America’s 44th President was honored over the weekend with a street naming. The new name of Rodeo road, now Barack Obama Boulevard, in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area of Los Angeles, was unveiled in a ceremony Saturday. Thousands of people were in attendance to celebrate. Former President Obama held a campaign rally at the same spot just after announcing his bid for office in 2007. Thandiwe Abdullah, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Youth Vanguard, took the stage saying “A lot of people will say it’s just another street, but for me, being 15 years old, a black child looking up and seeing the name of the first black president in my own ’hood — that gives me hope, gives me inspiration to step into my fullest purpose, and I know it does for so many others who look like me.”
Local leaders were on hand at Saturday’s event where Michael Lawson, president and chief executive of the L.A. Urban League, read a letter from Obama “To everyone gathered on King Boulevard, 12 years ago we met in this park.” He continued, “While Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I are so humbled by this day, we’re still mindful that this is not about us. This is about this neighborhood’s next generation and all we want for them. We hope they look at the new street signs and find inspiration in all that a group of committed citizens can achieve together.” The signs are a reminder of the good we can accomplish when we are united. A reminder thatYes We Can.