For many people of color, the timeless mantra, “the sky’s the limit” has motivated us to achieve the impossible throughout history, yielding many “firsts” and propelling change. Despite our progress in society, many of us never believed an African-American would step into the Oval Office in our lifetime.

Truth be told, we have always been ready for a black president. Even popular culture has surveyed this possibility in recent years. Think Chris Rock’s turn as president in Head of State (2003) or James Earl Jones’ role as president in the 1970s flick, The Man, decades earlier. Could the national consciousness as a result of decades of depictions of black presidents eventually lead America to elect a black president? Was our collective society ready to embrace such a change? Barack Obama, America’s 44th elected president captured the historic victory this November and has shown us that, yes, we can achieve the impossible and that America is indeed ready for change.

On November 4, a record number of voters, inspired by Obama’s campaign message of change, would cast their ballots in record numbers. Millions of voters—young and old—some of which had abandoned the polls years ago because they believed their votes didn’t matter, showed up.

Even in the beginning, when many were still skeptical of his chances, Obama’s campaign initiated a passion in all of America. From celebrities like will.i.am. creating Obama tribute videos, to everyday Americans holding voter registration drives in their backyards, it seemed as if everyone was inspired by the Obama ticket.

It was most evident at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year when Obama stood before thousands of supporters of all different ages, backgrounds and colors to accept his nomination to run for president. It was in that moment that it became apparent that Americans were truly embracing the man who they believed was right for the job, leaving color out of the equation.

As much as Obama’s win was a result of America moving towards a cohesive existence, America has a long way to go. While this may be true, it still does not diminish the historical significance of this victory, which has been a long time coming and has paved the way for such an achievement to occur. Obama’s win has given confidence and renewed hope in the American people. Now, people of color and women can believe that even amidst the clouds of adversity, they can soar. Now, the sky’s truly the limit.