The crowd hissed and booed as members of the outgoing administration took their seats on stage. Their angry chants grew louder when the camera turned to President George Bush.
Event organizer Theresa Basile, saw the inauguration as a chance to bring her community together. Since she couldn’t make it to Washington she did the next best thing — she threw a party at the Culver-Palms Methodist Church.
"I wanted to organize something that would live up to the Washington experience," Basile said. She is an active member of moveon.org and the Methodist Federation for Social Action, an independent organization that promotes peace and justice through the Methodist Church.
The mid-sized church auditorium was more sparsely decorated than Basile would have liked, partly because she was too busy cooking for the more than 45 people who signed up to attend the event within hours of the ceremony. Still, American flag centerpieces adorned six tables, along with kazoos, American flag hats and patriotic leis.
About 60 people filled the room, all facing the large pull-down projection screen, watching the ceremony that many could not believe was finally happening. A tearful crowd shouted in approval as President Obama delivered his inaugural address.
Georgia Malsich, a Culver City accountant, could hardly contain her excitement as she hugged strangers and cheered as President Obama walked on stage. "This is the first time so many people are gathered here for something peaceful. It’s happiness. I’m just so excited," she said. "He’s only one year older than me. We grew up with the Civil Rights movement, and this is our generation stepping up and saying it’s our turn."
Malsich and others showed up at the church’s inaugural brunch. Some had stayed home from school to share the moment with their families, others dropped by before heading to work, a little late of course. Still there were some people who took the entire day off to celebrate with the community and watch as Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
The Rev. Louis Chase, a pastor at Hamilton United Methodist Church, hopes Obama can rebuild America peacefully and avoid the destruction of war. For him, the inauguration was more than just a peaceful transfer of power.
"This is the beginning of positive and transformative change in the U.S. for the good of the whole world. It’s a pivotal historical moment given that this president is the first African-American to hold this office," Chase said. "I hope that his policies will meet the laws of the international community, decisions will not be unilateral and we’ll seek to create a world of peace rather than war."
To the multi-racial community assembled at the inaugural brunch, Obama is more than just the first African-American president. Chase said the huge crowds in Washington are "an indicator of the support he has, not because he is black but because of his ability, integrity and commitment to be a national leader."
Lisa Perry and her 14-year-old daughter, Ricca, took the morning off from work and school to share the historic moment together. She remembers watching the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on her black and white television as a child, and said the possibilities that Obama brings to her and her daughter are phenomenal.
"He’s biracial so everybody can see him as their own," Lisa Perry said. "He’s African-American, Caucasian, and grew up in an Asian home, so when he says he understands, he really does understand. A combination so unique and unifying has to be a product of god because how else could such great things happen all at once."
As a social worker, Lisa Perry said the negative and greedy atmosphere in society is sending the wrong message to the youth of America. Young people, she said, have become discouraged and let down by life because they have learned to equate success with money. Obama’s message of hard work is just what the families she works with need to hear. "Materialism is not the sum total of success," and that’s what she believes Obama will bring back to American families.
Voter turnout in this year’s presidential election for young Americans, those between the ages of 18 and 29, was the second highest ever, according to CNN. Fifty-five percent of those eligible to vote in that demographic showed up at the polls, according to Rock the Vote. With 66 percent of those votes going to Obama, it is clear that he has bridged a generational divide. Even for those too young to cast a ballot, Obama’s message was heard loud and clear.
"He knows what he wants and he’s sticking with it," said Ricca Perry, an 8th grader at Frederick KC Price III School. "He’s not changing his mind. He’s sticking to exactly what he said at the beginning."
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