Collegiate Times

Campaign for Change campus coordinator Chris Cox speaks Saturday.

The Obama Campaign held a student-run Rally for Change Saturday evening in the Haymarket Theatre of Squires Student Center, promoting youth involvement in the election, as well as their candidate.

Kelly Newcomer, a junior at Virginia Tech and first speaker at The Rally for Change, was greeted with clapping, cheers, whoops and shouts of "Obama!" before speaking her first words.

Newcomer, an international studies major, balances her schoolwork with involvement in the Obama Campaign.

"This movement is based on everyday people like you and me," Newcomer said to her audience. "Show the world that Virginia Tech cares about this election."

The rally was completely student-run, featuring an eclectic lineup of performing groups that consisted mainly of Tech students. Students stood to speak about their belief in Sen. Barack Obama for president.

The event was moved from the Drillfield to the Haymarket Theatre because of bad weather. Chris Cox, head of Students for Obama, and Dan Geroe, president of Virginia Tech Young Democrats, planned the rally. Both spoke at the rally, stressing the importance of voter registration and just how influential this election may be.

Despite the weather setback, both Cox and Geroe said they considered the event successful. According to Cox, more than 220 people were in attendance. "Those who came felt energized," Geroe said. He added that he hopes he can help organize a similar event sometime in October.

"This election is not about whether or not Barack Obama is ready, but whether or not we are ready," Cox said. "Are you ready? Voting is the least you can do. What will you tell your grandkids about the 2008 election? That's my guilt trip."

After Cox, slam poet Bacar Bey took to the microphone and recited two poems, "An Ode to My People" and "War on Tradition". Bey wrote War on Tradition, a poem about change and moving forward, specifically for the event.

HopeHop, a musical group, took the stage as "Obama's unofficial-official band." HopeHop's sound and lyrical styling advocated peace and love. The crowd began to dance during the performance, and erupted into "Obama!" chants as it concluded its piece. Other musical performances included The Enlightened Gospel Choir and reggae band Dubnium.

Matt Sherman, drummer for Dubnium, is a Tech senior and the labor-issues chair for Virginia Tech Young Democrats. Sherman said that the excitement in the room for Obama was refreshing.

"I've been involved in Virginia Tech Young Democrats since freshman year, but at that time no one seemed to care that much about politics," Sherman said. "But now a lot of people believe in Barack. It's nice to see my apathetic friends interested in politics."

Kathleen Newbould, a member of Virginia Tech Young Democrats, said that it was important to get performing acts that really reflected Obama's message. The crowd appeared enthused throughout the rally, with many attendees sticking around to talk about the campaign afterwards.

"It was exciting to hear from so many different people; it really shows how broad Obama's appeal is," said Jessica Forrester, a senior marketing management major. "(At the rally) you could see all age groups -- from little kids to grandparents. I was particularly impressed by the local campaign office and how many people they registered to vote."

Although the majority of those in attendance were college-aged, some were older. Jennifer Lawrence, an instructor in the English department, said she came to support Obama based on her belief that John McCain will only offer four more years of Bush's failed policies.

Andrea Keloso, a nursing instructor from Radford University, expressed her desire to see Obama win the election.

"I can't stand the thought that he wouldn't win," Keloso said. "There's an awful lot riding on this election. It's just breathtaking."