Obama’s Second Term: Views from the Street on Inauguration Day


By: ALLISON SKEETE

Wednesday, January 23, 2013




Four years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., for the first inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States. I was able to travel along as the president and vice president-elect rode the Abraham Lincoln Whistle Stop tour down to the nation’s capitol.

Excitement was in the air everywhere you looked and everywhere you turned.

Four years later there was still excitement in the air as President Obama took his oath of office for a second and final term on January 21. This time, the crush of people, though overjoyed at the making of history as the first African-American president was sworn in once again, was far smaller and more cautious in their views on what was to come.

There was much concern about changes that may or may not occur in the next four years. Elliott Stanley, a recent law school graduate, said he didn’t anticipate major changes that would benefit him. The president spent the past four years working through the fiscal morass he inherited from the previous administration, Stanley said, and will continue to battle with the stubbornly partisan legislative before he could make significant progress in other areas.

“I think he should be more decisive in his push for administrative gain than conciliatory,” said Stanley, who hasn’t been able to find a permanent job since leaving school.

Joycelin, a Washington D.C. resident who declined to give her last name, said the first-term sheen has worn off for the president, adding that he learned the hard way that there may well have been a decision by republicans in the partisan House of Representatives to “just say no” to any, or many, of his policies and proposals.

“He’s learned that whether he plays golf or not with the republicans he can’t win them over with his demeanor,” Joycelin said. And while President Obama, like all presidents, wants to leave a positive legacy, the looming fights over the debt ceiling and spending cuts as House republicans continue to refuse to “play nice” may derail his attempt to do so, Joycelin said.

Others cited persistent unemployment as a major worry. Many said they were pleased with the changes to healthcare engineered by the president, but fear this would be the only legacy of his historic presidency if the agenda of the republican majority in the House is to deliberately stymie progress.

A group of business owners who traveled from Florida, Ohio, Maryland and New York to attend the inauguration said President Obama has already secured his legacy with historic healthcare reform. They insisted, however, that in order to have a broader legacy of success, he has to ensure that the funding mechanisms to carry through on this reform are sustainable, and he has to manage the economy for the next generation, specifically by improving the nation’s aging infrastructure, fixing the weaknesses of our education system and immigration policies, and reforming so-called entitlement programs.

http://www.tnj.com/perspectives/obama%E2%80%99s-second-term-views-street-inauguration-day

https://guyaneseonline.wordpress.com/tag/allison-skeete/

http://www.newsamericasnow.com/what-does-the-barack-obama-second-term-mean-for-america/

Posted by CommunityCollaborator at 11:06 AM

Mentoring & the Multicultural Arts Management Internship Program

Mentoring & the Multicultural Arts Management Internship Program (from The pARTnership Movement)

TOPIC: PRIVATE SECTOR

WRITTEN BY ALLISON SKEETE ON JANUARY - 17 - 2013

Throughout my life there have been people I admired and looked up to. I realized the value and impact of having mentors in my life when I spent a summer working for a charitable group as a camp counselor for challenged teens. I learned as much from them as they did me and what I felt and shared that summer left me with a lasting impression.

From that point forward, I decided that I’d have to support and or mentor someone in the future. It has now been more than 20 years that I’ve been a mentor in some way in many programs to young women and men within the communities where I’ve worked, played, and lived. Seven years ago, when I was asked to be a mentor in the multicultural summer program hosted by the Arts & Business Council of NY, I didn’t hesitate to respond ‘yes!’

I believe as a mentor I have an important role in assisting the mentee to learn how to manage priorities and perspectives. I firmly believe everyone has natural gift they can share with others. To share knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is a gift. Helping others to achieve their goals and dreams can impact not only the lives of those who are being mentored, but the lives of everyone they touch. For me, helping others reach their potential is fulfilling in ways I can’t begin to explain.

The Multicultural Arts Management Internship program (sponsored by my employer conEdison) promotes diversity in administrative staffing, introducing undergraduates to career options with a business focus in the arts. Each year, a select group of students the program places emphasis on students of African-American, Asian-American, and Latino backgrounds, who are matched with New York City arts organizations to complete summer-long, project-based internships in a variety of disciplines.

The program is a unique in that it focuses on the diversity in administrative staffing and it introduces undergraduates to career options with a business focus in the arts. Each year hundreds of applications are filled out by students from across the nation as well as a few who are international students vying for a space in this summer long internship program. ABC/NY has developed creative partnerships between the arts and business communities that enhance the business and creative skills by engaging volunteers as mentors who care about and enjoy the arts.

I’ve had several great interns to mentor, but the one that stand out for me is from the class of 2010—Keilah Johnson. I have maintained contact with most of the young ladies I’ve met in this program, but Ms. Johnson has made me feel the most rewarded as she has progressed and is now a business owner and accomplished college graduate who changed her entire perspective and career path as a result of her experience in the ABC/NY summer internship.

I met an introverted young woman whose aunt accompanied her to the opening breakfast and who was unsure of why she was in this internship program, but that it felt like it was something she must do.

We began spending time together as I took Keilah to a number of events at which my husband and I volunteered or that he wanted to attend in order to take photos (one of his hobbies). This turned out to be a great arrangement for establishing our relationship. It became like on-the-job training for her and she blossomed with her exuberance and curiosity.

