Tonight, I was able to witness history being made - Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of this great country of ours!

An African American was elected into the #1 office of our great country. A capable U.S. citizen was given an opportunity to serve his country!

The choice made tonight, the decisions made tonight only goes to confirm what I’ve lived through and confirmed over the course of my 17 years of sojourn in this great country. What I’ve lived through are situations where the great people of this country regardless of race have embraced me and given me opportunities to make a living despite my skin color.

When I started working as a photographer in Kansas City, there were only about 9 reputable wedding photographers in the market that offered similar services as I had planned to offer. A young black photographer working out of a one bedroom apartment with desires to create an upscale photography business, all I had was the hope and aspirations that people would overlook my skin color and select me based on my work. 10 years later and with more than 427 weddings under my belt, I can truly say that the hope that appears resurrected tonight had been fully alive all along!

Yes, it was not always like this BUT we’ve come a very long way as a people and we are learning to put our differences behind and work towards the common good.

When my children wake up tomorrow, it would be a new day in their lives and I would be able to tell them that they can be anything they want to be if they put God first and work hard with an unshaken hope and determination!