Dear Hillary Clinton,
The chances of you ever reading this are slim to none. To be honest, the chances of anyone seeing this besides my close circle of social media followers is highly unlikely, yet the best way I can emote how I feel at this time is to write....so here it is. I first emailed you towards the end of the campaign with a general list of my thanks and my thoughts. At the time, I was expecting a very different outcome (as were most Americans.) Though the reality of what happened was extremely different, my admiration, my gratitude, and my respect for you has only grown. I must admit that my admiration for you started a very long time before you decided to run for president the second time around. I was nine years old when you announced your candidacy back in 2008. I didn’t know anything about politics or government- hell, I could barely grasp the concept of multiplication at the time- but I knew I wanted you to be president.
Thinking back to it, I do not know if it was the way you cared about our country, or the way you stood up for what you believed in or if it was simply because my nine year old self could hear you were telling the truth. My nine year old self believed in what you were saying and what you wanted to fight for even if I did not know what half of the policies meant. I remember sitting in my grandmother’s living room wrapped in a blanket that I eventually brought to college with me as you announced that you forfeit your campaign and endorse President Barack Obama. I think that was my first real heartbreak. I begged my grandparents to just write your name on the ballad that election year and to humor me my Pop said he did. I figured you would sweep Obama that year because all of the write in pushing I did for you (Apparently I was a very political fifth grader!) Alas, Obama won and he was great and continues to be great. I have deep gratitude for him and Michelle and believe that their legacy is everlasting. But, even then you were still my favorite person in the white house.
You could only imagine how confused I was when I found out that you were announced as “Obama’s secretary.” Nine year old me lost my mind. I stomped through my house rioting and trying to figure out why you were reduced to being a secretary. Then, my grandparents kindly explained to me that you were not a secretary or where THE Secretary of State. From what I’ve gathered that’s very different. I transitioned into my teen years with you holding that spot in Obama’s cabinet. My admiration only grew deeper. You negotiated the U.N sanction that focused on Iran’s nuclear deal, you fought for and protected LGBT rights, stood at the forefront protecting women’s rights, and clocked in almost 1 BILLION miles. How could anyone be inspired that? I remember the news reporting that you decided to step down. While some thought you were getting too old (whatever the hell old is) for the job, I knew deep down something bigger and better was coming… I was right. Of course getting to that point was not easy. I watched you battle Senators on the Benghazi Committee, who questioned your own love for our country and your own morals. As I got angry, you stayed calm. As they fought with insult, you fight with logic, once again proving intellect always wins.
April 12, 2015 was the day that would change the next 15 months of my young adult life. “Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion.” That sentence reminded me of my nine year old self hearing the sincerity in your voice. I finally felt like my family would catch the break we were begging for. Then 17, I knew I would be able to cast my vote in June 2016 in the New Jersey primaries, just three months after my 18th birthday. I campaigned as best as I knew how. I blasted on every social media site I had, urged all of my friends to vote Hillary, and started hashtagging #I’mWithHer. My excitement made me forget just how nasty politics were. Once a true millennial favorite (in MY opinion), you became the target of vicious and false claims. Bernie Sanders proved to be the millennial go to. I was frustarted. I could not figure out why my friends would not rally around you.
My second job became defending you from extreme opposing supporters spreading false internet meme’s about you. I was tired, yet you were not. You rallied and spoke. You listened and asked. Yo smiled and laughed. You proved to me that you are for the people twenty times over. I knew that was what was going to get Clinton supporters to the DNC…. and we did! We got there and we soared. Your DNC speech is printed out and kept in my room back home in New Jersey. My Facebook became covered in quotes from that speech. My life was once again aspired to inspire. Facing Donald Trump would be the scariest and hardest part of it all. Mr. Trump made sure certain groups of Americans felt unsafe. He preached about building walls, separating immigrant families, denying women of their basic human rights yet, YOU gave us hope. With you as our warrior we knew none of this would come to light. I woke up on November 8th ready to say you were my president, more importantly my champion. I returned to my social media accounts with one last push for everyone to vote and logged out for the day.
A group of friends decided to host an election night get together in their dorm room. Around twelve us crammed around the television and got ready to see history take place and it did…. But not how any of us expected. The numbers were not coming in and our hope was fleeting. Once blue states turned red and there was no chance of swinging a red state. We watched as reporters fell into their own pattern of pure disbelief. Our fate was sealed. I hit the floor in tears. The fear took over and the disbelief led to a sleepless night. I prayed hoping a miracle would happen, or somehow something could turn it all around. I snuggled with the same blanket from eight years ago that night. But I woke up and it was all true. I watched your concession speech that morning and felt emptiness in my heart. As you held back tears, I let them out. As your voice came weary, mine became silent. I felt as if I was at a funeral. There were no words, just silence. My college campus shut down (I go to a VERY liberal art school were not one single person voted red in this election.) Teachers cancelled class while others held back tears in lecture. Students cried as they walked through the halls trying to comfort family members on the phone. I felt so helpless.
Eventually my fear for our nation's future subsided. In my heart of hearts I know America will overcome any adversity we are faced with. We have historically done so for years. Instead of filling my days with grief, I started focusing on the positives this election left us with. One of them being you, Hillary Clinton. You did not let us down. You did not let down the millennials in art school trying to make our voices heard. You did not let down the minorities who put their security in you winning this election. You did not let down the little girls who finally got to see a major party be represented by a female presidential candidate. You did not let down the women who have helped break the glass right along with you. You did however become an icon for many. You did become an idol. I never truly admired anyone in the public eye until November 9th. You are a bad ass. You are titanium.
You inspired me to get out of bed and face the world. I say to myself, “If Hillary cans and there and concede to Trump with elegance, poise, and strength, then I can fight today's fight.” You made me a fighter and an activist. You changed who I was as person and as an artist. Somewhere a little girl watched you pave the way for her to become president. Somewhere a little boy realized it's okay to “run like a girl” because women can do anything a man can do. I find comfort knowing you won the popular vote. The people wanted you, not the system. As an artist I feel like we have a special bond there. “Never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it.” Now Hillary, I make a promise to you. I promise I will continue to fight for what's right. I will scream when I am told to quiet down. I will roar when I am told to be tame. I will fight when I am told to rest. I will remember the legacy you have laid out for me and I will keep pushing forward. As an American I thank you for being the definition of a servant to this country. I often believe no one loves America as much as you do. As a young adult on the brink of my transition into adulthood, I thank you for listening to me and for fighting for me. As an artist, I thank you for helping me find my fight. As Kenny, I thank for all of the above and even more. You will always be MY president. I will always be with you.
Best,
K
