Black and passionately for Obama in red Elko

ROSS ANDRESON / SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Elko County resident and Barack Obama supporter Julie Embry crosses her fingers on Election Day. “It felt wonderful to vote for him,” said Embry, one of the few black residents of Elko.

By Alexandra Berzon (contact)

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 | 2 a.m.

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Elko — Among Elko voters at the Convention Center on Tuesday, there was no way around it. Julie Embry stuck out.

She was the only one in sight who teared up after she voted. She was the only one to reveal a brightly colored Barack Obama T-shirt and pin. And she was the only black person.

In this mining and ranching city of 17,000, Embry, 53, is one of just a few dozen black residents.

Reared in Reno, Embry moved to Elko four years ago to go to college to study social work. Friends told her to try to blend in.

“People were telling me, ‘Julie, you can’t be this outspoken. People are going to shun you,’ ” Embry recalled Tuesday, sitting on a bench outside the polling area to catch her breath (she has asthma). “It’s a nice community as long as you don’t voice your views different than their views.”

Barack Obama visited Elko three times in the past 15 months as part of Democrats’ efforts to narrow the lead Republicans enjoy in rural Nevada. (Elko County has more than twice as many Republicans as Democrats.)

Embry saw Obama speak in August 2007. Just a few hundred people showed up. She heard racial comments.

At her church, relations grew chilly. “My church doesn’t say much to me anymore because I’m voting for Barack Obama and all they want to talk about is gays and lesbians and abortion,” she said.

But each time Obama returned, she noticed a difference. “In the beginning, there were a lot of racial overtones, but the work Barack did changed that,” Embry said. “He came back the last time (in September) there were thousands of people cheering.”

For a black woman living in a remote, largely white city, the prospect of an Obama presidency holds special meaning. But as she pondered it Tuesday morning, Embry forced herself not to become too excited, lest she be disappointed.

“It felt wonderful to vote for him,” Embry said. “It felt like it’s the first chance women, black people, gay people actually have to be considered equal.

“But if we lose tonight we’ll know we can only go so far. We can never be equal.

“But if we do win, it will be a sign people really have changed.”

Discussion: 7 comments so far…

By renomuse

11/5/08 at 7:08 a.m.

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God bless you, Julie!

Elko is a tough place for a Democrat to be!
By asylum1

11/5/08 at 7:31 a.m.

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Had no idea there are Democrats in Elko. Go figure.
By azsk8fan

11/5/08 at 8:16 a.m.

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Would you be as passionate if he had chosen to identify himself with the Caucasion race, foresaking his Black heritage? He could have, you know - after all he is of mixed races. Anyone who votes for anyone else simply because of the color of the skin shows how truly ignorant they are - just as anyone who not vote for a female simply because it's a female would be equally as ignorant (at least in my book)
By asylum1

11/5/08 at 8:45 a.m.

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You get it right, azsk8fan, on your last comments. But, Mr. McCain is as guilty of selecting a female running mate, who apparently, her best credential was that she was female, to garner the white female vote, which proved pivotal in Mr. Obama's win.
By azsk8fan

11/6/08 at 7:52 a.m.

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Actually I wasn't even referring to McCain - I was referring to my own husband who, during the primaries, said he would not vote for Hillary - not because he didn't agree with her politics (which would have been just fine with me) but rather simply because she was a female and he didn't ANY female should be a president.....yep - I am still married to that chauvenist LOL.....but I see your point about McCain and Palin - she simply wasn't qualified (imho) and was more a 'gimmick' to get female votes (another insult to my intelligence and shows how typical SOME male thinking can be).....
By passionate

11/8/08 at 4:24 p.m.

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And anyway, I did not say I was passionate, the author did....but Yes I am passionate about America, All of America's people and especially about being a Black Woman in America at the most Important time in Black American History. I am even more passionate about the future of Black America and all of the young people of all ethnic groups and the possibilities that are real for them....since change has occurred.
By passionate

11/8/08 at 4:32 p.m.

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I would not be ignorent or shallow enough to vote for someone because of the color or someone's skin. I Voted for Barack Obama because of his background in organization, his expericence as a US senator, his teaching experience, as a professor in Constitutional law, his optimistic attitude, what he taught me, his education in International Relations, his honesty, integrity and sincerity and his desire to change the world and his example of dedication that allowed him to ignore the color of his skin to the point of a liklihood of endangering his life and to ignore that all throughout world history....any person or leader who brought about radical change...paid with their life...willingly in the interest of that change....However I do not believe that is going to happen because i believe this is bigger than radicalism, hate or fanaticism...this is a positive for the nation, world and humanity.... so see I am well aware and litterate...