A Love Letter to My Daughter

You are more than enough.

You are more than able.

You are strong.

You are loved.

You are magical.

And you can do anything, because anything is possible.

Yesterday, the Associated Press declared Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Kamala D. Harris as the winners of the 2020 presidential race at 11:25 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2020. More than 140 million Americans voted in this historical and record-breaking election, announcing many firsts for our nation, including the first woman, more specifically Black and South Asian woman, Kamala Harris, being elected the Vice President of the United States.

Emotionally, I couldn’t stop crying. I wanted to hug every woman and young girl in my life. Due to the global pandemic, I celebrated virtually, alongside millions of others. Last night, a message of healing and hope was shared across our nation. A once forgotten, but deeply missed feeling was hearing both our vice-president- and president-elect speak with compassion, empathy, and conviction.

Right now, you may not understand the enormity of this day, but the world was celebrating, dancing in the streets, singing hymns, and crying joyous tears. After so many months of loss, grievance, and despair, our country was ready to heal and restore its faith in love, hope, and unity for all people once again. This was a moment in our country’s history that I will always remember.

As your mother, it is my promise to you that you will see the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought to life. You will know the freedom that was marched for by John Lewis; the strength and resiliency of our democracy because of black women, like Stacey Abrams; the will to live and fight through your own battles because of Chadwick Boseman; the unified voices that demanded justice in honor of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor; and the uproar of a game winning shot because of Kobe Bryant.

For those who have been holding their breath for so long, breathe, and to those who took their last breath, rest. To those that led before us, thank you. To those still working, keep going. To those getting started, the real work begins. This year was hard for all of us, but we, the people, can shape the world we want – and that’s what this election has demonstrated. We live in a country that is diverse in race, ethnicity, ability, language, gender, and experience, and you (my daughter) will know the importance of celebrating those differences because of this day.

My wish for you… is that you can wear both the glass slippers, while breaking the glass ceilings. Right now, we live in a world of you or me, this or that, and all or nothing, but I hope we can build you a world where you can have and be both. As a biracial woman, being both Black and White, I have always struggle with the the world telling me I couldn’t be both.

If having or being both is still not accepted, I hope you build a world for yourself and others that is – because you are more than enough, more than able, strong, loved, magical, and can do anything because anything is possible. In this moment, we were all reminded that our country is one of possibilities, and all these possibilities are here for you to have and enjoy.

I am so excited to welcome you into this world. We love you.