I was born in 1998, I am a woman, I am 18 years old, a member of GenWe and I was able to vote in the 2016 presidential election. While some people around me chose Hillary Clinton as the lesser of two evils, I chose Hillary for her promoting ideals. I voted for Hillary because I believe that this world needs the equality that she was fighting for. I am a soon-to-be college freshman who will be in debt for a minimum of 18 years, I voted for a chance to decrease that number. I voted in support of small businesses that I would like to someday own. I also voted to protect my and many other young women’s safety against college campus sexual assault. I don’t push my support of this courageous woman onto others, but encourage them to look at their mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends who may be discriminated against because of gender, race, sexual orientation, or disabilities.

Once Donald Trump was elected, I faced the music and decided to hope for the best despite my internal fears. Unfortunately, these fears have already been proven true. A fear that I have that affects me directly is the defunding of Planned Parenthood. As a young woman, I am about to enter college and have no intentions of getting pregnant, but with rising rape and sexual assault cases on college campuses, a drunk man may have another idea. The pregnancy that follows results in the woman constantly reminder of this horrific experience. A woman needs the resources that Planned Parenthood offers. Another fact that most who oppose this organization don’t know is that Planned Parenthood does not only provide safe abortions and the desired counseling, but they provide women with IUDs, birth control, and treatment of STDs. A woman’s reproductive rights are not a decision of the government.

Although I did not get a chance to march with the millions people, I stand with them. . . in unity, non-conformity, and equality for all. I support all those who walked on Saturday January 21st, 2017, and I know that the next four years we will all stand together against bigotry, hatred, and discrimination as the United States of America. GenWe, the former generations, and the future generations will fight together peacefully for better housing policies, small businesses, a fair tax system, climate change, and equality of education, and employment.

* GenWe are people born between 1996-2016