As a Hillary Clinton supporter, I wanted to do everything I could up until the day of the election to show my support. I had the incredible privilege to attend a rally at Independence Hall in Philadelphia last Monday. I had no idea how many people to expect, but when I saw the line of people that stretched for blocks, further than I could see, I was in awe. I got there at 1 PM but there were people who had been waiting since the morning.
The night started at 7:30 with speeches from different government officials such as Mayor Kenney and Katie McGinty. Following that were performances from Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, who both had incredible things to say in support of Hillary Clinton. Then, Bill and Chelsea Clinton came out to speak on Hillary’s behalf. Next, my favorite appearance of the night was Michelle Obama. She has always inspired me so much and to see her in person was indescribable. She repeated her famous quote from the Democratic National Convention, “When they go low, we go high.”
Michelle introduced Barack and suddenly this all seemed so real. He walked onto the stage and I realized I was about to hear the President of the United States speak, on the lawn of where our country was founded, on the night before our nation changed forever. He said Hillary is the most qualified person to ever run for presidency. He has a way of speaking that is so reassuring and hopeful that I’m really going to miss. Then, he welcomed Hillary to the stage and the energy skyrocketed. I was so proud to be able to witness firsthand a woman who was so close to presidency.
During her speech, Hillary apologized for how angry and hateful the election had gotten. Right as she paused, someone from the crowd shouted, “Not your fault!” and Hillary, as well as the entire audience, took a sigh of relief and laughed it off. We applauded and encouraged her and she continued to speak. The motivation and anticipation I felt after hearing Hillary speak is something I can’t quite articulate in words. I feel like she genuinely cares about each and every American and I was so happy to support such a loving candidate.
After the results of the election, I’m heartbroken for a lot of people, but mostly for Hillary. She came so close to making history and winning a victory for women everywhere. But this setback cannot take away our hope and determination. I’m motivated now more than ever to fight for what I believe in. I refuse to be silenced and I hope that the tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia who attended the rally with me feel the same. We are stronger together. Donald Trump can’t take that away. I’m with her, always.
PHOTO CREDIT: Anna McFadden