To the women who came before me,

Everywhere I turn, I am reminded of you. Those of you who fought to sit in the classroom I am in right now, those of you who fought to vote like I so proudly get to do, those of you who put your name on the ballot for the first time.

You, who have long left this Earth for something else, have given me so much. Yet we have never met.

It is hard to believe that this Women's History (or should I say HERstory) falls on the 100th year anniversary of (some) women getting the right to vote.

Had I been born a 100 years earlier, and grown up in a different time, that right to enter a ballot would have been something I dreamed about. And here I am, a voting member of society.

My entire life, I have loved history. It helped draw me into this world of politics (which is slowly but surely becoming a field for both men and women) and solidified my beliefs.

History is such a valued tool that we don't take advantage of. Our past is the most important book to learn from, we know from whence we came, and the hardships we faced.

So to those women who fought for me: Thank you.

I am becoming a college educated woman, the first in my family to do so. My mother and grandmothers fought for me.

I am a proudly registered voter. Alice Paul, Lucy Stone, I'd think you'd be amazed to see us today.

I am the daughter of a Union Organizer. Fannie Sellins, Mother Jones, you are the founders of my Fathers job. I'm biased, but there is no amount of words I can say to show my thankfulness.

I hate the phrase "Behind every good man is a woman". Women are not meant to lift men up, we are our own person. Behind every woman is 100 women pushing her to be her best. Every day, I encounter a woman who makes me want to be better. And every day, I am thankful for the women who laid to the ground for me to be who I am.

So, this Woman's History Month, let's remember who we are, and where we came from. And let's go further.

For the women that come after me, I thank you, too.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who Is Thankful