On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, Barack Obama became President-Elect of the United States of America. The significance of this election extends far beyond partisan politics. In fact, it surpasses what we have known, redefining politics for a new generation. This is a cultural shift, evidenced by the amount of voters mobilized this Election Day. People of all ages, races, and classes made a decision to move forward into a new sphere of American politics. This election was not about the power of one man, or even one party. This election was about the ability of the American people.

Barack Obama’s success is in part due to his consistent dedication to his campaign, the strength of his ideas, and the skills to enunciate those ideas in a manner that resonates with his listeners. That his ideas spoke to the hearts and minds of so many people can be attributed to close attention to his fellow Americans’ desires and a precise gauging of the zeitgeist.

The larger part of Obama’s success is in the shift from “me” to “we”; engaging the country on all levels (individual, community, state, national, and global) and encouraging us to be active in the political process.

On Tuesday night we watched with an anticipation and hopefulness that had been lost in America for some time. In fact, the whole world was watching, rooting us on in our quest for change.

And what a powerful thing it was to see Grant Park in Chicago televised: the crowd of all races, young and old, male and female, sharing smiles and tears at this monumental point on the road to change. That scene had me smiling for hours afterward.

Barack Obama is a catalyst for change in this country. We are no longer content blaming one man, or one party, for the faults of our country. We realize that we are all accountable and that progress can only occur if we are all a part of the effort. As President-Elect Barack Obama said during his Election night speech:

“What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.”