Inauguration Day Reflections: Eli Kaplan
Stepping outside of The Federal Triangle Metro station on the morning of Inauguration Day, I was quickly funneled into a motionless crowd so tightly packed I became claustrophobic. When the crowd gave way I walked with thousands of people to the National Mall. Volunteers handed me a small American flag, which I held proudly for the first time since I was a child.
On that day, the boundaries and skepticism that normally exist between strangers and races evaporated. When our new president took the Oath of Office I asked an African-American woman, Francine Finley, if I could photograph her. "Yes Lord, yes!" she said, mesmerized by what was happening on the closest Jumbotron. Then she put her arm around me and asked a nearby friend to photograph the two of us together.
I never imagined the possibility that people could feel anything more than mildly enthusiastic about a leader, but the euphoria about President Obama was clear. Nearly two million people braved 20-degree weather to witness the beginning of the next chapter in American history, many of whom stayed out in the cold for hours longer to catch a glimpse of the First Family in the Inaugural Parade. Their excitement, warmth, and graciousness toward each other made me feel that we truly have entered an era full of renewed possibility for everyone.