.
There is a strong theme of inclusiveness in the video as so many people who have felt marginalized for one reason or another speak of the validation provided by President Barack Obama, whether it was for his decision to acknowledge a Hindu festival with a special ceremony or his celebration of gay marriage rights by lighting up the White House in rainbow colors.
In addition to ordinary people, the video chronicles responses from famous folks. For instance, comedian Jerry Seinfeld recalls tapping on the window to the Oval Office early in Obama’s presidency. Tom Hanks talks about how impressed he was that Obama overhauled America’s policies with regard to Cuba simply because he did not find that the current ones were working. Ellen DeGeneres talks about shopping with First Lady Michelle Obama and dancing with the President at his birthday party, and she praises him as an excellent dancer.
Whether famous or not, everyone whose voice is heard in this video clearly feels that Obama has done something right. These are strong emotions connected with his departure; the sense of hope that he ushered in is now in danger of fading. However, all of the positive changes that he made with have ripple effects long into the future, and each of the citizens featured in this video can carry that inspiration forward in the years to come, no matter who sits in the Oval Office.