Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

In section two (Chicago) of Baracks book, Dreams from My father: A story of Race and Inheritance marks an experience of learning for Obama. Obama throws himself into his new job as a community organizer with determination. His specific role includes the mobilization of local churches of all backgrounds, politics and community representatives, but he is up against a wall of cynicism. Of the numerous lessons he learned, the most drastic would be learning how to move in towards the centers of people’s lives by communicating with them and his change in faith.

Obama decides to become a community organizer with a promise of redemption. While Obama is trying his best to succeed as a community organizer Marty realizes he is only focusing on work. Marty noticed he didn’t have any friends and suggests making a life outside work. “Marty suggested that I take more time off, build a life for myself away from the job. His concerns were professional, he explained: Without some personal support outside the work, an organizer lost perspective and could quickly burn out.” (Obama 188). Obama realized that Marty was correct the people Obama met in his job were generally older than him, and they already had an outside life. He also realized that during his free time he was mostly alone with a book. Obama doesn’t regard Marty’s advice, because the friendship between him and the leadership was starting to grow stronger. After work he would go out with them and have a good time. “It was during such times, when familiarity or weariness dissolved the lines between organizer and leader, that I began to understand what Marty had meant when he insisted that I

move towards the centers of people’s lives.” (Obama 188). Obama remembers a couple of stories with some of the people he works with, and he realizing that each day the leadership is teaching him something new. For instance, he remembers a conversation him and Mrs. Stevens had while waiting on a meeting to start. Obama knew that she was interested in making some changes in a local hospital but didn’t know exactly why, because her family looks healthy enough. Mrs. Stevens informs Obama about a situation that happened when she was younger. She almost lost her sight, because she had cataracts. Mrs. Steven’s condition almost made her lose her job. With her extra hard work and keeping her illness away from her boss she saved enough money for an operation.