When the fever for the presidential election came back to our nation almost two years ago, it seemed almost as if we started dreaming, unattached from what we generally accepted as reality. The days in which the Democrats held the president seat were coming to their conclusion, and the party kicked back into high gear to put another great democratic thinker at the head of our great nation. For me, it started not with the election, but with a single candidate.

I saw the Democratic Party put forward several candidates, one of whom was the Democrat star, the one who had lost to the current president but who had spent years preparing to be handed the torch. Her ambition I respected, but I simply could not find myself supporting her, not due to ideological differences, but rather due to my long held belief that she simply was not a trustworthy individual. As I looked across the pond to the Republican field, I grew discontent, seeing more than a dozen low quality candidates bickering amongst each other in a fashion that seemed almost unbecoming of presidential candidates and as a result, I neglected to support anyone for quite a time. It was not until a little known Vermont senator entered the field that I saw who I wanted to lead my nation. His ideas were, to me, a mixed bag, but his honesty and his compassion for all who inhabited our nation led me to support him without question. He spoke in a way that I not only understood, but adored, due to his sincere belief that our nation could be made better. And like that, my story began.

The Republican field was soon torn apart by the most unlikely of candidates, one many on both sides saw as a joke. His hateful comments and lack of ideas, to many of us on the left, were terrifying, and soon we saw those on the right not only legitimize his positions, but endorse him as a candidate. The horror we felt as he gained power might have been the only thing that kept our party, which was at the same time divided between my Vermont Senator and the Democrats star, from ripping itself entirely apart. I soon found myself volunteering for the Senators campaign, whether talking to other voters to convince them to vote, or participating in a door knocking campaign in my home state. For a while, it seemed we had a fighting chance of not only competing, but also winning the Democratic primary.

Within a few months however, my dreams were dashed as I saw state after state fall to our Democrat opponent. Her campaign was more backed by the party, and in time the campaign of the man I supported began to unravel. The message within our campaign turned from that of an easy win, to a possible win, to a hopelessly optimistic campaign that was hell bent on winning just one more state. By the time of the Democratic National Convention, I had tasted defeat, and as I watched the man I had fought to elect concede defeat, the anger I felt was something more than I can describe. I swore to continue the fight, and not support the woman who had bested him.

That mentality changed as I sat and pondered the bigger picture. This woman had won, and did so in a manner that was respectable. Conversations with friends of mine who were her supporters aided further in making me more open to supporting her ad her agenda. When the Republicans finally put forward the man we as a party feared the most, my position was solidified, and I began supporting her. Similar to my Vermont Senator, we rode a wave of success into the start of the real presidential race. As the days waned down, it seemed as if we had won by such a margin that it was impossible to even seriously consider him winning. My friends and I laughed whole-heartedly with happiness that we had basically already won, and when the election results played out, I was crushed yet again, and the calls I received from fellow supporters, those tear filled conversations I had with people who were legitimately terrified of the results, and the soul crushing silence in our candidates campaign headquarters only further drained me of my energies.

Yet, I still see some glimmer of hope. Throughout this campaign, I look back and see a number of memorable experiences. I attended protests and shouted at the system and what I perceived to be a corrupt, crony government. I stood in solidarity with my candidate and went door to door speaking to random citizens desperately trying to get them to vote for my Vermont Senator. I spent an entire night stealing the signs of the republican candidate, multiple nights in fact. I yelled and spoke up in class and fought for the acceptance of my ideas. I joined with supporters of another Democrat I didn’t even really like in an effort to fight for the greater good. I hugged friends as gay marriage was legalized and we brought equality to all affected. I took a night out of my schedule to chalk an entire college campus in an effort to draw support. I wore my Vermont senator’s shirt o many times it was borderline obsessive, and in fact wore it even on the election night once he was out. And the unique thing about these events was that I was not alone for a single one, but rather backed by others who shared my passion and hope that we could in fact prove we were stronger together.

Even though it appears dark times may be upon us, I speak to all Democrats I know when I say that I have experienced the taste of defeat multiple times this election, and I consider myself all the better for it. I have retained my hope, because I know that behind me are people who I legitimately know possess the intellect, the passion, and the sheer hard headedness to change the world we live in for the better. Though the pain of loss hurts, the awesome feeling of unity, and knowing that we fought for what we believed in until the very end, trumps any negative feelings I might have. Good days are still to come, because we live in a nation that has endured hundreds of years and survived through every kind of challenge imaginable, from a revolution, to a civil war, to a great depression, to world war after word war, to the rise of communism, to the sheer division of our political body. We are a people who fight for the rights of those downtrodden and minority folks, who live to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. We will persevere.

Though we have lost today, do not let that extinguish the beautiful flames you possess and the will to change the world you grew up with. We still can change the system, as it is too strong to collapse upon us due to one dangerous demagogue candidate. We will have victory. We will endure. The Democratic Party, and more so the will of its people, is the most beautiful entity to grace our nation, and we will not go into the wind without a fight. We, the party of the people, will endure. Better days are here to come, and though my Vermont Senator didn’t win, and the Democratic darling didn’t win, we as a people will persevere and we as a people will be successful. We are the voices of the voiceless, and those who fight the tides of conformity to establish a better society. Our fight is far from over, and it is a fight that we shall not lose.