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Jamison Harris

Professor Diaz

English 002

15 October 2010

Barack Obama: Now and Then

Leadership is an abstract quality that is hard to define but easily identified. You can see it

in the confidence a politician has as he addresses an audience, or in the swagger a basketball

captain embodies as he leads his team to victory; however when one is questioned about

leadership in an interview, the same, generic answers are casually tossed around. Social

contemporaries tend to define leadership as “a process by which a person influences others to

accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and

coherent..”(Nwlink.com ) This definition provides excellent insight into the meaning of the

word; as it implies that leadership lies in an individual’s ability to attract followers and execute

tasks. There are many success stories of those who have been able to exercise their influence to

accomplish their goals, but none more prominent to recent events than the rags to riches story of

President Barack Hussein Obama. Obama, despite racial tensions and stigmas associated with

black men, has been able to produce an explosive political agenda which catapulted him from the

humble status of a community organizer, to that of a senator, and ultimately into the White

House. The success of Obama’s political career can be contributed to his leadership style which

have remained consistent to that of his grass root beginnings. The similarities include a desire to

change the way society functions and operates in regards to social inequality and intolerance.

While Barack Obama was establishing himself as a leader, one of his main concerns was

the state of the poor and underprivileged. Even before moving to Chicago, Barack had set in his
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mind that he was going to become a community organizer. Community organizing provides a

way to merge various strategies for neighborhood empowerment. Organizing is based on the

premise that the only way for communities to build long-term power is by organizing people and

money around a common vision; and that a viable organization can only be achieved if a broadly

based indigenous leadership can knit together the diverse interests of their local institutions.

(Riverdaughter.wordpress.com) Maybe this desire stemmed from his experiences in Indonesia,

where in his youth, he witnessed extreme levels of poverty among the native population. Maybe

his passion arose from his experiences in Occidental and Columbia University, where he was

able to identify with the social unrest that plagued America. Regardless of where his boundless

inspiration sprang from, Barack was determined to create change. When asked why he was so

passionate about becoming a community organizer Barack would respond,“ I’d pronounce on the

need for change... Change in the White House...Change in the mood of the country..Change

won’t come from the top...Change will come from a mobilized grass roots. That’s what I’ll do,

I’ll organize black folk.” ( Obama 133). In Dreams from My Father, Barack tells us how his

first attempts at “ organizing black folk” meet with failure. Barack attempted to host a

community meeting, featuring speakers from the police department, to show how violent crimes

were being reduced in effective manner. His efforts were rewarded with a staggering crowd of

thirteen people. Unshaken by this failure, Obama continued to fight for the rights of the poor and

underprivileged. One of his major accomplishments as a community organizer was the protest

against the Chicago Housing Authority. The CHA was soliciting bids to contractors to remove

asbestos, fibers that when inhaled can cause lung cancer and other serious illnesses, from their

management offices but not the residential areas. After moths of hard work and dedication,

Barack was able to successfully gather community member and press attention to remove the
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harmful chemicals from the residential areas. When Obama was elected president in 2008, he

didn’t forget the pledges he made to assist the poor in society. President Obama has passed

significant legislation to improve the standard of life in America including: a credit card reform

bill, health care insurance reform, the Recovery Act, and education reform. Such bills were put

into place to protect American citizens from big businesses and policy that had previously taken

advantage of them. Barack Obama’s efforts uplift the poor and underprivileged in society is also

a part of his commitment to create social equality.

Despite the fact that nearly three hundred years ago African Americans were slaves in this

country, in the year 2008 the first African American was elected President of the United States.

The election of Barack Obama is a testament to the ethical transformation that this nation has

experienced. Part of Obama’s campaign platform was bridging the divides between the different

sections of society: race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. As president, Obama has

introduced legislation that has been consistent with his platform. In regards to sexual orientation,

Barack attempted to remove the gay-lesbian policies that were a part of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

policy. To bridge the gap between rich and middle class, Obama has pushed forth legislation to

fight foreclosures and bankrupt, approved tax cuts to small business and the middle class, and

fought to prevent the outsourcing of jobs and cuts in education. In his attempts to fix race

relations, the president, along with fighting for comprehensive immigration reform and pushing

to expand hate crime statuses; has more importantly opened up the dialogue for discussions of

race that will foster understanding and acceptance. In these different measures, Barack Obama

has been working furiously to create a unified state. The opportunities that Barack has now as

president are the fulfillment of his dreams as a young man and as a community organizer. During

the civil rights era Barack Obama was raised in Hawaii, an area where racial prejudice was
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virtually nonexistent due to the fact that the demographics of the state were extremely diverse.

