Obama-Bound Family: Getting Closer — No Time to Stop
EmailABC News’ Gina Sunseri reports:
South Carolina. Getting closer.
When you are trying to get to Washington, D.C. — traveling 1, 444 miles in two days from Houston for Barack Obama’s inauguration –- there is no time to stop and stand on the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Ala., which we crossed in the rain close to midnight Saturday night.
Nikki Lecompte is using this journey across the South to teach her four children about their heritage. She wanted them to see where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a march across that bridge on the Selma-to-Montgomery march for voting rights in 1965.
South Carolina won’t take long to cross. Then it’s North Carolina and Virginia, where she and her family have shelter tonight with a family member.
Lecompte is a single mother, a Katrina survivor, and unemployed. She was laid off from her job last year, and she is making this trip on a shoestring. She has packed food for the trip –- in fact, a neighbor came over with a gift of enough barbecued ribs to last for days.
Her car gets decent gas mileage, enough so the children can get an occasional treat when they stop.
She knew she would be making this journey the night Barack Obama was elected. She felt compelled because she knows from her parents just how much has changed since the Selma march. She is making the trip for her grandfather, who was the second African-American to get a job as a car salesman in New Orleans.
In New Orleans last night, she cried when she saw the wreck of her grandmothers’ home on St. Bernard St. — flooded during Hurricane Katrina, condemned afterwards. So much of her family’s history was lost.
She fully expects to cry again on Tuesday, when Barack Obama takes the oath and becomes the 44th president of the United States.
For more on the family’s Sunday morning departure, CLICK HERE.
For more on her departure from Houston, CLICK HERE. Click here to watch the video.
Here is a video about her trip from "World News" Sunday:
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Although she did not ask for it, I really hope that CNN is helping Nikki with the tab for the trip. Her stories are more than worth it.
Posted by: beto | January 18, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
I wish Nikki the best in her journey. Obama’s victory has raised the self esteem and hopes of millions, irrespective of colour.
Posted by: kathy | January 18, 2009, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
A President has NEVER hired me OR got me a job
Posted by: Gary | January 18, 2009, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
I think Nikki’s priorities should be to get a job first and then find good schools for her kids. Since Katrina happened more than 3 years ago, perhaps she needs to recover and move on from it.
Posted by: Greg h | January 18, 2009, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm
I sure wish we could get some more media coverage of the prez-elect. There just isn’t much about the inauguration,
big name stars, after party, money, train trip, choo-choo, toot toot, whatever…..blah blah blah…..
O-BLAH-BLAH & of course Pelosi, Reid, and blah blah blah…….
Posted by: Badboy | January 18, 2009, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
It is important for a mother to give her children their dreams. It is critical for a mother to give her children hope. She will get a job – but she will never have another chance to give this moment to her children.
Either there is a solid core of sick, cynical people in this country or the right-wing is paying people to put all this junk in blogs while everyone else is focused on the election. If you don’t want to see it, don’t watch. There are still books, movies you can rent and football games.
This mother has not asked you for a penny, so let’s just cheer her on. God bless all of us, no exceptions.
Posted by: Mom | January 18, 2009, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm
Nikki is a wise woman. Events come, events go. This event is very extraordinary. There is no any other person on earth will come later and claim is the first African-American President.
It is very important in life to witness experience especially when you take part!
Posted by: Rita | January 19, 2009, 2:39 am 2:39 am
I am trying to figure out why ABC removed my comment from yesterday? It was positive and supportive about this young woman and what she was doing for her children. I was even hoping to help defray some of her expenses by contributing a check. Thanks ABC from those of us here in her home state who are excited Nikki made the effort and the journey.
Posted by: N22Tango | January 20, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Nikki, I love your energy. I’m glad you decided to move forward despite the obstacles. I hope the Inaugural was a GREAT experience for you and your family.
Thanks for sharing your story.
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