WASHINGTON — Liberty Countian Renee Charlton Brown said she made the long trek from Georgia to the Nation’s Capitol for the inauguration because she was excited to witness history.
She brought her two children, Ash-Lee, 17, and Alex, 18, because she knew it would be an experience for them that would only grow sweeter with time.
“You’ll really feel the effect 20-30 years down the road, the aftermath.” Brown said of the impact on her children. “The older they get the more they’ll appreciate the experience.”
And while the value of their experience might grow with the years, they definitely also got immediate satisfaction and inspiration.
“It means we were a part of history because it’s the first black president,” Ash-Lee, a Liberty County High School junior and aspiring optometrist, said. “It makes you feel like you can so anything.”
Brown said she and her children were thrilled to be in DC, among the masses and chaos, for such a monumental event. To make sure they got the most of the experience they took the time on Monday night to go through a practice run of their inauguration day schedule, checking bus routes and the event landscape.
She said the practice
run was worth the effort
because they were able to wake up Tuesday morning and be at the national mall by 9:30 a.m. And they were lucky enough, or perhaps well prepared enough, to get a prime spot right in the middle of the World War II Memorial.
“We were actually standing in the fountain,” Brown said. “It was off though.”
From their spot in the fountain, the three Georgians listened as Obama took the oath and addressed the world for the first time as president. The Browns said in the end, despite the bitter cold and the dense crowds, seeing and hearing Obama was worth it.
“It [the speech] was good. It impacted everyone regardless of race, color or creed.” Brown said.
“It was really inspirational,” Ash-Lee said.
She brought her two children, Ash-Lee, 17, and Alex, 18, because she knew it would be an experience for them that would only grow sweeter with time.
“You’ll really feel the effect 20-30 years down the road, the aftermath.” Brown said of the impact on her children. “The older they get the more they’ll appreciate the experience.”
And while the value of their experience might grow with the years, they definitely also got immediate satisfaction and inspiration.
“It means we were a part of history because it’s the first black president,” Ash-Lee, a Liberty County High School junior and aspiring optometrist, said. “It makes you feel like you can so anything.”
Brown said she and her children were thrilled to be in DC, among the masses and chaos, for such a monumental event. To make sure they got the most of the experience they took the time on Monday night to go through a practice run of their inauguration day schedule, checking bus routes and the event landscape.
She said the practice
run was worth the effort
because they were able to wake up Tuesday morning and be at the national mall by 9:30 a.m. And they were lucky enough, or perhaps well prepared enough, to get a prime spot right in the middle of the World War II Memorial.
“We were actually standing in the fountain,” Brown said. “It was off though.”
From their spot in the fountain, the three Georgians listened as Obama took the oath and addressed the world for the first time as president. The Browns said in the end, despite the bitter cold and the dense crowds, seeing and hearing Obama was worth it.
“It [the speech] was good. It impacted everyone regardless of race, color or creed.” Brown said.
“It was really inspirational,” Ash-Lee said.