Lydia Crafts' Inauguration Day audio piece

For Austin's Public Radio Station:
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=3e2835eaf4&view=audio&msgs=11efee5bc38bbd31&attid=0.1&zw

Suzi Piker in Maine on Inauguration Day

For the Portland Press Herald Newspaper:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/slideshows/DC_SLIDE_PORTLAND/

Ari's Audio Postcard

http://www.box.net/shared/havn16vq55

IN DC with Danielle and Mariel

Here's the link from Danielle and Mariel from their time in DC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2f4oAqAy0M

inauguration

well I regret to say that I do not have photographs...i left my camera in the van, because I though that the stop at the soda in the mountains was just a pee break. However slowly everyone in the resturant, except for the drivers who were pretty excited about their rice and beans, started to turn to the tv. It slowly got louder, tourists from all over europe and the states stood silent, standing face forward as if pointing towards mecca. I exspected some people to start talking or move, at least some of the costa ricans, but no one said a thing, slowly people started taking pictures of the t.v. and muttering the words change and future in spanish. I though that I wouldn't even get to see obama sworn in, I had no idea it would be that interesting and powerful to see it outside of the states.

Inauguration morning at the Center for Documentary Arts in Salt Lake City

I spent the morning at the Center for Documentary Arts here in SLC, UT. The CDA was hosting a moveon.org inauguration-watching party, and a good-sized group turned out.  Some people knew others, some had found out about the event online.  One couple had flown in from CA this morning for Sundance (going on in SLC and up in Park City right now), and had found the CDA as a place to watch. Another guy just moved here from Sacramento. Mary worked tirelessly to get the technology up and running in time for us to watch it via the internet. One thing I remember: everyone spontaneously joined in singing the national anthem. There were other watching parties going on in the city as well, plus there's some sort of swanky ball tonight.  

Chebeague Island, Maine

The weekend's fresh snow formed blindingly white mounds outside of the Rec Center on Chebeague Island, making the interior of the gym, blacked out with construction paper and duct tape, difficult to navigate. The school kids sprawled on thick gymnastics mats and a spattering of adults sat in folding chairs or stood leaning against the walls, some resting babies on forearms, some leaving both hands ready to applaud. One of the 23 students from the adjacent two room school house would occasionally thrust a patriotic party favor into the streaming light of the projector, shaking the red white and blue vigorously until a teacher whispered a warning.

At noon, the CNN commentator announced that although he was not yet sworn in, Barack Obama was officially the 44th president of these United States. The gym erupted in yelps and claps from the crowd, those little patriotic favors up in the air, little hands grasping the bases, no admonishments this time.

As Obama completed his oath, a boy ran into his mom's arms, "Mommy, did you know Barack Obama is our new president?"

Everyone sat silent through his speech; second graders still as a second grader can actually be, septuagenarians transfixed by the new president's words.
(Finally, a president who can speak well!)

After the speech and before the luncheon, before the parade, before the balls, the school kids took a recess and the adults congregated in the crafts room, munching on flag-colored cupcakes and Michelle Obama's shortbread cookies on paper plates, smiling ear to ear.

What a day on this little island in a big ocean next to an enormous continent full of towns and cities bursting with people wiping tears from their smiles, remembering darker times in a way that illuminates the present, feeling proud of our "patchwork heritage", feeling hopeful for the future.

January 20th, 2009- Our real New Year's Day

Here's what we saw.