Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon saw some raucous election parties Tuesday night, but most people gathered in living rooms to watch the election returns. Christy George spent the evening with Obama supporters in Northeast Portland.

Patrick Curry: "My brothers and sisters, my mom and my wife and her family - I'm really proud to have all my friends and family here tonight. It means a whole lot to me."

"We love you, Patrick."

In Patrick and Shelly Curry's living room, the cheering quickly turned to prayer.

Marcus Pack: "It is your hand that did it and weill give praise. Thank you, Lord. We're happy tonight. We're excited tonight, and we know you'll have good things in the future for us. In Jesus name, amen."

The networks called the presidential race for Barack Obama at 8p.m. sharp. It almost came too suddenly, after all the work this houseful of Obama supporters put in.

Catherine Curry says she's waited her whole life for this.

Catherine Curry: "I never thought I'd see this day. I'm 70 yrs old and I never thought I'd see this day but God is good. God is good. He know we needed a change. We've been waiting a long time and the change has come. Thank you, God. Thank you."

The extended Curry family includes the Warrens: Ronald, Sheila and John - all of whom hoped and tried not to hope too hard.

Ronald Warren: "I figured it would come down to - and I understand the issues - but I figured it would come down to black and white, whether a white would actually go to polls and vote for somebody black. Once you get in that booth by yourself, there's a lot that can happen. I'm just proud that the people who said they'd vote for Obama, did. And probably some that said they weren't probably voted for him also."

Sheila Warren: "This is so emotional because I just knew he wasn't going to win, because of all the racism in the U.S., this would never happen. I'm 60 yrs old and come from an era where there was lot of racism, and a lot of discrimination, and a lot of segregation, and I never believed in my lifetime this would happen. Thank God! Obama is president!"

From Shirley Chisholm to Jesse Jackson, Carol Moseley Braun, Al Sharpton and Alan Keyes - none of those black candidacies - or those times - seemed possible to John Warren.

John Warren: "Obama is much more -- he was sharper. To me, he's more together and the people trusted him. And the country is ready for the change because Bush messed things up so bad in last eight yrs."

Barack Obama: "When they tell us we can't, we'll respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people - yes we can - applause, cheers."

Amani Alf-Allatah is getting her MBA at Willamette University. She says people back home in Saudi Arabia are ready for an Obama presidency.

Amani Alf-Allatah: "Things are going to change, and I hope it's going to change for better ways. That's what we're all hoping."

Obama's message of hope carries with it something bigger to aspire to for community activists like Marcus Pack.

Marcus Pack: "This is the beginning of a lot of prosperity - not just financially and not just economically - but where expectations are more high now for the everyday citizen."

And now there are higher expectations for young black men, says Kelvin Hall - executive director of the Equal Advocacy Center.

Kelvin Hall: "That's the profound thing about it - kids know who Barack Obama is, he's in their consciousness, so they have a standard by which to live by even if they're somewhat challenged at this time."

And host Patrick Curry said it's not just a victory for African Americans.

Patrick Curry: "I've always been a proud American, but I just want to let people know, I'm proud of Americans. It's a victory for any American who thought they couldn't be anything they wanted to be."