Obama's visit sparks excitement in Dorchester neighborhood
(By Cara Bayles for Boston.com)
Alma Cruckshane cheered as the president's motorcade passed on its way to BostonTech Academy in Dorchester.
Dozens of people stood on the corner of Talbot Avenue and Washington Street in Codman Square today, waiting for President Barack Obama to drive by on his way to TechBoston Academy.
Standing outside the Codman Square Health Center where they work, Trish Hao and Susan Kelliher said they'd received e-mails saying the president's convoy would drive through the intersection around 3 p.m.
"We're just hoping for a glimpse of him," said Kelliher.
Hao added that some people had been waiting since 1:30 p.m.
Further down on Norfolk Street, barricades kept people from spilling into the street. A group of at least 20 teens had commuted from New Bedford to hold up signs asking the president to preserve federal budget money for Youth Build, a national organization that employs low-income youth with construction jobs while helping them complete their GEDs.
"We're just trying to get enough support to keep our funding," said 17 year old Francisco Delgado.
Alma Cruckshane and Agatha Toole had been standing on Norfolk Street for 30 minutes, before they nervously began to discuss the different possible routes the president could take to get to Peacevale Street from Dorchester Avenue.
"We're proud," said Cruckshane, who brought a navy blue scarf to wave when the president came by. "I'm proud of him, and I'm proud that he's coming into the black community. It shows that he cares."
When the motorcade finally drove by, the streets filled with cheering, and moments later, when it had passed, people shouted across the street to one another, "Did you see him? Did you see him?"
The crowd slowly dispersed afterward, and someone could be heard shouting into her cell phone: "On Norfolk Street! Obama was on Norfolk Street! That's crazy, yo."
E-mail Cara Bayles at carabayles@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment