Ever since Barack Obama began his run for the presidency, I’ve been able to feel some new pride walking down the street. Why? Because as a black man in America, regardless of all of my degrees and accomplishments, walking down the street, people were most likely to think me a criminal than a physicist, or a software engineer. But when Obama made his run and started winning, I feel a new, and at last, positive stereotype had been added to the mix. Maybe, just maybe, that black guy walking down the street with the quick, confident strides was like Barack Obama, smart, articulate, and strong. I hope that last night’s presidential victory has permanently added that new stereotype to the list of possibilities people see for all black people.