African Immigrants Pin Hopes On Obama

A catered fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama was held recently at Duke's City, an upscale restaurant and bar nestled amid the hip new condominiums in the District's U Street corridor, where up-and-coming white professionals are slowly taking over an area that was once mostly black.

But the owner of Duke's City, Donato Sinaci, is not one of Obama's many young, white supporters. And the host of the event, Michael Endale, is not a native-born black American. They are members of Ethiopians for Obama, one of several campaign groups made up of African immigrants who are rallying around the first black American to win a major party's presidential primary, and the son of a Kenyan immigrant.

From coast to coast, Somali, Ethiopian, Nigerian and Kenyan Americans are knocking on the doors of their fellow African immigrants, registering new citizens to vote, raising money and preaching Obama's mantra of hope and change. They hope that his prominence will change their status as one of the nation's least-recognized immigrant groups, and that he will one day provide aid to help ease the turmoil and poverty in countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[realtalk]

Obama will be the president for ALL Americans: white, and black.

[GravitonX]

Let us hope that Obama changes U.S. policy towards Africa, the belly of the beast. Just lift the boot off our necks, and we will bring Africa back to a world power.

[Pquilson]

Um, Africa would be a continent, world power or not.

[GravitonX]

Your comment makes absolutely no sense.

[Mitchell4A]

And not only are African Immigrants excited about an Obama win, so are those with various kinds of "exotic" last names.

"Obama: It's the Name, Stupid
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[inthecolour]

It's true.

I'm an African immigrant. Somali. And everyone back in Somalia and Africa in general is very excited for Obama.

He's our son too. Goooo Obama.

[tony2008]

People are excited that America recognizes them through the opportunity it provides to its diverse citizens. Obama has already given hope to the children of these immigrants that America recognizes them as one of its own. That is priceless. That's why there is so much excitement.

[neesy08]

every time i have travelled and returned home i have used a taxi. the drivers seem to always be immigrants from countries of african heritage. ask any of them who they want to win in novemebr, and hands down, its obama. they are so proud of him!!!

i've met a few from kenya, but also from ethophia, sudan, tanzania, hati, jamacia, dominican republic, uganda, and they all want obama to win

and they are not the only ones, my friends in the uk, and the world are all rooting for obama. it is amazing how much the world is behind him! to those old enough to remember the 1960's, he reminds them of a "black kennedy."

the world is closely following this presidential race. if the gop steal this from obama (which i doubt), there will be outrage.

[SgtLucifer]

Pin your hopes on one man, and ye shall be terribly disappointed.

[rasthedestroyer]

Unless you come from Afrikan ancestry you could'nt possibly understand the importance of this moment. Over 150 million Afrikan slaves came thru the middle passege. A 3rd of them died at sea. Almost 400 yrs. in bondage, and another 100 yrs. of segregation. Black people all over this world share the shame and the scars of slavery. This is not about one man, This is about a race of human being's laying to rest one of the ghost of their past.

[Adam11]

as East African male. we never seen or experienced Slavery. so Yes i feel sad for what happen.but no i dont have scars nor feel shame.

Obama is Mixed half black. just like tiger wood. get it throu your head. for me half is enough.
Obama's father is from Africa.east africa exact. so he prabably has no idea the slavery scars ur tlking about. segregation? maybe.

if you tlk about again what happen in 400yrs ago (the slavery) you gona turn me ( a black men) Off. Let past be past,Just move forward.

and if that is all your counting on Obama. dnt get your hopes UP.
Remeber obamas grandma still lives in Kenya.

[tompaineaz]

Obama is not African-American; he is mixed race. He does not have any ancestry blood line that went through the American slavery experience. Sorry. His African-American heritage is fiction manufactured by the MSM for consumption.

[askmeificare]

So this is about the color of someone's skin.

[southafrica4obama]

Yes we can. Yes we can pin our hopes on a candidate who's making Mccain and Bush look stupid.

[walsenberg]

ye as are you a prophet or similiar.....

[cobobs]

Who said they are pinning hopes on one man? These are very smart and sophisticated people. Demographic studies show that African immigrants have the highest level of educational attainment of any immigrant group in America.

[mcole]

yes o!

[mcole]

repping naija sturvs....Obama for life!

[DAVESEAN]

Naija bros,sup...obama 2008

[Gasparilla]

All the aid in the world is not going to change things if these countries do not control their population growth.

[rasthedestroyer]

Maybe they should build more prisons. It work's in America

[Gasparilla]

Good way to avoid what I said.

[tony2008]

Republicans give more foreign aid than Democrats. These people are educated enough(as it is stated in the article) to understand that. They are excited about Obama because they relate to him.

[mcole]

lol. how do you know republicans give more foreign aid? i cant even take you seriously, mate. how did you come to that conclusion?

[mcole]

control population growth.....really? how dare you?! how does your country "control population growth"??????

oh you mean like how china limits their people to one child? is that what you mean? is that what you practice is the United States??

there's a name for you, one guess.

[GravitonX]

They just say it because they don't like Black people, and they fear a Black planet. I say quadruple the population of Black people. We need more more more not less.

[Gasparilla]

My guess is realistic. And I'm not talking about limiting it to one child. I'm talking about the government promoting, and the citizens using, birth control. But feel free to fly off the handle.

[AlexVonHussein]

Great work !! its about hope ..Obama said. ..he is a slim guy with a funny name, and immigrant father, single mum, muslim name, ..being a nominee is already one huddle.. East Africans are known for Marathons. They know about endurance and staying in for the long haul not just in Words but in deeds. Obama has it.

Hillary ran the 100 meters , Mccain is running the 200 meters .., Obama , going for the marathon of all fifty states. .. laying ground work for after and future of the democratic party.

[Dane1911]

The majority speaks highly of him, but we only see the negative things people have to say because of the media.

[Midnightrain]

O's got some big shoes to fill. I hope he delivers.

[coba]

it all about new hope

http://sensico.wordpress.com/