Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and The New Yorker

Reading a recent issue of The New Yorker given to me the other day, I came across an article about the one and only President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She is the newly elected president of my parent's country of origin, Liberia and is also the first female democratically elected president in the continent of Africa. What amazing feats!!!!

Basically, the reason why I loved this article so much was because of the signs of promise that this women show in the time that this struggling country needs her the most. After years of war and dictatorship in the hands of Charles Taylor, this fresh face offers many people something that they have not seen in a long time and that is promise. With a lengthy history behind her and the support of the Liberian people, it looks like this woman could not lose. As I think about the article itself and the things that Sirleaf said, the thing that stuck out the most was ...

"If there is anybody whocan bring change, it's someone whse life eperience represents all the good an the bad."

She is indeed the 21st century Nelson Mandela and it is her good history as well as her struggles in trying to bring down the abusive government that makes everything good and I for one hope that she can do all that she can by first bringing Charles Taylor back to Liberia for trial and then focusing her attention on fixing this country so that one day I may go over there and enjoy myself and meet my family who has been anticipating my arrival for some time now.