Snapshots from the Inauguration of Barack Obama

Photos and Captions by Frank Garcia

I am a sophomore at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, a member of the Dean's Scholars Program, and music composition and theory major. I plan to pursue a career in film scoring.

In January, I attended the University Presidential Inaugural Conference. College students from across the nation traveled to Washington, D.C, to hear from keynote speakers like Colin Powell, Al Gore, Paul Begala, and to witness the inauguration of our first African American President.

The University Presidential Inaugural Conference offered alumni of the National Youth Leadership Forum, the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, and the International Scholar Laureate Program, as well as members of select honors societies the opportunity to take part in the presidential inauguration and challenged us to deepen our understanding of a presidential campaign.

The conference was a fantastic vehicle for networking with like-minded students in every program of study imaginable (including a handful of other NYU students!) I study music composition for film, and I met an editor from California who has been craving to do a project that he really believes has the potential to make powerful social change, and a director from Philadelphia who specializes in documentaries. We all exchanged ideas and contacts and eventually we will all be working on a project together that will address some of the issues covered at the conference.

At the conference, our discussions focused mostly on current event, particularly on what Obama will be up against coming into office and how we as Americans can do our part to make change that we believe in by always remaining active and vocal in our political system.

These are pictures I took at the inauguration.

"Colin Powel" was taken during his lecture to the UPIC ambassadors in which he spoke about the qualities required of leaders in the twenty-first century.

"Lincoln" is a picture of the mall facing the Lincoln Monument the day of the huge concert that took place on it's steps. The concert featured everyone from Bono to Shakira to Willy Nelson and was attended by the First Family.

"Sunrise" was taken the morning of the inauguration - a new day and age for our nation.

"Obama" this was the best photo I could get of him with my zoom during his inaugural address.

"Millions" is of the swarms of people exiting the mall after the ceremony - I have never seen anything like it - even after being at NYU for 2 years!

The final photo is of me (far left) and several of my friends from the conference at the Inaugural Gala at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It was an incredible way to cap off an incredible day. What made this event so powerful for me though was that the Air and Space Museum put me in mind of the slogan that so many hopeful Americans had plastered on signs across the mall that morning: "Rosa sat so that Martin could walk so that Barrack could run so that we all could fly."