Autumn Hand, DAAP '04, currently lives in Brooklyn and experienced an impromptu street party in her neighborhood upon the announcement on Nov. 4 that Barack Obama had won the presidency. Hand caught the event on video and describes the scene in her own words.

I currently live in a predominantly Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, called Flatbush. I was in my apartment watching the election results on the Internet when my home state of Ohio turned blue and I started getting giddy.

Just after 11 p.m., it seemed pretty certain that Obama had won. People in my building seemed to get the good news, as well, because I heard them cheering from inside their apartments. Before long, my neighbors started running through the halls and out onto the street.

I went to my window and saw the pulse of police lights and everyone flocking to the corner. Swept up in the excitement, I grabbed my video camera and ran outside, too.

Hundreds of people were walking down the street -- maybe 200 or more just outside my apartment. Some people were in their pajamas. Many had grabbed pots and pans to make noise. Some had instruments, and some had signs. The crowd seemed to have organically amassed up the road and created an impromptu parade.

While the police were stopping traffic (in unusual compliance with the spontaneous gathering), the group danced and cheered. About 15 minutes later, the celebration continued down the street.

I hurried back inside and uploaded the video of the experience just after midnight. Then I realized that the excitement on the street had spawned excitement online, as I instantly saw videos from all over New York and the world showing virtually the same scene.

It was amazing energy -- and a powerful collective experience.

View slideshows, story about Obama's visits to UC
See slideshow of Chicago's Obama street party (Photos and story by Autumn's brother)