Affion Crockett (Actor/Comedian)
“I have an Obama impression, and I’ve been doing it every now and then, but, I feel like his legacy is too important for me to start making jokes about it. That’s really how I feel about it. I have sketches written, scenarios, all this type of stuff that I’ve planned on doing, but I just haven’t done them, because I don’t want to diminish him in anyway right now. Especially right now. Let’s let it ride out, and let him make his mark in history. We don’t need to have jokes about everything. SNL, that’s what they do and that’s what they’re known for, but for me, I feel like I’m going to take the high road right now, and just let him do his thing. Even though I resemble him and can do his voice.”
Christina Milian (Singer)
"I’m voting for Obama. He excites me. I’ve talked about it in the past, where it’s like, I’m going to go vote, and I didn’t. To be really real with you, this is my first and this is a must. In the past, I was on the road, I just never got to be home to be able to vote, but now I found out there are ways that you could do it. I looked into it this time, and I was like, if I couldn’t be home, how could I make sure to go about it. But in this situation, I’m making sure I get home to vote because I want to know that my choice was felt. Whether it ends up being what I want or not, at least I know I tried."
Matt McGinley (drummer for Gym Class Heroes)
"[I] voted against Bush via absentee ballot last election while on tour. I'd love to see the country rally behind a great leader, Obama, and not only make sweeping internal changes, but improve our rep in foreign countries. Besides, I'm scared to death of McCain and Palin...They're a couple of Disney villains. Haters."
Alesha Renee (TV Personality)
"I am ashamed to say this is my first time voting, though this is only the second cycle that I've been old enough to vote. Not that I'm making excuses [laughs]. I made my mind up not that long ago. When I had the chance to see what each canidate was bringing to the table Obama made the most ense. My mom is a single parent and I only JUST got in the position where I could afford health care so Obamas stance on topics like tax cuts and health care reform sealed the deal for me. My biggest hope is that Black men will become much more affirmed that they to can acheive that type of success. Its about time a black man says, “Yes we can” and not yes we can only if the system let's us!"
Amiri Baraka (Author/poet/playwright/activist)
"I'm going to vote for Barack Obama. I made up my mind last year when he first announced. I supported him because I didn't see anyone in the Democratic or the Republican parties that was worth supporting. If it comes down now to Obama and McCain, I think that Obama's the only one who's going to give this country a new Bill of Rights so to speak. The Bush years have brought this country down to its lowest--not only its poorest and its worst profile in the world. And this has to stop. This outsourcing of jobs and this continuous war mentality has to stop. I think that Obama's the one to do that."
Plus, I think that for black people it would represent another step to another level in American life. Obama's only possible because of the civil rights movement and the black liberation movement. Obama's only possible because of people like Dr. King and Malcolm X and Rosa Parks--the people that struggled in the ’60s. They made this possible. And Obama's not possible without that struggle, and I think that we need to recognize that and support it to the next level.
So where is the promise? Where is the American Dream? Is it just now a joke? Where is that great America that they talked about to us? You know, like my mother had me memorize the Lincoln's Gettysburg Address when I was a little boy. I used to recite it at Lincoln's birthday once a year. You know "Four scores and..." Now, I believe that, you know? She wanted me to believe that. She wanted me to at least to remember that someone had said that. And so, that which has never been in my lifetime, that all people are created equal...that is what I want to see.
As told to Jozen Cummings, Jina Huh, and Dionna King
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