Tomorrow we kick off the Tom Joyner Reunion. Tomorrow night, Barack Obama accepts the nomination and will become the Democratic candidate for president of the United States, and I’ve still got chills from watching Michelle Obama speak on Monday night. So it’s no mystery that I’ve got family on my mind.
Two years ago, when we booked the annual Family Reunion in Orlando, there’s no way that we could have known that it would conflict with one of the most important events in history. I’ve been tossing and turning for days, wishing that I could be two people so that I could be there to greet the thousands of families who have spent their hard-earned money in this jacked-up economy and also be in the crowd of thousands cheering on Barack Obama when he accepts the nomination.
I’m thinking about my granddaughter, who will never know a time when it wasn’t within the realm of possibility for a black man to hold the highest office in the land. And I’m thinking about my daddy, who supported Obama and who wanted so badly to live to vote for him in November. I’m thinking about Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, who had no reason to believe that she wouldn’t be in the audience last night to cheer on her girl Hillary and on cheer on her candidate Barack Obama tomorrow night.
A lot of people called the show yesterday and said they had watched the Democratic National Convention with their families -- and I think that’s an excellent idea.
Tomorrow night, like many of you, I will be surrounded by family and loved ones listening to Barack Obama’s acceptance speech. I’m disappointed that this Family Reunion conflicted with Obama’s historic moment for a very selfish reason: I wanted to be there. But on the other hand, there will be something magical about watching the speech in front of a huge TV with all the families who sacrificed to make the trip to Orlando. Our viewing party will be a historic event in its own right. It may be the largest gathering of black people in one location to witness Obama’s big moment.
When we began our voter registration drives and turned them into what’s known as “a party with a purpose,” we were just trying to get black people more involved in the political process. And look at us now! I’m happy and proud of us -- Obama, TV-One’s coverage of the convention and the entire TJMS family.
Wherever I am on Thursday night is exactly where I’m supposed to be. And Barack Obama is right where he’s supposed to be. And maybe the Family Reunion falling on the same night is exactly what was supposed to happen. I’ll watch history being made with my sons and granddaughter, Sybil, J., the TJMS crew, and thousands of cousins,
aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandmas and grandpas. How cool is that?
