A local St. Augustine man’s dream came true after he was asked to volunteer at the 58th Presidential Inauguration.
Derek Hankerson is not new to politics. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Political Science, has worked in the White House and was also part of President Donald Trump’s transition team.
But he says nothing compares to the opportunity he had not only to attend but also serve during the 58th Presidential Inauguration.
“It’s like meeting the Queen of England; you feel like a 10-year-old kid and you start pinching yourself, 'I can’t believe I’m here,'" Hankerson says.
Hankerson served as a volunteer for the swearing in ceremony and says it was an incredible experience to be just 50 feet away from Trump himself and Vice President Mike Pence.
“To see a business person become President of the United States - who never served in office before, who used his own money and who had the American people’s support - that’s phenomenal,” he says.
He admires the president’s boldness and hopes to see small businesses flourish under Trump’s administration.
“I’m hoping that the investment into urban America leads to more business ownership by minorities and majority [sic]. This is a country that was built on the back of small business and farmers," he says.