Juanita Chacon

Her name is Brooklyn, and she came into my life on December 24th 2005. My dedication to serving children for over 20 years took a personal and more meaningful turn that day.

Having no children, my niece is now my motivation and my inspiration to make sure I do everything possible to support and elect Barack Obama.

"From the first moment a woman dared to speak that hope - dared to believe that the American Dream was meant for her too - ordinary women have taken on extraordinary odds to give their daughters the chance for something else: for a life more equal, more free and filled with more opportunity than they ever had. In so many ways we have succeeded, but in so many areas we have much work left to do."

Barack Obama, Washington, DC 11/10/05

The first time I saw this, I knew I wanted to get involved because he did give me hope and because he made me believe the dream was meant for Brooklyn and every little girl in America.

I want Brooklyn to know about the thousands of women who have fought for the rights she is entitled to today and how it will be her responsibility to guard those rights forever.

I want Brooklyn to have a high quality education in a public school environment.

I want Brooklyn to have health insurance even though her Mother’s employer cannot offer it to her.

I want Brooklyn to have a positive role model when she sees women in leadership positions.

I want Brooklyn to be safe and know that her urban neighborhood is as valued as the suburban cities she visits.

I want Brooklyn to be proud of the fact that a bi-racial man can run for and win the office of the President of the United States. Her bi-racial brother will now know he also has that opportunity.

I want Brooklyn to have pride in her heritage as a Latina and understand how this election very well may be decided by women and women of color.

I want Brooklyn to have someone like a Federico Pena introduce her to a candidate who has the integrity, character, and wisdom to make a great leader as our President. I hope that she too would give and work in her community and share the important message of volunteering as Senator Obama did in his journey.

I want this and more for Brooklyn -- but mostly I want her to know that women from all walks of life, all ages, and all colors joined together in 2008 to make sure that years from now, when she writes “her story,” many of the greatest leaders of her world will be women!


Brooklyn’s Auntie Juanita