Tag Archives: hillary clinton

and so the balance shifts

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I turn 30 in a couple of days. As with most things, it’s snuck up on me mainly due to the wonderful things happening in my life that keep me busy from day to day – among them, two dear friends getting married this weekend and a new niece welcomed into this world on Jeff’s birthday. For reference, see some of the happy faces of joy from the past week.

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But I did just want to say one thing about today. It’s June 7, 2016, and for the first time in our history, there is a woman who is going to be a nominee for a major party for President of the United States. I watched her speech in Brooklyn tonight, eyes welling with happiness. I thought of the future children I’ll hopefully have and how they might possibly be born when there’s a woman president. Jeff mentioned that it’s all Eleanor will have ever known (our new niece.)

In her speech, Hillary mentioned that her mom was born on June 4, 1919, the very day that the US Senate passed the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. A movement that is credited as starting in Seneca Falls, NY, only 115 miles east of where we watched our friends get married this weekend.

Women have had the right to vote less than 100 years. And look how far we’ve come in those 100 years. The cultural progress we’ve made in the past 100 years is astounding if you look at how long societal barriers lasted in every aspect of our world. It’s so humbling to think that these women couldn’t vote – there are women alive who remember a time before voting was allowed. There are many people alive who had mothers who couldn’t vote.

And now, look where we are. At the cusp of history again. I look at all that’s going on – the feminist movement, the focus on accountability for sexual predators, women’s right to chose, and beyond, and I see a world that’s finally moving towards equal. There’s a long road ahead, but it’s being paved every day by woman like me and you who are standing up and righting wrongs and saying YES to having it “all” and saying NO to sitting on the sidelines.

I know it’s not what everyone wants. Such is the discourse of this great country. But tonight I’m so proud to be in an America that’s about to finally, finally vote for a woman to not be less than.

We are enough. And so, the balance shifts.

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Purple Polka Dots & The Road to the White House

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The other day I looked through my closet at this black shirt with purple polka dots, put it on to wear to work, looked in the mirror, and thought I should get rid of it as it isn’t (and probably never really was) flattering. But I can’t get rid of it, because when I look at it it reminds me of 2008, and explaining to Hillary Clinton why I couldn’t take a photo with her.

When I was a senior in college, I took a class in the fall called “Road to the White House.” It was easily my favorite class and is one of my favorite memories – working the campaign trail (albeit I had Republican candidates) and learning more about the insane way the politics works in the US.

Among the events we attended as a class was a rally for Hillary Clinton in Salem, NH. We were going to hear the senator speak and cover the event. It was one of a few events that we went to as a class (the other was a democratic debate where I stood feet from all the candidates and took photos) and it was, to say the least, memorable.

For the event, and for the class, I purchased a few items from the Macy’s in Boston with the help of an overly spunky salesperson who whisked me from section to section of the store in search of the perfect clothes to look professional but still hip. Among them was this black, purple polka dot shirt that is some kind of double-layered mesh with frills and lots of buttons. If it sounds bad, that’s because it.

Anyways, dressed in purple and ready for the event, we headed to NH. During the Q and A portion, one of our two teachers stood up and endorsed Senator Clinton. It was a shock to us all, as we were there as journalists, and suddenly were thrust into the spotlight as this class whose teacher publicly endorsed a candidate – not exactly non-partisan.

Needless to say, after the event Senator Clinton’s team wanted to get a photo with our class and our teacher, and our other teacher was aghast and reminded us that we were there as journalists and should remain neutral as media members.

As our class, and our teachers, discussed this on stage in a gym in rural New Hampshire, Senator Clinton and her team wondered what the hold up was (she was very gracious, but I am sure she had places to be.) As our students scurried from on the stage, ready to be photographed, to off the stage, remembering their career choices, the senator looked confused, and so of course I felt the need to explain to her why, exactly, we couldn’t take a photo with her.

So I stood there, in this black and purple polka dot shirt and blazer, hot and nervous and 21 years old, and told Senator Hillary Clinton that we couldn’t take a photo with her because we were journalism students, and we couldn’t choose a candidate for integrity’s sake, and the moral implications of our seemingly endorsing her ourselves, all the while lightly touching the senator by the elbow…you get the idea. The senator understood, and told us she wished us well in our studies and walked with me off the stage.  I still get flak from my dad about not taking the picture.

And that’s why, for a little while longer, the purple polka dot shirt, unflattering eight years later, will sit in my closet. Because once it gave me confidence to explain my morals to Hillary Clinton.