Four years ago at this convention, millions of Americans were introduced to Barack Obama. But for me and thousands of Chicagoans, we’ve worked with him for many years.

I first heard of Barack back in 1992. The year 1992 was a little like 2008. Then, as now, we needed to save the country from the misguided policies of a president named Bush. I was working with my old friend, Lou Pardo, a retired machinist, on an effort to register Latino voters in Chicago. One day, we were talking about how we could reach more voters and cover more ground, but we needed more resources. Lou told me we should go see Barack Obama, who was directing a voter-registration drive called Project Vote. So Lou met with Barack and, without missing a beat, Barack Obama helped us out. Barack Obama made sure that the thousands of Latinos in Chicago were registered to vote. He helped empower the Latino community and ensure that we were full participants in our democracy.

Now, he is doing it again. From New York to Los Angeles, Barack Obama is helping to bring Latinos and Americans from all backgrounds into the political process and into the national conversation about our future. Because Barack Obama knows that to turn the page on the failed policies of George W. Bush and John McCain, everyone needs to be included. All voters need to be empowered. All voices need to be heard. And all of us must stand up for the change we need. And make no mistake: Barack Obama will deliver that change!

A few years later, in the middle of his first state senate race, Barack Obama came to see me. He asked me about how he could be an effective legislator, what he needed to do to make sure he delivered for the people he represented.

See, for Barack Obama what mattered wasn’t scoring political points, but making a difference in the lives of the hardworking people he saw every day. And that’s what Barack did in the state senate. He fought to bring quality, affordable health care to more Illinois residents, and to make sure that prescription drugs were priced fairly.

He led the successful effort to rein in the lobbyists in our state. He worked alongside me to boost minority access to college, and we increased Latino enrollment in all our state’s universities and community colleges. He supported my efforts to improve the lives of immigrants and, in the U.S. Senate, worked to provide them a path to citizenship. Barack Obama did all of this with the support of Republicans and Democrats, by not engaging in petty politics, but by making his case carefully and with strong conviction.

Now, I watch Barack’s candidacy with immense pride for my former colleague and my friend, and with hope. This is the best opportunity in my lifetime to elect a president, who can unite the country and lead the nation to address the struggles that we all grapple with on a day-to-day basis, from high gas prices to violence in our streets, to finding a good job and a good school for our children. It’s the best chance we have to put America on a different course, a course that will restore our faith in what we can do as a people and restore our standing in the world.

Barack Obama will do that. He will deliver the change we need. He did it in our state house, and I know that he will do it when we send Barack Obama to the White House!

Thank you.