Dear Hillary,
I can’t imagine the sadness and disappointment you must be feeling. You have worked tirelessly, and not just on this campaign. I know how many years you have fought, how many people you have helped and how many personal attacks you have endured.
As a student at Wellesley College, I want you to know that we are indescribably proud to go to the same school you went to. On Nov. 9, we were in deep mourning. So many of us had canvassed, posted on Facebook, advocated in private conversations and of course, voted.
I thought back to how I felt during the election. As a young woman, I was thrilled that a woman was so close to the presidency. I was so excited to give my future children definitive proof they could be anything regardless of their gender/gender identity. Also as a young woman, and as a person with pre-existing conditions, and as an environmentally conscious citizen, and as a person who has endured bullying, I was terrified of Trump.
After the election, I was even more terrified. I was sad. I was also angry. I was angry that millions of voters had accepted such a horrible person. I was angry that you had worked so hard, only to lose, even though you got the popular vote.
I would like to say thank you. Thank you for your work at the Children’s Defense Fund. Thank you for trying to get universal healthcare, and ensuring that there was at least quality healthcare for children. Thank you for declaring on an international stage that, “women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights.” Thank you for speaking out against intolerance, bullying and bigotry, from voter suppression to “bathroom bills.” Thank you for inspiring young women across the country and the world.
Most of all, thank you for never giving up. I know you will keep fighting. Millions of Americans, including me, will be with you.