I truly enjoyed how she sought my input and assured her that an idea wasn’t silly or when she got an idea I shared she hadn’t thought of. She developed her ideas, adapted them, and used what she learned to become an integral part of special projects at WNYC radio where she helped to develop their social networking identity.

Keilah went back to her hometown university after this internship and started her own business. I could not have been more proud to think I had helped her achieve a goal she didn’t even know she’d bring to life when she applied for the ABC/NY program.

But, the point of greatest humility and thanks I experienced being her mentor was when her family invited us to meet them at her sister’s birthday party and her mother expressed thanks for helping her as I did.

Mrs. Johnson said that Keilah is the child who picked a career path that none of the rest of her family had any inkling of a way in which to help and guide her to succeed. She said ‘thank you’ and ‘I appreciate you’ because now they had a clearer understanding about her ideas and drive. She said they could not have done so on her own and the family was glad she had me as a mentor to help.

Because of experiences like this, I will continue to be a part of this program as long as I can. It is a most rewarding learning and teaching experience for me.

(This post is one in a weekly series highlighting The pARTnership Movement, Americans for the Arts’ campaign to reach business leaders with the message that partnering with the arts can build their competitive advantage. Visit our website to find out how both businesses and local arts agencies can get involved!)

Second Public Swearing in...

Obama gets ready for Public Swearing In


By Allison Skeete

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama stand together in the Blue Room of the White House, before a brunch celebrating the Inauguration, Jan. 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

News Americas, WASHINGTON D.C. Sun. January 20, 2013: Temperatures in the high 40’s encouraged numbers of about 13,000 people, in addition to more than 100 service organizations, to participate in the Service Summit on the National Mall on Sunday, Jan. 20th.

People from all 50 states came together to honor the commitment to serve more than one million hours volunteering in many ways at the start of the 57th inaugural weekend honoring Dr. Martin Luther King with a National Day of Service; creating a lasting opportunity of service and marking the second historic swearing in event weekend of President Barack Obama.

Elsewhere, the preparations continue for tomorrow’s swearing in when the temperatures are supposed to drop almost or just as low as they were four years ago when the nation first saw history made with the swearing in of the 44th President of the United States of America but its first African-America. The anticipation is building for another four years in office for the second term of President Obama.

Although the official swearing in of the Vice President and the President both took place today, the public event will begin at 11:30 tomorrow morning with New York Senior Senator Charles Schumer calling the event to order with his welcome remarks.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of Civil Rights Leader, Medgar Evers, will give the invocation and Brooklyn’s own Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir will perform a special selection written by choir director Carol Cymabla.

Other performances will be by musicians James Taylor, Kelly Clarkson and Beyonce. While there is anticipation in the air, there are fewer crowds here for this year’s event than there were four years ago. It has been much easier to maneuver through the checkpoints and DC’s Metro stations than at the previous swearing in. However, the general feeling is that it’s still a moment of history for most and they’re taking advantage of the chance to record it for their personal moments of posterity.


http://www.newsamericasnow.com/obama-gets-ready-for-public-swearing-in/

Commemorating the Historic Obama Era

Commemorating the Historic Obama Era


By Allison Skeete


NEW YORK, NY, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013: Not everyone could have been in the nation’s capital last Monday to witness President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. Not everyone wanted to either, not Republicans still upset about the President’s re- election. However, Obama fans can show their support, on their head, sleeves, feet even while drinking their morning coffee or sitting in front of the TV without a ticket to the swearing-in.

Inauguration collectibles are abundantly available online, especially at the Official Inaugural Store, and the physical store east of the White House. Items like woven throw blankets with the inaugural seal at $165 or a 57th Inaugural Hoodie at $75 with an official inaugural seal and “Obama 2013” on front are all available and even official Motorcade Mugs, for $25, and of course there’s the common array of lapel pins, caps and tube socks, among the dozens of other gifts are or sales to represent the history of the first two-term African America President of the United States of America.

Paula Taylor of Princeton, New Jersey has her own special commemoration keepsake that caught the eye of many on Monday; she’s the owner of a specialty handbag which is specifically made at a small boutique in Virginia and which sells for $150; it’s worth it said Taylor, I saw something on television about Diane’s boutique and I called the phone number shown, she had only a few left but she put this aside for me and shipped it for me once I gave her the payment information and I knew I’d have it with me here today… I just love it.

Paula Taylor of Princeton, NJ

For Ethel Carson (at left), commemoration is simply being at the inauguration, she’s from the little town of Centre, Alabama which has just 1,300 registered voters. " I’m going to be 65 in July said Ms. Carson and I just had to be here, it’s history… I never thought I’d ever see this in my lifetime. I come from a small town and a time where this would never have been a thought that an African American would be president". She planned to be here and dressed for the event in elegant fashion wearing a beautiful blue outfit complete with a hat that many at the event complemented as reminiscent of Aretha Franklin from four years ago.   The pride at being here and sharing this moment with her daughter Rita is the commemorative ideal Ethel will treasure when she returns home. She’s going to be sharing her experience with the members of her church and her town, she’ll be the local celebrity and says it’s all just overwhelming for her but she will enjoy it and relive it often and pass the experience on in tales as much and as often as she can.