Watching the Racial Divide Fall

Jheanelle Brown (SFS ’10), the media relations offer of Georgetown’s NAACP, did not think that Tuesday night would ever come.

“I remember after the 2004 Election, talking to my friends in high school, and we never thought in our lifetime we would see a black president,” she said. “For it to come in the next election is mind-blowing.”

When it did happen, though, and the networks announced that Barack Obama would become the nation’s first African American president, Brown said the experience was unparalleled.

“We were jumping and screaming, and it was one of the most amazing nights of my life. … I was surprised the floor did not cave in,” she said.

Brown was one of many students spending election night in the Black House, a townhouse of black students at Georgetown that has been focused for 40 years on racial dialogue.

Tuesday night brought a diverse collection of students to the townhouse, including members of the Asian-American Student Association, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán and Georgetown chapter of the NAACP.

Alessandra Brown (MSB ’09), president of the Georgetown chapter of the NAACP, said what made the night even more special was the diversity of the students celebrating Obama’s victory together.

“The best part about [the] election party at the Black House was not just watching Barack Obama become the 44th president of the United States, but rather who I was celebrating with,” Alessandra Brown said. “I was surrounded by people of all shades and colors; we were Asian, Latino/a, black and white, but we were all crammed into a room next to each other hugging, crying and celebrating.”

Before Obama was declared the victor, students at the house discussed a wide range of issues, including immigration, education, diplomacy and economic recovery. More than anything else, though, the discussion as the night progressed focused increasingly on the role of race in the United States and what the new president can do to reduce racial prejudices.

For Ramses Escobedo (COL ’09), co-president of MEChA, this election night was a sign of what is possible when different ethnicities come together.

“I think that tonight was important in the fact that as different communities of people, we were all able to come together,” Escobedo said. “[This discussion] began highlighting each community’s personal struggles that do not reach the headlines. Tonight proves that it can happen. … Different communities will come together to build a coalition and strive forward.”

About 25 students gathered for the discussion in the basement, while dozens more watched upstairs.

“We really wanted an election party for AASA,” said Lisa He (SFS '11), political awareness chair for AASA. “But we felt it was a perfect time to reach out and collaborate together [as minorities at Georgetown].”

“I was pleased overall with the discussion because people felt safe to discuss controversial issues like race,” Alessandra Brown added. She said there is a pressing need in this country to move beyond the simple categorization of white and black in order to recognize the many other races in the country. Tuesday night, she said, was an important step in that direction.

“Ultimately the discussion came down to how to break the racial binary down … to look at a person instead of race,” she said.

Paola Urgiles (COL ’10), another who attended the event, went to the election watches in both Sellinger Lounge, which was hosted by the Georgetown University College Democrats, and the Black House.

In her view, there was something that stood out at the Black House.

“The difference was at the other events, everyone had their laptops open, but [at the Black House], people were bonding and interacting together,” she said.

Andy Zheng (MSB ’09), another participant in the Black House discussions, said he felt that this event allowed different communities to come together and open an important dialogue.

“It was interesting how initially the discussion was broad, and then became more specific on what we can do,” he said. “We can’t stop here … we will take a step forward with Obama or whoever is elected.”

Around 11 p.m., the room exploded with noise and with students jumping up and down as they read the words on the television screen — Obama had won the presidency.

On Wednesday afternoon, several dozen students gathered together in Red Square to further celebrate the monumental election of the first black president of the United States.

More than 70 Georgetown students of different skin colors joined in the chanting in support for President-elect Barack Obama.

Escobedo noted that this was not a prepared or organized event; in fact, it started from a mass text message simply reading “Rally in Red Square!! 1 p.m.! Wear all black. ... tell everyone!”

The group, uniting in a large circle that covered most of Red Square, ended the short 30 minute rally with a final wave of cheers.

“Yes we did, yes we did ... Obama, Obama!”

-- For more election night coverage, see "Students Abroad Tune In to Elections" and "Painting Pennsylvania Avenue Blue."