1992: Presidential excursion unites cultures

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Tags: Indigenous, social work, winter-2009

Noritta Morseu-Diop

Noritta Morseu-Diop, BSocWk

When the United States officially inaugurated its first African American President in January, Noritta Morseu-Diop was in Washington DC to offer her applause.

Ms Morseu-Diop braved the US capital’s freezing weather to witness history unfolding when US President Barack Obama officially took his seat at the White House.

“As Indigenous Australians, we have been inspired and encouraged by the human rights, civil rights and social justice movements of Americans for decades, especially by people like Dr Martin Luther King, Rosa Parkes, John F Kennedy, the Freedom Riders and now Barack Obama,” Ms Morseu-Diop said.

“Coming from humble beginnings, Barack Obama has inspired us and many others around the world who are disadvantaged, disenfranchised and displaced. He has given us hope with a renewed vision for a brighter future that: yes, we too can!

“We wanted to be present at his inauguration to stand in solidarity with the American people in honour of their choice in choosing Barack Obama as the next President of the United States of America.”

Ms Moresu-Diop said President Obama’s winning speech moved her emotionally.

“His election win was inspiring and his speech brought tears to my eyes and hope in my heart, because I never ever thought that Dr Martin Luther King’s dream to see African Americans being judged by the ‘content of their character and not by the colour of their skin’ would be made a reality in my lifetime,” she said.

“Being the president of the most powerful country in the world and the many challenges facing him as he takes on the Presidential seat, I truly hope that Barack Obama will bring harmony, hope, peace and unity back to the people of the world.”

Currently a UQ PhD candidate in the School of Social Work and Human Services, Ms Morseu-Diop is studying the experiences of ex-incarcerated Indigenous people in Queensland and Aotearoa (New Zealand), looking at their perspectives on prison rehabilitation programs.

Fellow UQ graduate Neil Willmett joined Ms Morseu-Diop and three other Indigenous Australians in Washington.

By Eliza Plant

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