By DEBORAH A. MILES
January 20 will go down in history as the day when nearly two million people peacefully gathered in Washington to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.

The new president energized the crowd that stretched from the Capitol to the Washington monument with a speech designed to make Americans think about the problems facing the country, and inspiring them to become part of the solution.

“For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies,” Obama said.

“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world. Duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

Gladys Francis, a PEF Executive Board member who works as a social worker assistant at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center in Brooklyn, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with people from all over the world at the inauguration. She was just one of the dozens of PEF members who traveled to be a part of history, to witness the inauguration of the first African American president, and applaud a man PEF supported in the presidential campaign.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Francis said. “I felt I was part of a human quilt. I was woven to people of various nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. Everyone there was just happy. You could feel love in the crowd.”

Francis said Obama’s speech struck home, especially during a time when doom and gloom from the previous administration left the country craving change and hope.

“What is going on now in the country and the world affects everyone,” Francis said. “We have to embrace the president’s message and make sacrifices. We have to be prepared to give a little more of our time to our community and our country.

“If I had to sum up my experience being there, it is that I feel so blessed to be born in America.”

Best PEF trip ever
Connie Batts, an underwriter at the state Insurance Fund in Melville, said, ”I’ve been a member of PEF since its inception and have been very happy and proud to be a member. The union supported me in being a steward and helped me resolve problems many co-workers faced. But there is nothing that I am more grateful for than the opportunity to participate in this inauguration. It was absolutely phenomenal.”

Batts and about 50 other members from PEF Regions 11 and 12 took buses to the event.

“I heard many people say they had to take the Metro or shuttle bus to the mall. We were able to walk where we viewed the inauguration. We were able to share the whole experience with fellow PEF members,” Batts said.

She called it a “once-in-a-lifetime historical event,” and described Obama’s speech as inclusive.

“He touched base on many cultures, religions, and mentioned his desire to bring everyone together to create a peaceful world. That very much impressed me.

“I anticipated a high police presence. We saw some military units and Humvees at certain cross streets that were closed to the public. But there was not a sea of police or military. There were millions of people doing what they should, because they wanted to. I will forever be impressed by that.

“Our support of this president through his election was very much warranted. The work done by PEF’s political activists has paid off, and I hope we are going to see some very good things in the future,” Batts said.

Worth the ride
Gustavo Santos, a minority business specialist 1 at the state Department of Transportation in Albany, drove more than ten hours in a snow storm by himself to be a part of history. Santos was a Democratic Convention delegate for Obama.

“I had to be in Washington,” Santos said. “It was an unbelievable experience.”

Santos stayed in Easton, Maryland, about an hour and a half from the ceremonial site, as the Washington hotels were booked and very expensive. Unlike the ride there, Santos had no problem getting to the mall on inauguration day and parked a few blocks away.

“The lines to get into the mall were a couple of miles long,” Santos said. “It was very peaceful, pleasant, and everyone was just happy to be there. I saw people from all over the world.”

Santos was deeply moved by Obama’s speech and referred to it as “inspiring, touching and timeless.” He said the intensity of the ceremony with the 21-gun-salute after the swearing-in brought a few tears to his eyes. He said there was a unique energy among the millions of people there.

“Never give up, be willing to work hard, believe in yourself,” is what Santos took home and what millions of Americans will remember from the inauguration of Barack Obama.