Just as the crowd began to relax after hours of celebrating President Barack Obama’s re-election, the lights in McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, dimmed, and a short film about Obama’s personal struggles, political ideology and family values began. The audience cheered consistently from scene to scene and instantly exhibited a surge of enthusiasm once the film was replaced by upbeat songs, once again taking to singing and dancing in celebration of the night’s outcome.

Following an additional hour of music, videos and constant shouts of encouragement from the audience, the Obama family finally stepped on stage. The crowd erupted in screams as the president stood proudly next to his family, waving to his supporters with a broad smile.

“Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward,” he began, elaborating on the idea that America’s spirit is what unifies the country as “one nation and one people.”

Obama then addressed his opponent Republican Mitt Romney, who delivered his concession speech in Boston not long before the president took the stage.

“I just spoke with Gov. Romney, and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign. We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply, and we care so strongly about its future,” he said, adding that he hopes to soon sit down with Romney to discuss how they can work to move the country forward.

Obama offered gratitude to his wife and daughters, his campaign team, which he deemed “the best ever,” and anyone who voted for either candidate.

He discussed the impact government can have on the future, focusing on today’s youth and their roles as tomorrow’s leaders. Obama maintained that more resources should be allocated toward education, developing technology and creating jobs to ensure that the next generation is greeted by a strong nation.

He went on to address his goals of reducing the deficit, reforming the tax code, fixing the immigration system and relieving dependency on foreign oil.

“We’ve got more work to do, but that doesn’t mean your work is done,” he said. “The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote. America’s never been about what can be done for us. It’s about what can be done by us together through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government.”

Following several anecdotes and the reinforcement of his faith in the American spirit, Obama’s speech drew to a close with a call for all Americans to continue to believe in the nation.

“We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.”