To my children

As I write this, we are only two days removed from one of the most contentious, bitter, and hate-filled elections in the history of our country. It is still far too raw and far too painful and far too early to understand how history will judge us, but you can be sure that they will judge us. I am struggling with many emotions tonight, as I have been since it became clear that the next president of our nation and our first woman president wasn't going to be Secretary Clinton. As a mother - as your mother - I understand that there will be things in this world that I cannot protect you from. But it is especially painful that I could not protect you from waking up in a world where half of our countrymen and women heard the things our President-elect said, saw the way he treated others, witnessed the acts of violence he incited, and decided that they would still be ok with putting his name on their ballot. It is not up to me to judge others for deciding what is important to them. It is not up to us to shame others for making a decision they believed was the right decision. It is only up to me as your mother to teach you right from wrong, to teach you to love others, treat others with respect, and show everyone the same kindness you would hope to receive in return, regardless of their faith, color, culture, gender, or background. That is all I can do, and will continue to do, for the rest of my life.

I have shed many tears over the past two days, thinking of our future with great uncertainty; scared, not only for you both, but for myself as a woman and mother, as a friend to people who are Muslims, African Americans, immigrants, transgender, gay. I am deeply troubled by some of the things I have seen happening in our nation in less than 48 hours since the election. It may take days, weeks, months even, but I am confident that the dawn will come, and joy will return. Our darkest days as a nation have always been followed by our finest hours. And so we go to work. We fight for justice for every American, no matter their race, religion, or creed. We fight for the right to a living wage. We fight for equal access to quality healthcare. We fight for the right of women everywhere to control their body. We fight. On and on and on.

Sadly Donald Trump is our present, but he is NOT our future. You are our future and I will fight with every fiber of my being as hard as I can, as long as I can, to make sure it is a future you can be proud of.

I love you always,

Mommy