5th grade, Cornell School, Albany, California

My name is Vivian Maika O’Connor. I am Japanese American and have an African American stepfather. I think it is a huge difference to have an African American president. On the night of the election I thought that this was the most important and fascinating news I had ever watched. Because Barack Obama is African American, it will make a change for all. Since I was in kindergarten, I wanted to have some kind of superpower. When I first heard about Obama, I wanted to have the power to take away racism, but unfortunately I didn’t. Sometimes I hear people say things that are racist without realizing it. For example, a girl who goes to my school said, “There are too many black people in Oakland, so I don’t want to go there.” That was very racist even when she didn’t realize it. Obama is contributing to Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that all people can be equal. I read Obama’s letter to his children and to every child in America, and it meant a lot to me because I really want to go to college when I grow up. I think if there is less racism there will be more of a chance that many people will go to college.