Austinite goes to historic inauguration

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In one week, the country will swear in its first African-American President before a record crowd of millions, and enthusiastic Austinites will be joining them, thanks to some planning and a little luck.

Terri Givens, University of Texas Vice Provost, said she wants to be "part of history," so she is leaving Austin late Sunday night for Washington D.C. to watch President-elect Barack Obama take the oath of office.

"I'm going, because it's just such a huge [event], I want to be part of history," Givens said.

Some 13,000 people, including bands and soldiers, are in the parade alone. There are only 250,000 tickets to the inauguration, but with 10,000 chartered buses heading the DC, it is estimated that more than a million people will stand in the cold for the event.

So, for the first time, the National Mall is being opened, and security officials expect it to be packed. The level of security is unprecedented for the swearing-in of a president. Yet, Givens prepared for such crowds, securing her ticket before Obama won in November.

"It was the day before the election, I went online to see if I could get a ticket and actually really lucked out, because I have lots of frequent flier miles, because I travel internationally and was able to get a ticket," she said.

Hotels are virtually sold out, but Givens is staying with a friend. She got the plane ticket and a place to stay during the festivities, but getting her hands on a ticket to sit up close to the swearing in was impossible.

"When I contacted all of our Congress people, they said that basically people have been getting in line since last summer," said Givens. "So it's very unlikely that you'll be able to get tickets."

She said it does not matter, because being a part of history makes it all worth it.

"I feel incredibly privileged to be a part of that history," Givens said. "Because one of the things I want to impress upon my boys is so many people sacrificed and died, so that we can just have the right to vote."