Nancy Chen, Naperville

Years ago, Nancy Chen ran Sen. Paul Simon's Chicago office.

She was impressed when she heard Barack Obama - then a candidate for the U.S. Senate - say he would carry Simon's mantle and continue his tradition of integrity and honesty in government. When she met the candidate, he confirmed these statements and also assured her he would work with the Asian-American community.

"From that point on, I was sold and have been supporting him," said Chen. She was an Obama delegate to the Democratic Convention and a co-chair of his Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders National Leadership Council. "I think this is a very historic day. For the first time in America, we will see an African-American president sworn in. We worked very hard for Obama and now it's time to celebrate."

Andy Camargo, Arlington Heights | Mike Childress, Bloomingdale