There, Barack’s only experience with mass forms of racism were in news reports and books on

the era. Upon moving to the mainland, however, Barack discovered the difficulties of that the

minorities face in interactions with majority factions. Often times as a community organizer,

Barack would grow tired of imbalances in equality. In Dreams from My Father, Barack,

attempts to prevent his exhausted associates from quitting their cause, “ You say you’re tired, the

same way most folks out here are tired. So I’m just trying to figure out what’s going to happen to

those boys. Who’s going to make sure they get a fair shot.” ( Obama 172) Barack Obama had

many opportunities to bring the community together during his three year stint as a community

organizer. Often times he would use the medium of local churches to spread his message to the

diverse populace of the Chicago area. Obama’s legacy as a community organizer can still be seen

today in the organization Developing Communities Project.( Nationalreview.com) This

group wasn’t exclusive to blacks as it feature asian, hispanic, and middle eastern members. The

purpose of this organization was to allow the community to bring the community together to

voice their opinions and make their voices heard. From President of the United States to

community organizer in Chicago, Barack Obama’s priority of creating tolerance for all people

has been a crucial element to his platform as a leader.

The concept of leadership, while abstract, can be easily defined by the outstanding

accomplishments of others. In the case of Barack Obama, a leader is clearly identified. Obama

has coped with a great deal of hardships on his path to the White House. On the way he

established a strong sense of core values which are indeed the reason for his political success.

There are many similarities between President Obama and community organizer Obama,

however, the concurring theme was changing the views of society towards the poor and those in
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the minority. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are

the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”( Brainyquote.com ) Barack

Obama’s passion is in seeing the people prosper and that is what makes him a awesome leader.

“But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people, and do our best to help

them find their own grace. That's what I strive to do, that's what I pray to do every day.” (

Brainyquote.com ).
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Works Cited

"Barack Obama: Community Organizer « The Confluence." The Confluence. Web. 15 Oct.

2010. <http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/obama-the-community-organizer/>.
Clark, Don. “ Concepts of Leadership.” Don Clark Homepage. N.p., 1997. Web. 13 Oct.

2010.

Famous Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. <http://

www.brainyquote.com/>.

Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father: a Story of Race and Inheritance. New

York: Three Rivers, 2004. Print.

York, Byron. "What Did Obama Do As A Community Organizer? - Byron York." National

Review Online. National Review, 8 Sept. 2008. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. <http://

www.nationalreview.com/articles/225564/what-did-obama-do-community-

organizer/ byron-york>.
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Barack Obama Leadership Outline

Thesis Statement: The success of Obama’s political career can be contributed to his

leadership style which have remained consistent to that of his grass root beginnings. The

similarities include a desire to change the way society functions and operates in regards to social

inequality and intolerance.

A. Topic Sentence: While Barack Obama was establishing himself as a leader, one of his main

concerns was the state of the poor and underprivileged.

a. Explain Obama’s desire to become a community organizer?

i. Even before moving to Chicago, Barack had set in his mind that he was going to

become a community organizer.

b. Define a community organizer?

ii. Community organizing provides a way to merge various strategies for

neighborhood empowerment.

c. Identifying the source of his passion?

iii. A desire to help the people, coming from his upbringing abroad.

d. Identifying success and failures as a community organizer?

iiii. The police riots and the CHA asbestos issue

e. Identify legislation President Obama has put forth to help poor

v. A credit card reform bill, health care insurance reform, the Recovery Act, and education

reform.

B. Topic Sentence: Part of Obama’s campaign platform was bridging the divides between the

different sections of society: race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation.

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a. Explain what Obama has to to foster unity in the following areas?

i. Race Relations, Economic status, sexual orientation.

b. Explain Obama’s role as a community organizer to foster change.

ii. Developing Communities Project, uniting the neighborhood.

← Conclusion: There are many similarities between President Obama and

community organizer Obama, however, the concurring theme was changing the views of society

towards the poor and those in the minority.